BOOK REVIEWS/BOOK NEWS

“The Butterflies of Grand Canyon”

Review by LeeAnn Sharpe

“The Butterflies of Grand Canyon” by Margaret Erhart, is an “Indie Next List Notable Pick” with good reason. Erhart brings the Grand Canyon of the American West to life with an intriguing romance and mystery. Her gentle characters, complemented by the sweet butterflies, provide considerable imagery against the might and majesty of the Grand Canyon.

 Using local historic characters, Erhart builds a believable and interesting community where anyone can envision themselves stopping in for a summer vacation. For a young housewife, Jane Merkle, a summer visit rediscovers a sensuality that had been misplaced in her marriage to a much older St. Louis insurance salesman. Park Ranger Euell Wigglesworth awakens her desire. Communing with nature and chasing butterflies opens opportunities allowing Mother Nature to take her course.

 Watching her sister-in-law, Dotty, carry on a tryst of her own, Jane is surprised to learn her brother-in-law, Oliver, knows all about it, and has for years. His sensitive understanding that his wife needed more than their marriage could provide allowed him to give her loose reins, which in turn, kept her coming back to him without a word spoken of her indiscretions.

 Erhart created characters whose names were inspired by tags affixed to butterflies in the museum at the Grand Canyon National Park. The tag reads, “Mrs. Merkle, on the 17th of July, 1951, brings down a wood nymph or two at Point Sublime on the North Rim of Grand Canyon.” Another reads, “E. Wigglesworth captures a red admiral” in the same place at the same time. From here Erhart builds her story.  

 Grand Canyon National Park brothers Ellsworth and Emery Kolb photographed the canyon for decades and become an integral part of the story with a skeleton found in Emery's garage. Real life botanist Elzada Clover and her associate, Lois Jotter Cutter, are called into action to solve the mystery of the skeleton with a bullet hole at the back of the skull.

 “The Butterflies of Grand Canyon” is a well woven mystery that combines romance and intrigue. Erhart keeps the reader coming back for more. This, her 5^th novel, puts her hiking guide at the Grand Canyon experience to good use and may teach you a thing or two about its butterflies as well.

 For more info about this and other Penguin titles please visit www.penguingroup.com

 THE BUTTERFLIES OF GRAND CANYON By Margaret Erhart Plume Original/$15.00 978-0-452~29549~0

 

Renewed hope for a better world is expressed in a dream and shows that faith can overcome all things

Boston, MA, June 16, 2010 - The inspiration for Arthur’s Soul Adventure (O-Books) by Brian Chambers came in the form of a dream of his father that compelled him to complete the work his father began but was never able to finish.  In the dream he saw Arthur as a young boy, standing on the railroad tracks in the tough inner-city of Boston during the daunting years of the Great Depression.

As Arthur stood on the tracks, he was holding out a dark-covered book and speaking of his near-death experience when he ‘died’ on the tracks one day and how, after a brief time in Heaven, he was given an important message to bring back.  Unfortunately, Arthur never shared this message with anyone throughout his life, but as he held that book out in the dream – it was obvious to Brian that he had to write the book for his father.

The boy in the author’s dream was his father who conveyed to him the important message young Arthur received during his journey through Heaven.  Arthur’s Soul Adventure is the story of Arthur and the journey he takes in Heaven alongside his Guardian Angel George after he died temporarily following a severe blow to the skull.  Upon his return from the journey he develops a warm friendship with a lovely, yet reclusive, elderly woman who believes in him and is deeply changed by his message of hope.  Another valuable lesson Arthur learns is that God celebrates all the many paths we take to get ‘home’ and that there is no such thing as one right way there.   After sharing his near-death experience with friends, they also begin to understand that their new sense of power comes from within themselves.

This uplifting and beautifully scripted story of faith is both funny and tender and its powerful and sincere messages bring renewed hope for a better world – something we can all benefit from in these tumultuous times.  Chambers’ is donating a portion of his book’s proceeds to The Home for Little Wanderers in Boston, whose mission is to ensure the healthy emotional, mental and social development of children at risk.  Please check out this amazing author’s website at: www.arthurssouladventure.com.

One best-selling author had the clever idea of giving back to his readers
– a book club at a time
Lafayette, CO, June 9, 2010 - John Shors is the kind of author who wants to give back.  It is his belief that when someone buys one of his books he ought to do something nice for them in return, so when the paperback version of his bestselling novel Beneath a Marble Sky was published, he put a letter in the back that invited book clubs to invite him to their events. Shortly thereafter, Shors was pleasantly surprised to get asked to join a couple of book clubs a week.

Readers were, and continue to be, amazed that an author would provide his personal email address to invite them to join him in a book discussion, and were deeply touched by the gesture.  Needless to say, word travels, and within a few months of launching his program, Shors was speaking with up to ten book clubs a day.  Such exposure greatly increased the sales of Beneath a Marble Sky, which is now an international bestseller and is available in twenty-five languages.

To date, Shors says he has spoken with about 2,500 book clubs – most certainly a record in the publishing industry – and the feedback is that everyone is thrilled to get an opportunity to actually chat one-on-one with the author of a book they have read.  A modest man, Shors feels he is just trying to do a tiny part in making reading fun again on a group level.

John Shors lived for several years in Kyoto, Japan where he taught English and later traveled throughout Asia.  His best-selling novels, Beneath a Marble Sky, Beside a Burning Sea, Dragon House, and his soon-to-be released, The Wishing Trees, are all set in Asia.  He continues to talk with several book clubs a night, these days chatting about all of his books.  His program has been so successful that it has inspired countless other authors to create similar platforms.  Please check out this intriguing author at www.johnshors.com.

Gaining a triumphant life by courageously facing past demons to eliminate negative thinking in the present- Children rarely place blame on their parents for childhood trauma but instead choose to believe it was something they did or didn’t do that resulted in the abuse or neglect they received.  Left unresolved, these issues from the past will greatly affect their present and future.  Troubled Childhood, Triumphant Life: Healing from the Battle Scars of Youth (New Horizon Press) by James P. Krehbiel, a licensed professional counselor and nationally certified cognitive-behavioral therapist, is an incredible tool in reinforcing that in spite of what happened as a child we each have the power to change our responses and move forward in a positive way.

 In Troubled Childhood, Triumphant Life, the author guides readers on a journey of discovery where they learn how to release the shame, neglect, and anguish of emotions buried deep inside from a painful childhood and let go of self-defeating and pessimistic attitudes so that they will not continue the pattern of  this destructive behavior with their own children.  Krehbiel ends each chapter with questions that make individuals re-examine the traumatic events of their own childhood and includes the necessary tools to empower them to take responsibility for their present through self-reflection, recognition and grieving – to let go of ‘what was’ in order to lay the groundwork for a happy and triumphant adulthood.

