15 Local Authors Worth Writing About
Our region boasts some prolific writers. Here is a stack of accomplished area authors and their recently published works. In no particular order…
1. Lettering From A to Z by Phawnda Moore, Rocklin
A winner in the 2019 Next Generation Indie Book Awards, this instructional book has 9 styles and over 200 full-color images of handmade gifts, beautiful cards, and journal design. The 92-page book includes layout and design basics from Phawnda’s academic and teaching background and uses modern tools and techniques. Available via [email protected]
2. Mrs. Odboddy: And Then There was a Tiger by Elaine Faber, Elk Grove
During WWII, elderly Mrs. Odboddy's patriotic duties are interrupted when she’s accused of burglary. Then, the traveling carnival hits town with a performing tiger and counterfeit bills appear. When the war bond money goes missing on her watch, she is determined to return the cash. Her bungling efforts land her in harm's way and closer to the tiger than she bargained for. Available at amazon.com
3. In Their Own Words: Twenty Successful Writers on the Craft and Business of Writing by Rich Ehisen, Fair Oaks
Who better to offer aspiring writers tips and advice than a collection of some of the most successful authors on the scene today? Award-winning journalist & author Rich Ehisen has interviewed artists, athletes, doers, and dreamers to offers insights from 20 writers on how they mastered their craft. Available at Face in a Book and amazon.com
4. The Fiery Women of Angels Four by J. W. Perry, El Dorado Hills
This historical fiction novel tells the saga of four WWII women ferry pilots who were selected and trained for armed duty in their Spitfire Fighters with 20mm cannons. These trailblazers and their forward-thinking leaders pioneered the way for women to contribute in wartime aviation alongside their male counterparts. Available at Barnes & Noble and amazon.com
5. The Pitcher Plant by Pat Rigley, Roseville
Nora Sandoval returns to Trinity, Washington, in search of a father she’s never known. While hiking, one misstep leads to her mysterious disappearance. Finding herself beyond help, she calls upon her strength and ingenuity to stay alive. As authorities mount a search, Nora becomes the catalyst in reuniting friends and family. Available at amazon.com
6. The Rule Of Law by John Lescroart, El Macero
The sudden disappearance of Dismas Hardy’s secretary, Phyllis, concerns him, especially given that her convict brother—imprisoned for armed robbery and attempted murder—has just been released. Then, Phyllis is arrested for allegedly abetting the murder of Hector Valdez, a coyote who’d been smuggling women from El Salvador and Mexico until he was shot dead on the same day Phyllis disappeared. Hardy must now figure out how all these strands connect—and fast! Available at The Avid Reader (Sacramento and Davis) and Barnes & Noble
7. More Fairy Tales for Life: A Collection of Twenty Original Short Stories by Linda Champion, Citrus Heights
More Fairy Tales for Life is a collection of original stories updating the classic literary genre for readers, young and old. This hardback book is embellished with a gilded fairy and beautiful drawings by Rose Fante. This work follows Linda’s first fairytale book, Fairy Tales for Life. Available at championwriting
creations.com
8. Benjamin Norton Bugbey: Sacramento's Champagne King by Kevin Knauss, Granite Bay
This is the biography of B.N. Bugbey who came to Sacramento in 1849 and settled in Folsom after his gold mining experience. Bugbey was elected Sacramento County Sheriff in 1861; he developed the celebrated Natoma Vineyard and went on defend the civil rights of Chinese immigrants in 1886. Available at amazon.com and insuremekevin.com
9. Gray Is the New Black by Dorothy Rice, Greenhaven
The wry and relatable narrator of Gray is the New Black—a memoir of ageism, sexism and self-acceptance—came of age in the psychedelic sixties. Now in her sixties, it's time to take stock. After decades struggling to be thin enough, pretty, sexy, and successful enough to deserve love and happiness, she devotes a year to cracking the code—a journey that forces her to confront the gnarled roots of female shame. Available from amazon.com
10. The Methuselah Conspirators by George T. Hahn, Elk Grove
This story tells of a team of scientists forced by a future military to develop a way to upload human consciousness to a computer. The project is backed by a corrupt Western Alliance president who wants to achieve immortality but others have more dangerous motives. Available at Trent’s Bookshelf and amazon.com
11. Madam in Silk by Gini Grossenbacher, Elk Grove
San Francisco, 1849: Twenty-year-old Ah Toy arrives in San Francisco from Hong Kong. With little cash and bound feet, she opens a "Lookee Shop," catering to men who pay in gold dust to see her exotic beauty. Inspired by one of San Francisco's most legendary madams, this book tells the story of love, fate, and justice. Available at Avid Reader (Sacramento), Barnes & Noble, and amazon.com
12. Between Now and Forever by Margaret Duarte, Elk Grove
This is book four of the "Enter the Between" visionary fiction series. Meditate or nurture, reform or set free. These are quandaries rookie teacher Marjorie Veil faces when she takes on an after-school class for thirteen-year-olds labeled as troublemakers, un-teachable, and hopeless. Can Marjorie help them do what she has failed to do for herself—that is, fight for their spiritual and emotional freedom? Available at amazon.com
13. Cooking With My Ancestors by Sandra S. Navarro, Fair Oaks
“Eat what your grandmother ate” is a popular well-intentioned directive, but what exactly did Grandma eat? An antique cookbook, family letters, and recipes shared among relatives and friends identify foods popular in central Ohio one hundred years ago when the author’s grandmother was a young woman. The author’s memories from the 1950s and 1960s provide more surprising information on this topic. Available at amazon.com
14. Finding Otho: The Search for Our Enslaved Williams Ancestors by Kathy Lynne Marshall, Elk Grove
Kathy Marshall’s infatuation with African culture was challenged when a DNA test revealed just how much European cream was in her African coffee. Part research-guidebook-storybook, the award-winning Finding Otho details Marshall’s search for the fascinating truth about her enslaved Otho Williams ancestors, and encourages others to research their own family history. Available at kanikamarshall.com, Underground Books, and amazon.com
15. ‘Til Death or Dementia Do Us Part by Marilyn Reynolds, Sacramento
A moving memoir about Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD), readers will gain insight and understanding through the account of Marilyn's struggles to meet the financial, physical, and