 James P. Krehbiel, Ed.S., LPC, CCBT is recognized by the National Association of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapists.  He is an author, contributing writer to a variety of online websites and offline journals, magazines and newspapers, and is a licensed professional counselor in Scottsdale, Arizona.  Please visit his informative website at: http://www.scottsdaletherapy.net

 

It’s 2012 and the world as we know it is about to end. Not in fire and blood but with the coming of the Messiah

Houston, TX, June 9, 2010 - The Miracle Man (O-Books) by Maggy Whitehouse is a story of a modern-day Messiah who becomes a judge on a hugely popular TV talent show. But would the Messiah really come to Las Vegas rather than Jerusalem? Would he be a wealthy TV megastar? Would he be a Jew, not a Christian?

Every move that Miracle Man, Josh Goldstone, makes is blasted over the internet and makes the headlines in newspapers and on television, as he uses his healing powers to wipe out alcoholism, drug use and gambling – in fact, just about any addiction that is rampant in our culture today.

But Christianity teaches that the Anti-Christ will masquerade as a healer and fundamental Christians are quick to denounce this powerful threat to their faith. Worse, the healing of the nations means that people don’t need Medicare, drugs, alcohol or even wealth. The economy will crash with a pain-free and happy population.

Josh’s next goal is politics; joining forces with the Dalai Lama to inspire a celebrity-led peaceful liberation of Tibet and accomplishing an astonishing ‘about face’ in Chinese policy. Now he has become a threat to the whole world order.

Josh’s female PR guru Jude Isaacs (Judas Iscariot) wants to set up the publicity triumph of the year by staging an assassination of Josh live on air, believing that he will finish the story by rising once again.  Will the biggest publicity stunt in history be pulled off successfully…?

The Miracle Man cleverly follows the chronology of the four Gospels of the New Testament, portraying every main character, with a modern name, and all the miracles in a present-day setting. Now the greatest story ever told can make sense to a secular world.

Maggy Whitehouse is an expert on mystical Bible interpretation and an author whose many books have been published worldwide.  She is a journalist and broadcaster with more than thirty years’ radio and TV experience in her native England, and is a minister in an independent Sacramental Christian Church.  Visit Maggy at: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00288YAXA or on her websites at: http://www.maggywhitehouse.com and http://them1racleman.com.

"Something You Forgot... Along The Way” by Kentetsu Takamori
Book Review by LeeAnn Sharpe May 13, 2010

 “Something You Forgot... Along The Way” is a collection of sixty-five heartwarming stories that show what it means to learn from life's events. You can see a common thread with many traditional fables, yet Kentetsu Takamori often has a lovely Japanese slant in the telling.

 Of course he would, because Kentetsu Takamori is a Pure Land Buddhist teacher born in Japan in 1929. He has lectured throughout Japan and worldwide on Buddhism for more than half a century. As author of several best-selling titles in Japanese and the chair of the Buddhist organization Jodo Shinshu Shinrankai, he has earned a reputation for faithfully conveying the teachings of Shinran (1173-1263), the founder of Shin Buddhism (the True Pure Land School).

The first of his works to be published in English was “You Were Born For A Reason: The Real Purpose of Life” (Ichimannendo Publishing, Inc., 2006),which has sold over 600,000 copies to date in the Japanese release.

 Takamori’s life has been dedicated to being a Buddhist teacher which comes out in his beautiful story telling style. He weaves a moral lesson into each short tale. Timeless in their simplicity and universality, each story pulls you into a world where things often seem one way, but on closer reflection, demonstrate why we need to think things through and look at all sides before jumping into a decision.    

Easy to read and a joy in their wisdom and beauty, “Something You Forgot... Along The Way” is a wonderful gift to share with anyone, young to old. The book includes photos of beautiful scenery in natural color.

 Takamori’s lives with his wife and their dog in a small town in Toyama Prefecture overlooking the Japan Sea and we are blessed that he shares his serene wisdom in this lovely tome.

 “Something You Forgot... Along The Way” Paperback 5”x7” 178 pages ISBN: 978-0-9790471-1-4 Self- Help/Inspiration/Buddhism $11.95

 Quote from book back: “These simple yet beautiful tales invite us to look deeper into almost any situation in life. In the tradition of Aesop's Fables each story concludes with a moral lesson. In these lessons, the author gives us a perspective on people and events that is both rare and unexpected, demonstrating a profound understanding of the human condition. This book is a joy to read for anyone: teenagers looking to share in the wisdom of an adult; parents and teachers who wish to share something invaluable with their children or pupils; and all people everywhere, young or old, who seek to better themselves and the world they live in. This is a book to cherish, to share, and to return to over and over again.”

 

Actually, True West magazine is our top seller overall.   And you can pick up your copy of the new May issue at Pages. Go West With Some of the Frontier’s Most Extraordinary Women For More Information Contact Globe Pequot Press @ 800/962-0973 Or contact Western Author & Speaker Chris Enss @ 530/477-8859 www.chrisenss.com Discover more about gold rush history, frontier life, and the women who helped tame the wild west with the Go West series of books. I’ve spent the last ten years writing about the impact women had on the plains beyond the Mississippi. Some of the courageous women I’ve written about were doctors, business owners, soiled doves, teachers, or miners. Some of them are renowned even to this day, others are remembered only in the pages of history, but all personified the daring, colorful, and independent spirit of the Old West. Teachers, librarians, students, and school board members can choose from more than a dozen titles on the subject of women of the Old West. The books are suitable for sixth graders and up. Visit chrisenss.com and review the various volumes in the Go West series. Check out a video presentation of the books on the website in the media section. Make arrangements for the author to give a presentation about the entertaining and unusual stories contained within the books. For more information and a list of scheduled appearances, go to chrisenss.com/events.cfm. You’ll find contact information, excerpts from the books, a video clip of the work, and much more.   News from Pages Bookstore: Pages StageCoach Village 7100 E. Cave Creek Road Cave Creek, Arizona  85331 map 480-575-7220www.PagesNewAndRare.com   Open Monday - Saturday  10am - 6pm Open Sunday 12noon - 5pm We will be closed New Year's Day.  And maybe a bit early on New Year's Eve... Writer's Workshop with C.C. Harrison at the Desert Foothills Library   Tuesday, Jan. 5 10am-Noon    Find out how to "Write That Book!" for only $10.  And 10% of all book proceeds from workshop book sales will benefit the library.   More info & sign-up...   The winners cross the finish line - and the Pages team wins!       Thank you to all of our customers!   As we approach the end of 2009, we at Pages would like to thank each of you for your support.  Thanks to all of you, we met then exceeded a conservative sales goal for 2009 in spite of the bad economy.   We are well aware of the competition for your dollars and that we all need to save where we can, so we are especially appreciative for your business.  We take pride in being your local bookstore and giving everyone the best customer service we can.  We are knowledgeable about books in general with specific knowledge of different genres and what is on the shelves in our store.  Plus, we all enjoy being "book detectives" and finding titles when all that the customer has is part of a title, or even just a description of the book. We hope you continue to enjoy challenging us as well as exploring the world of books with us throughout 2010 and beyond. Your fellow book lovers, Sandi, Will, Deb, Sanwa, Marilyn, Sarah, Cecilia, & Vincent   "a good time, if you're not a box..." Kids of all ages enjoy the Pages version of Boxing Day... First, we hear Not A Box. (it is story time, after all)      what to make, what to make...      The Pages race car - dig those dual exhaust pipes!    See more fun stuff on our Photo Album page - just clickhere! Saturday, January 16,  2 - 4pm Patrick Grady author of "Homesteading Along the Creek: Pioneer Life in Cave Creek, Arizona, 1890-1940"   Written by Cave Creek resident Grady and published here in Arizona, signed copies of "Homesteading Along the Creek" are now available at Pages for $20.  Reserve your spot and/or a copy of the book now by phone 480.575.7220 or email. Saturday, January 23, 4-5pm Erica Bauermeister author of "The School of Essential Ingredients"     "A Must Read.  I didn't think so, then decided to read it, then fell in love with The School of Essential Ingredients." Sandi    "The School of Essential Ingredients" is available now in hardcover at Pages for $24.95.  The paperback edition will be available Jan. 5 for $15.    Due to limited seating, please reserve your place and book now at Pages - 480.575.7220 orinfo@pagesnewandrare.com.   Can't make an event?  Give us a call or email & we can have a pre-paid copy signed and held for you!

View : Glenn Bond Video BowTie,ZigZag &One Punch 42drills NEW - 370287043398   If these babies shake their rattles, you’d better pay attention! New book helps children learn about rattlesnakes Much maligned primarily because they are too often misunderstood, rattlesnakes have gotten a bad rap over the years. Conrad J. Storad, an award-winning author of more than 30 science and nature books for young readers, wants to do something about that. In his just released book, Rattlesnake Rules, Conrad demystifies the world of rattlesnakes and introduces children to such topics as who, when, and what rattlesnakes eat. He shows readers why rattlesnakes have rattles and what it means if you hear one. You will learn how the snakes’ forked tongues help them survive. The delightful and colorful illustrations of Nathaniel P. Jensen help bring the story alive. A long-time resident of the Sonoran Desert, Conrad has long been fascinated by the diversity of animals and plants that call the desert home. Some of his earlier titles are Saguaro Cactus, Tarantulas, Sonoran Desert A to Z, Gila Monsters, Don’t Call Me Pig! (A Javelina Story), Desert Night Shift (A Pack Rat Story), Lizards for Lunch (A Roadrunner’s Tale), and Life in the Slow Lane (A Desert Tortoise Tale). Conrad is the director of the Office of Research Publications at Arizona State University where he edits the nationally award-winning ASU Research Magazine. He is also the founding editor of Chain Reaction, an award-winning science magazine written for young readers. Rattlesnake Rules, by Conrad J. Storad (ISBN: 978-1-58985-161-0), fiction, hardcover, is published by Little Five Star, a division of Five Star Publications, Inc., P.O. Box 6698, Chandler AZ 85246-6698.  The book sells for $16.95 and will be available through Ingram and Baker & Taylor.  To request a review copy and/or to schedule an interview with the author, please contact the publisher. "Nathaniel Jensen's delightful illustrations capture the beauty and wonder of nature. His renditions of the animal kingdom are done with a good dose of humor and love, suggesting to the viewer that these creatures are to be cared about and respected for the role they play in our world." ~Joseph Hammer, Director of Product Marketing & Licensing Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, Austin, Texas "My wife and I are unabashed fans of Conrad Storad, as are the many children to whom we've given his books. What always stands out is how he varies each story not just in topic but with an approach that's right for the critters we meet. That's never more true than in "Rattlesnake Rules." Dozens of fascinating rattler facts are woven into this charming tale, but no two-legger will venture too close after reading the rules." ~Ed Sylvester, Science & Medical Writer, Professor Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication, Arizona State University

Book Review The Civility Solution By LeeAnn Sharpe  The Civility Solution by P.M. Forni, published 2008 from St. Martin’s Press ISBN 0-312-36849-6, has 166 pages.  This book answers many questions with an extremely civil attitude that common sense dictates to most people, but frequently seems to be lost in today’s world.  P. M. Forni, the award winning professor of Italian literature at Johns Hopkins University, has founded a Civility Institute. His 2002 book Choosing Civility has sold over a hundred thousand copies proving that what was once taught from childhood, has been lost for generations, and now must be learned by adults unaware that civility is what drives peaceful co-existence. It’s no wonder we live in times where road rage and sideline parents at sporting events result in violence. Keeping ones cool in tense situations seems to be deemed as weak.   Forni’s book offers Eight Rules for a Civil Life that I find so simply elegant as to be words to live by.  Slow down and be present in your life. It sounds so easy but who among us isn’t guilty of rushing to get everything done. And isn’t that generally when civility flies out the window? Listen to the voice of empathy. I know it can be hard when the creep you are trying to empathize with has just stolen your parking place, but it will do you more good to let it go. Keep a positive attitude. No one likes a downer. Positive breeds happy and happy breeds joy and joy breeds… well you know. Respect others and offer them plenty of validation. This goes exceptionally well for a child or spouse. But it applies to the rest of the world as well. Disagree graciously and refrain from arguing. This is pretty much the most important chapter in this book in learning how to be civil. The book is worth it just for this one chapter! Get to know the people around you. How many people don’t know their neighbors these days? There you are. Pay attention to the small things. My Dad goes crazy when he works so hard to maintain his clean yard and the wind blows his neighbors unkempt leaves over. It may be a small thing but it leads to a loss of civility. Ask, don’t tell. Wouldn’t we all enjoy a bit more civility in the world?  Retails for $19.95 at all fine booksellers today.  About the author: LeeAnn Sharpe is a freelance writer residing in Glendale, Arizona. Her love of the southwest and the western lifestyle have inspired her to a project called Keeping the Spirit of the Old West Alive. She also writes reviews on books and dining as well as several biographies of influential people.

Langum Charitable Trust Announces First Winner of Malott Prize for Recording Community Activism (Birmingham, AL) The Langum Charitable Trust announces that the first winner of its new biannual Gene E. & Adele R. Malott Prize for Recording Community Activism is Bruce Barcott for his book The Last Flight of the Scarlet Macaw: One Woman's Fight to Save the World's Most Beautiful Bird, published by Random House in 2008. The Langum Charitable Trust is a private operating foundation in Birmingham, Alabama that awards book and media prizes. Its other prizes are the David J. Langum, Sr. Prize in American Historical Fiction and the David J. Langum, Sr. Prize in American Legal History or Biography. The Malott Prize recognizes both significant grassroots activists and the authors, journalists, and film makers who cover them. However, the basis for the prize is for the quality of the writing or film. Eligible media include books, magazine articles, series of newspaper articles, or films. $1500 will be given to the author, and $1000 to the underlying project of community activism. "We are proud to announce Bruce Barcott as the winner of the first ever Malott prize as Barcott's book exemplifies the journalistic values which Gene and Adele Malott wanted to encourage and recognize. The book gives the reader a deeper understanding of the spirit of the activist, and the dedication it takes to fight for a cause, " says David J. Langum, Sr., founder of the Langum Trust. In The Last Flight of the Scarlet Macaw, Barcott tells the story of Sharon Matola who, while caring for orphaned animals at her own zoo in the tropical country of Belize, became one of Central America's greatest wildlife defenders. And when powerful outside forces conspired with the local government to build a dam that would flood the nesting ground of the last scarlet macaws in Belize, Matola was drawn into the fight of her life. The New York Times Book Review reviewed The Last Flight of the Scarlet Macaw, calling it "Thrilling . . . Barcott mashes up adventure, nature writing and biography in a steamy climate of corruption and intrigue." Bruce Barcott also wrote The Measure of a Mountain: Beauty and Terror on Mount Rainier, and is a contributing editor at Outside magazine. His feature articles have appeared in The New York Times Magazine, Mother Jones, Sports Illustrated, Harper’s, Utne Reader, and other publications. He contributes reviews to The New York Times Book Review and the public radio show Living on Earth, and is a former Ted Scripps Fellow at the University of Colorado. He lives in Seattle with his wife and their two children. Further information is available at: www.langumtrust.org  Random House  www.belizezoo.org Praise Thrilling . . . Barcott mashes up adventure, nature writing and biography in a steamy climate of corruption and intrigue. The New York Times Book Review An absorbing narrative about an unheralded and faraway environmental battle that speaks volumes about the ways of our world–and how an individual might actually change it. This is a great read and an important story. Michael Pollan, author of In Defense of Food This fascinating account . . . touches upon greed, corruption, and the legacy of colonialism. . . . Not even Hollywood could invent Sharon Matola [the] plucky American. Entertainment Weekly This real page-turner of narrative nonfiction is hard to put down. Booklist "Partly Hiaasen-esque, but real life." New York Post With a plot so multilayered and dramatic that readers will need to remind themselves it’s a true account, the narrative achieves the depth of a case study and the accessible intimacy of a short feature. The Miami Herald Barcott (The Measure of a Mountain) relates the dramatic and heart-rending story of one woman's struggle to save the scarlet macaw in the tiny country of Belize. Sharon Matola, an eccentric American who directs the Belize Zoo, learned in 1999 that a Canadian power company planned to build a dam that would destroy the habitat of the 200 scarlet macaws remaining in Belize. Helped by native Belizeans and the Natural Resources Defense Council, Matola mounted a six-year campaign against the dam, undaunted by government officials who branded her an enemy of the state and threatened to destroy her zoo by locating a new national garbage dump next to it—a vindictive act halted only when Princess Anne of Great Britain, which gives Belize millions in aid, planned to speak out against it. But the combined forces of a determined corporation and a corrupt government were unrelenting, even after it was revealed that the power company's geological studies of the site were faulty and the dam could put human lives at stake. Barcott's compelling narrative is suspenseful right up to the last moment. (Feb. 12) Copyright  Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition. Publishers Weekly

Western Author Elmer Kelton Passes at 83 Years Elmer Stephen Kelton, 83, died Saturday, August 22nd at his home in San Angelo Texas. He was born April 29, 1926, at Horse Camp in Andrews County Texas to Mr. and Mrs. R.W. “Buck” Kelton, and grew up on the McElroy Ranch in Upton and Crane counties. He completed his education at the University of Texas after serving in Europe during World War II. Kelton married Anna Lipp of Ebensee, Austria in 1947 and began a career in agriculture journalism at the San Angelo Standard-Times in 1949. He became editor of the Sheep & Goat Raiser magazine in 1963 and associate editor of Livestock Weekly in 1968, retiring in 1990. Kelton maintained a parallel career as a freelance writer, beginning with short stories in the post-war pulp magazine trade, progressing to novels, non-fiction books and countless magazine articles. In all, he wrote more than 40 books, including “The Time it Never Rained,” “The Wolf and the Buffalo,” “The Day the Cowboys Quit,” and “The Good Old Boys,” which became a Turner Network movie directed by and starring Tommy Lee Jones. Kelton was named the number-one Western writer of all time by the Western Writers of America. The WWA voted him seven Spur awards for best Western novel of the year and the career Saddleman Award, and he received four Western Heritage Wrangler awards from the National Cowboy Hall of Fame. He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Ann Kelton of San Angelo, sons Gary Kelton of Plainview and Steve Kelton of San Angelo, with wife Karen McGinnis, and daughter Kathy Kelton, also of San Angelo and companion Pat Hennigan. He and Ann have four grandchildren, five great-grandchildren, and one great-great grandchild. He is also survived by his brothers, Merle and wife Ann of May, Texas, Bill and wife Pat of Atlanta, Texas, and Eugene and wife Peggy of McCamey. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the giver’s favorite charity or the Tom Green County Library’s Elmer Kelton statue fund through the San Angelo Area Foundation at 2201 Sherwood Way, Suite 205. Arrangements are pending at Johnson’s Funeral Home. Video of Elmer Kelton discussing his life at the Western Writers Conference in Scottsdale Jun 8, 2008 Shot by LeeAnn Sharpe Sitting next to Cotton Smith and Johnny Boggs. I will forever cherish the hour I spent talking with Elmer and his wife Ann the next day while they took a quiet break from the action.

BAKING KIDS LOVE Reconnecting Families, One Treat At A Time  Being a kid has never been so…yummy!  This fall award-winning authors Cindy Mushet and Sur La Table, the national culinary retail mecca, will introduce a new baking book especially for children called Baking Kids Love (Andrews McMeel Publishing, $20, October 2009).  Kid-inspired recipes such as PB& J Muffins, Brownie S’mores Bars, and Gotchya Focaccia will fill tummies and warm hearts, while providing a fun and tasty way for families to reconnect in the kitchen. Baking Kids Love is a delicious collection of thirty recipes that will ignite children’s creativity, teach them confidence in the kitchen and create a lifetime of memories.  The cookbook’s easy to follow instructions and colorful photography offer step by step techniques necessary for creating magic in your family’s oven.  The cookbook provides baking tips that not only introduce children to the exciting world of home-baked goodies, but also take adults back to the basics, allowing them to relate to their child’s level of learning, such as “the importance of washing hands,” “how to measure liquids,” “choosing basic baking ingredients,” and “cutting in the butter.”  Special comments from Cindy’s 11-year-old daughter, Bella, about her personal baking experiences help children connect with someone their own age–she even provides a tip to make cleanup motivating! Each recipe in Baking Kids Love is kid-tested and approved.  Cindy and Sur La Table worked closely with Bella to include recipes children actually enjoy baking and eating.  So whether you’re creating ghoulish treats such as Rattling Meringue Bones and Fingers for Halloween, baking a Rustic Apple Pie for Thanksgiving, making Be Creative Sugar Cookies to celebrate National Cookie Day (Dec. 4), or giving homemade treats such as Pumpkin Gingerbread for the holidays, Baking Kids Love is chock full of sweet and savory recipes that the entire family will love. ABOUT THE AUTHORS  Sur La Table and Cindy Mushet wrote The Art and Soul of Baking (2008), which received the 2009 IACP Cookbook Award for Baking, was a Gourmet magazine Cookbook Club selection, and was nominated for a 2009 James Beard Foundation Award. They continue to receive high praise for their contribution to the baking world. Sur La Table is the trusted authority when it comes to all things cooking related. Recognizing the importance of nurturing young chefs, Sur La Table offers gear and cooking classes made just for kids. Sur La Table entices aficionados and curious beginners alike with its amazing selection of cookware, bakeware, tools, cookbooks, and cooking school programs designed to make any cook’s life easier. The original store and headquarters are in Seattle, WA. Cindy Mushet has been a professional pastry chef and baking teacher for over twenty years. Her recipes have appeared in publications across the country, including Bon Appétit, Fine Cooking, Country Home, the National Culinary Review, and the New York Times. Inspired by her daughter, Bella, Cindy has taught baking to many children, both in school classrooms and in summer baking camps. A fun and engaging teacher, Cindy has also taught thousands of adults nationwide. She lives in Los Angeles. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Reserve Your Copy Now!   "South of Broad"    'Pat Conroy's writing is so beautiful that I would read anything he wrote - even if it were on the back of a milk carton.  He doesn't even have to tell me a story. In "South of Broad", though, Mr. Conroy does tell a story, and a great one.  It's the story of a life, with its tragedies, loves, and victories.  It's an amazing story.  Read it.'   Sandi On Sale:  8/11/09 Price: $29.95    "The Lost Symbol"   The eagerly awaited follow-up to his #1 international phenomenon "The DaVinci Code", "The Lost Symbol" once again features Brown's unforgettable protagonist, Harvard symbol expert Robert Langdon. On Sale:  9/15/09 Price: $29.95    Wimpy Kid #4 - Dog Days   The 4th book in the popular children's Diary of a Wimpy Kid series is sure to be just as popular as the others - and now we know what the title is, and how the cover looks, and what color - all you have to do is read it! On Sale:  10/12/09 Price: $13.95   You can pre-order these books at Pages - just click here or call 480-575-7220.   Or, for that matter, you can reserve a copy of pretty much any upcoming book from us.  And there are lots of really great books coming out - just ask us.  We may have read an advance copy*, like Sandi did for South of Broad.   *But, no, not Dan Brown's book - and even if we did, we'd probably have to kill you, if you knew.  Or, rather, kill ourselves....

Wikipedia has a list of the most commonly banned or challenged books in the US. Title                                                          Author   1984                                                                                                                       George Orwell Adventures of Huckleberry Finn                                                                             Mark Twain The Adventures of Super Diaper Baby                                                                   Dav Pilkey The Adventures of Tom Sawyer                                                                             Mark Twain Alice                                                                                                                        Phyllis Reynolds Naylor All the King's Men                                                                                                   Robert Penn Warren Always Running                                                                                                      Luis J. Rodriguez American Psycho                                                                                                    Bret Easton Ellis An American Tragedy                                                                                             Theodore Dreiser The Anarchist Cookbook                                                                                        William Powell Anastasia Again!                                                                                                     Lois Lowry And Tango Makes Three                                                                                        Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging                                                             Louise Rennison Annie on my Mind                                                                                                   Nancy Garden Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret                                                                  Judy Blume Arming America                                                                                                      Michael Bellasiles Arizona Kid                                                                                                             Ron Koertge As I Lay Dying                                                                                                         William Faulkner Asking About Sex and Growing Up                                                                         Joanna Cole Athletic Shorts                                                                                                         Chris Crutcher Beloved                                                                                                                   Toni Morrison Black Boy                                                                                                                Richard Wright Bless Me, Ultima                                                                                                     Rudolfo A. Anaya Blood and Chocolate                                                                                              Annette Curtis Klause Blubber                                                                                                                   Judy Blume The Bluest Eye                                                                                                       Toni Morrison The Boy Who Lost His Face                                                                                   Louis Sachar Boys and Sex                                                                                                          Wardell Pomeroy Brave New World                                                                                                    Aldous Huxley Bridge to Terabithia                                                                                                Katherine Paterson Bumps in the Night                                                                                                 Harry Allard The Call of the Wild                                                                                                Jack London Captain Underpants                                                                                               Dav Pilkey Carrie                                                                                                                     Stephen King The Catcher in the Rye                                                                                          J. D. Salinger Catch-22                                                                                                                 Joseph Heller Cat's Cradle                                                                                                            Kurt Vonnegut The Chocolate War                                                                                                Robert Cormier Christine                                                                                                                 Stephen King A Clockwork Orange                                                                                               Anthony Burgess The Color Purple                                                                                                    Alice Walker Crazy Lady!                                                                                                            Jane Conly Cross Your Fingers, Spit in Your Hat                                                                     Alvin Schwartz Cujo                                                                                                                        Stephen King Curses, Hexes and Spells                                                                                       Daniel Cohen Cut                                                                                                                          Patricia McCormick Daddy's Roommate                                                                                                Michael Willhoite A Day No Pigs Would Die                                                                                       Robert Newton Peck The Dead Zone                                                                                                      Stephen King Deenie                                                                                                                    Judy Blume Detour for Emmy                                                                                                    Marilyn Reynolds The Drowning of Stephan Jones                                                                            Bette Greene Earth's Children (series)                                                                                         Jean M. Auel The Exorcist                                                                                                            William Peter Blatty The Face on the Milk Carton                                                                                  Caroline B. Cooney Fade                                                                                                                       Robert Cormier Fallen Angels                                                                                                          Walter Dean Myers Family Secrets                                                                                                        Norma Klein A Farewell to Arms                                                                                                 Ernest Hemingway Final Exit                                                                                                                 Derek Humphry Flowers for Algernon                                                                                              Daniel Keyes For Whom the Bell Tolls                                                                                         Ernest Hemingway Forever                                                                                                                   Judy Blume Girls and Sex                                                                                                          Wardell Pomeroy The Giver                                                                                                                Lois Lowry Go Ask Alice                                                                                                            Anonymous Go Tell It on the Mountain                                                                                      James Baldwin The Goats                                                                                                               Brock Cole Gone with the Wind                                                                                                 Margaret Mitchell Goosebumps (series)                                                                                             R. L. Stine The Grapes of Wrath                                                                                              John Steinbeck The Great Gatsby                                                                                                   F. Scott Fitzgerald The Great Gilly Hopkins                                                                                          Katherine Paterson Guess What?                                                                                                          Mem Fox Halloween ABC                                                                                                       Eve Merriam The Handmaid's Tale                                                                                             Margaret Atwood Harry Potter (series)                                                                                               J. K. Rowling Heart of Darkness                                                                                                  Joseph Conrad Heather Has Two Mommies                                                                                   Lesléa Newman The House of the Spirits                                                                                         Isabel Allende How to Eat Fried Worms                                                                                        Thomas Rockwell I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings                                                                          Maya Angelou In Cold Blood                                                                                                          Truman Capote In the Night Kitchen                                                                                                Maurice Sendak Invisible Man                                                                                                           Ralph Ellison It's Perfectly Normal                                                                                                Robie Harris It's So Amazing                                                                                                       Robie Harris Jack                                                                                                                        A. M. Homes James and the Giant Peach                                                                                   Roald Dahl Jay's Journal                                                                                                          Anonymous Julie of the Wolves                                                                                                  Jean Craighead George Jump Ship to Freedom                                                                                           James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier Jumper                                                                                                                   Steven Gould The Jungle                                                                                                             Upton Sinclair Kaffir Boy                                                                                                                Mark Mathabane Killing Mr. Griffin                                                                                                      Lois Duncan Lady Chatterley's Lover                                                                                          D. H. Lawrence A Light in the Attic                                                                                                   Shel Silverstein Little Black Sambo                                                                                                  Helen Bannerman Lolita                                                                                                                       Vladimir Nabokov Lord of the Flies                                                                                                      William Golding Mommy Laid An Egg                                                                                              Babette Cole My Brother Sam Is Dead                                                                                        James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier The Naked and the Dead                                                                                       Norman Mailer Naked Lunch                                                                                                          William S. Burroughs Native Son                                                                                                              Richard Wright The New Joy of Gay Sex                                                                                        Charles Silverstein Of Mice and Men                                                                                                    John Steinbeck On My Honor                                                                                                          Marion Dane Bauer One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest                                                                         Ken Kesey Ordinary People                                                                                                     Judith Guest The Outsiders                                                                                                         S. E. Hinton The Pillars of the Earth                                                                                           Ken Follett The Pigman                                                                                                            Paul Zindel Private Parts                                                                                                           Howard Stern Rabbit, Run                                                                                                            John Updike Running Loose                                                                                                       Chris Crutcher The Satanic Verses                                                                                                Salman Rushdie Scary Stories (series)                                                                                             Alvin Schwartz A Separate Peace                                                                                                  John Knowles Sex                                                                                                                         Madonna Sex Education                                                                                                         Jenny Davis Slaughterhouse-Five                                                                                              Kurt Vonnegut The Sledding Hill                                                                                                     Chris Crutcher Sleeping Beauty Trilogy                                                                                          A. N. Roquelaure (Anne Rice) Song of Solomon (novel)                                                                                        Toni Morrison Sons and Lovers                                                                                                     D. H. Lawrence The Stupids (series)                                                                                               Harry Allard Summer of My German Soldier                                                                              Bette Greene The Sun Also Rises                                                                                                Ernest Hemingway That Was Then, This Is Now                                                                                  S. E. Hinton Their Eyes Were Watching God                                                                             Zora Neale Hurston Tiger Eyes                                                                                                              Judy Blume To Kill a Mockingbird                                                                                               Harper Lee Tropic of Cancer                                                                                                     Henry Miller Ulysses                                                                                                                   James Joyce View from the Cherry Tree                                                                                     Willow Davis Roberts We All Fall Down                                                                                                     Robert Cormier Whale Talk                                                                                                              Chris Crutcher What my Mother Doesn't Know                                                                              Sonya Sones What's Happening to My Body? Book for Boys: A Growing-Up Guide for Parents & Sons      Lynda Madaras What's Happening to My Body? Book for Girls: A Growing-Up Guide for Parents & Daughters              Lynda Madaras Where Did I Come From?                                                                                      Peter Mayle Where's Waldo?                                                                                                     Martin Handford The Wish Giver                                                                                                       Bill Brittain The Witches                                                                                                            Roald Dahl Women in Love                                                                                                       D. H. Lawrence Women on Top: How Real Life Has Changed Women's Fantasies                        Nancy Friday A Wrinkle in Time    Madeleine L'Engle

eReader for BlackBerry Do you read books on your Blackberry? Reading is getting more mobile as the world celebrates the release of eReader for BlackBerry. One of the biggest obstacles to enjoying a good book while riding the train or waiting for a doctor's appoinment is the bulk of carrying a book with you everywhere you go. With your books stored on your Blackberry phone, they are with you everywhere. Just think how many wasted minutes of waiting could be filled with enjoyable reading time. eReader eBooks now work on BlackBerry Handhelds, along with Apple iPhones plus other mobile devices using Palm, Windows Mobile Pocket PC and Smartphone and Symbian Operating Systems (as well as PCs and Mac). Install eReader for BlackBerry directly from your device. For your convenience, you can copy and paste this URL in an email and open it on your BlackBerry. The URL is: http://www.ereader.com/bb-beta.xjad What Devices are Supported by eReader for BlackBerry? You can use this product on the following BlackBerry Models: Curve, Storm, Pearl, Bold, 7130, 8110, 8120, 8130, 8220, 8300, 8310, 8320, 8330, 8350i, 8703e, 8707, 8800, 8820, 8830, 8900, 9000, 9500, 9530 Where can I find eBooks to read using eReader for BlackBerry? You can connect to your eReader.com or Fictionwise.com bookshelf to download eBooks in eReader format from those stores. You can also download eBooks to a memory card if your BlackBerry supports one. eBooks placed on a memory card should be saved in the "eReader" folder. How do I navigate through my eBooks? Trackball: You can scroll the trackball up to go to the previous page and down to advance the page. Keyboard: Pressing "Space" will advance the page and "shift+Space" will go to the previous page. Touchscreen (where supported): Clicking the screen on the bottom half or right side will advance the page. Clicking the screen on the top half or left side will go to the previous page. You can also swipe the screen to the right to go to the previous page and swipe the screen to the left to go to the next page. You can also use the "Table of Contents" and "Go To Page" items in the menu to jump to any section of the eBook. What if I have accounts at both eReader and Fictionwise? If you have two accounts, one with eReader and one with Fictionwise, and both of those accounts have exactly the same login id and password then you may login on the device using that common Login ID and password and you will see all the compatible eBooks from both accounts on your BlackBerry! If your login information differs between your eReader and Fictionwise accounts, then whichever set of information you use to login on the BlackBerry determines which bookshelf you will see. Which of my eBooks can I download to eReader on the BlackBerry? For eReader.com customers, every eBook available at eReader.com works with eReader for BlackBerry. For Fictionwise.com customers, every MultiFormat (unencrypted) eBook and every Secure eReader eBook will work. When you log in to your Fictionwise.com account from your BlackBerry, note that you will only see listed those eBooks that work with eReader for BlackBerry. You will not be shown eBooks that don't work, such as Secure Microsoft Reader eBooks, etc. If you see it on your BlackBerry, you can download and read it. For eBooks you download from other web sites, they must be in eReader PDB format. No other format will work with eReader at this time. Please note that PDB is a container format and may hold many different kinds of files. The file must be an eReader format PDB file. Can I purchase eBooks from eReader.com or Fictionwise.com from my BlackBerry? Yes you can, with our new mobile site for eReader. Now you can browse, purchase and download eBooks from your BlackBerry! Great for last-minute purchases before traveling. To check out the improved flow of our new eReader mobile site from any handheld device, just point your mobile browser to m.ereader.com. To download books from the mobile site, be sure to choose to save the book file rather than open it. You must have a memory card in your device and save the book to the "eReader" folder in order for the application to recognize it. Can I put eBooks on my BlackBerry using my computer? Yes you can. Be sure to enable mass storage mode on your BlackBerry and connect to your computer with the sync cable. Your memory card should appear as a drive on your computer. Place any eReader format books in the "eReader" folder that appears on the BlackBerry drive. You will see your books in the eReader application once you disconnect the BlackBerry from your computer. http://www.fictionwise.com/home.html "Lavender Morning: A Novel" [Mainstream] by Jude Deveraux http://www.fictionwise.com/servlet/mw?t=book&bi=84096 "A Comfortable Wife" [Romance] by Stephanie Laurens http://www.fictionwise.com/servlet/mw?t=book&bi=84106 "Rebel Waltz" [Romance] by Kay Hooper http://www.fictionwise.com/servlet/mw?t=book&bi=84259 "The Temporal Void" [Science Fiction] by Peter F. Hamilton http://www.fictionwise.com/servlet/mw?t=book&bi=84264 "Star Trek: The Original Series: Star Trek: Mere Anarchy" [Science Fiction] by Christopher L. Bennett http://www.fictionwise.com/servlet/mw?t=book&bi=84097 E Books are more economical ! $9.95 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER -- NEW TITLES ADDED EACH WEEK! For a limited time, all New York Time Bestsellers are marked down to $9.95! See the full list here! 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A graduate of Le Cordon Bleu and royal cooking assignments, masterchef Geoffrey Hanks is stunned to find the beautiful princess in his class. His first instinct is to turn in his chef's hat and run. The reason? Ancestors of royalty have been known to say, "Off with his head" at the slightest provocation. What if this delicious princess's parents have incorporated that handy refrain into their protocol? Can love grow under such "throny" conditions? http://www.fictionwise.com/ebooks/eBook76565.htm?r=3s27 You can see I enjoy history and science fiction! Let me know what you think of eBooks? You can write to me at msworldnews@cox.net       Famous Posse Races After Killer of Dodge City Singer The true story of the trek the most intrepid posse of the Old West Famous Posse Races After Killer of Dodge City Singer The true story of the trek the most intrepid posse of the Old West ventured on in pursuit of a reckless gunslinger is the subject of a new book entitled Thunder Over the Prairie. Thunder Over the Prairie rides into bookstores in June 2009. The year was 1878. Future legends of the Old West—lawmen Charlie Bassett, Bat Masterson, Wyatt Earp, and Bill Tilghman—patrolled the unruly streets of Dodge City, Kansas, then known as “the wickedest little city in America.” When a cattle baron fled town after allegedly shooting the popular dancehall girl Dora Hand, these four men—all sharpshooters who knew the surrounding harsh, desert-like terrain—hunted him down, it was said, like “thunder over the prairie.” The posse’s legendary ride across the desolate landscape to seek justice influenced the men’s friendship, careers, and feelings about the justice system. This account of that event, written by Howard Kazanjian and Chris Enss, is a fast-paced, unforgettable glimpse into the Old West. Howard Kazanjian and Chris Enss have coauthored three other books for Two Dot/Globe Pequot, inclu ding The Young Duke. Kazanjian is an award-winning producer and entertainment executive who for three decades has produced television programs and feature films, including Raiders of the Lost Ark and Star Wars: Return of the Jedi. Enss is an award-winning screenwriter and the author or coauthor of more than a dozen books on the subject of women of the Old West. Order your advanced copy of Thunder Over the Prairie today - go to www.chrisenss.com, Amazon.com or call 1-800-243-0495.

Sharlot Herself: Selected Writings of Sharlot Hall   Book Review By LeeAnn Sharpe Sharlot Herself: Selected Writings of Sharlot Hall Edited by Nancy Kirkpatrick Wright with an introduction by Margaret F. Maxwell Illustrations by Carlos Parra Copyright 1992 by Sharlot Hall Museum 415 W. Gurley Street Prescott, AZ 86301 ISBN 0-927579-04-9 Sharlot Hall books can be ordered at phone: 928.445.3122. Recently my friend Bob Roloff, the Arizona Duuude, introduced me to the writings of Sharlot Hall. First I read her biography by Margaret F. Maxwell, “A Passion For Freedom: The Life of Sharlot Hall”, “Cactus and Pine” and then the Arizona Strip book. Finally I have completed the series with the “Sharlot Herself: Selected Writings of Sharlot Hall”, Edited by Nancy Kirkpatrick Wright. With each book I have come to love Sharlot Hall more. Her dedication to the state of Arizona and love of early history runs parallel to the course I have set for my own life. Sharlot’s way of turning a phrase using the jargon of the western cowboy and Arizona pioneer makes her stories especially interesting. It is almost beyond belief that a woman of her era was able to travel so extensively and participate in so many daring and adventurous activities generally associated with men. As a young girl she rode her pony with her pioneering family from Kansas to Lonesome Valley Arizona outside Prescott. That in itself led to many adventures and strengthened her spirit. Her chauvinistic, self-centered, brute of a father probably did her a favor in setting her mind against marriage at an early age. Seeing how her mother was merely his property and slave, worked to death without the affection due as reward for her commitment, Sharlot vowed never to be yoked by any man. Perhaps once or twice she felt genuine affection for men in her life, but they didn’t see her as wifely material, not that she was interested. Rather she was almost an intellectual equal or student to sit at their feet and learn, take advice and fawn over their ideas. Samuel Putnam, a proponent of the Free Thought Movement who lectured in Prescott in 1895 caught her eye and she became an ardent follower until his death just a year later. Her poems reflected her deep love for him and regret that he was gone from her life forever. At the same time she seemed almost angry with him that he was gone or maybe more that she had fallen for him so deeply. It must have hurt her knowing he was traveling with a young woman much like herself. But then the woman has died in the same gas accident as Putnam. Her life was filled with exciting men of history including the renowned publisher Charles F. Lummis, the last Arizona territorial governor Richard E. Sloan, first state governor George W.P. Hunt, President Calvin Coolidge and artist Maynard Dixon. Sharlot Herself: Selected Writings of Sharlot Hall presents many of Sharlot’s previously unpublished bits and pieces of prose and letters into the context of her life at that time. It helps to flesh out the character of this rugged individualist with a unique talent for throwing a lariat to lasso up just the right words to express her feelings and experiences. When she went north to the Arizona Strip she went through territory few people had traveled. Her descriptions of nature; flora, fauna and geology aroused the interests of many businessmen looking at the area for mining and lumbering potential. Each of the books mentioned above would be of interest to anyone with a love for early Arizona history. Reading about a brave adventurous woman like Sharlot Hall is inspirational.

SHARLOT HALL ON THE ARIZONA STRIP   Book Review By LeeAnn Sharpe SHARLOT HALL ON THE ARIZONA STRIP: A Diary of a Journey Through Northern Arizona in 1911 by Sharlot M. Hall, edited by C. Gregory Crampton, foreword by Valeen Tippetts Avery published by Sharlot Hall Museum 415 W. Gurley Street Prescott, AZ 86301. Revised edition, © 1999 112 pp., photograph, map ISBN: 0-927579-08-1 $14.95, paperback. This book has just gone out of print. Other Sharlot Hall books can be ordered at phone: 928.445.3122. You think you know everything about your home state until you read the words of a traveler who walked the state step-by-step discovering intimate details known no other way. Some of the way was in a buckboard, but she enjoyed walking ahead, even running on occasion to enjoy the freedom of being one with nature alone in the wilderness. Sharlot Hall and Al Doyle walked every inch of the trails in the Arizona Strip, the area north of the Grand Canyon. It was in a time, 1910, when trails were few, rugged and treacherous at best. It was in a time when women seldom left the comforts of home, unless absolutely necessary. But Sharlot Hall of her own free will and desire took on the role of historian and adventurer to document the area before Arizona was even a state. When my friend Bob Roloff, the Arizona Duuude, wrote of his love for the writing of Sharlot Hall it made me curious. First I read her biography by Margaret F. Maxwell, “A Passion For Freedom: The Life of Sharlot Hall”, and her book of poems “Cactus and Pine”. Then I had to read “Sharlot Hall: the Arizona Strip” by Sharlot Hall. I’d always thought of myself as a fairly brave and adventurous spirit, raised as tom boy, the son my father never had. I’ve hiked, hunted, fished and camped all of my life. Arizona has been a wonderful playground in which to explore and learn about nature and history, especially back in the 1950’s and 1960’s when much of the state was still barely inhabited. But what it must have been for Sharlot Hall and Al Doyle to travel from Prescott to Kingman, Flagstaff, to Tuba City and up to Lee’s Ferry. They went across the Colorado River to the Arizona Strip and the Painted Desert, the Kaibab Plateau, Fredonia and the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. Her descriptions of the flowers and trees, the mountains and trails and every living creature they encountered were fascinating. Thrilling were her descriptions of wagons swallowed whole in raging rivers and strong oxen teams washed downstream never to be seen again. The incredible muscle and will it took to move equipment and supplies to remote mines and construction projects at a snails pace make it hard to imagine getting anything accomplished. But they did and we reap the benefits today. Sharlot may not have known at the time, but while she traveled the state as the official Arizona Territorial Historian, appointed by Governor Richard Sloan, the October 1910 Constitutional Convention was meeting in Phoenix to plan the preliminary document that would lead to Arizona’s statehood. As a direct result of Hall’s appointment which had generated criticism at the time, a provision to deny suffrage to women, and another stating only qualified voters could hold public office were insert into the state constitution. Thus when Sharlot returned her position was in question and her termination came when Governor George W.P. Hunt was sworn in as the first Arizona state governor. Still she remains the only woman to serve public office in the Arizona Territory. She may have been born a woman but she was not going to let the dictates of a male dominated society tell her what she could and could not do with her own life. She continued to take risks, write about all she saw, run a ranch until her father’s death, and took a dilapidated territorial governors mansion and restored it into what is now one of the foremost historical museums in the state today. Sharlot Hall once said, "There is something better than making a living--making a life." And so she lived her life.

"It is heartening to know that when young people seek sage advice these days, many are turning to the Elder Wisdom Circle. I continue to be impressed by the candor and insight of these Elders"  --Walter Cronkite

New Book Offers 45,000 Years of Wisdom to the Younger Generations

When the new Penguin/Plume book "The Elder Wisdom Circle Guide for A Meaningful Life" goes on sale nationwide October 30th it will feature the practical advice of a nationwide group of 600 cyber-grandparents aged 60-105. In real life, the Elders provide free on-line advice to people worldwide with most advice-seekers in their teens to thirties. In 10 chapters, these savvy seniors apply their experience and knowledge to the following topics: Overcoming life's obstacles; parent-child relationships; sibling rivalry; self-discovery; lasting love; decision-making; career; aging and loss. In the final chapter, the Elders offer their secrets and watchwords for living life the wise way.

This popular group and their website have been featured numerous times in the media, including USA Today and Time with appearances on ABC, CBS, NPR and the BBC.

FEATURE STORY IDEAS:

1. With 600 Elders across the U.S. and Canada, it is highly possible that there are Elders in your city, state or geographic region. We can put you in touch with an Elder who can talk about their experiences.

2. Observe a group: In some communities, Elders meet in senior residences to discuss advice-seekers' questions; you can usually expect the unexpected from these outspoken Elders.

3. The advice seekers: Although the advice service is strictly anonymous, in a few cases advice seekers have agreed to talk about their connection with the Elder Wisdom Circle.

4. First person: Seek advice yourself at www.ElderWisdomCircle.org    and tell the story of how it affects your own life.

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“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” Released July 21^st

By LeeAnn Sharpe

“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows”, the seventh and final chapter in JK Rowling's epic saga, was released July 21^st at the stoke of midnight all over the world amid elaborate parties and excitement never before seen. Seldom has a book series captured the hearts of so many, both young and old. And it’s the end of an era. Never again will readers experience the joy, anxiety, and anticipation of waiting for the next “Harry Potter” book. But I doubt it’s the last we hear of Hogworth.

In my neighborhood, the local Borders book store threw a fabulous party with costume contests and games with prizes and free posters. The aisles were loaded with Potter loyals, young and old, gathered in groups discussing their expectations and predictions for the final book. Even as it neared midnight the line stretched out the door and around the corner several hundred long.

 Store Manager Dee when asked how many books would be sold that night said, “Everyone here will get a “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” so it will be a lot. And we have sufficient stock to take care of anyone tomorrow or the next day too.”  

Costumed customers ran the gambit of Harry glasses and scar, to Hogworth students in gowns, Hermione tie and uniforms were popular, Dumbledore beards, general witches and wizards, and even the Sorting Hat was on hand. T-Shirts with Harry’s picture and name were popular. The excitement reached a peak as the costume contest was decided by audience applause. A girl and boy were picked as winners and prizes awarded to many of the contestants. 

Never again will we enjoy the thrill of debate over Harry's fate, Snape's loyalty, or who will end up with whom.  The final piece of the puzzle is put in place and now we know how it all works out. The greatest fantasy classic series ever penned has reached its triumphant end.

Enjoy what you have left of Harry's escapades, because this may be the last chance we'll ever have to explore the adventures of young Harry. JK Rowling's truly mesmerizing world, if she decides to invite us back again, might be as enchanting, but surely different.

 

Next Book -  Shadows of the Silk Road by Colin Thubron - Shadow of the Silk Road records Colin Thubron's journey along the greatest land route on earth... The Silk Road. In his 9th travel book, Colin takes us along without a camera, only his elegant prose to describe the land and people. From the heart of China into the mountains of Central Asia, across northern Afghanistan and the plains of Iran and into Kurdish Turkey, Colin Thubron takes you along with him for some seven thousand miles in eight months. Making his way by train, local bus, truck, car, donkey cart and camel, he travels from the tomb of the Yellow Emperor, the mythic progenitor of the Chinese people, to the ancient port of Antioch in perhaps the most difficult and ambitious journey he has undertaken in forty years of travel.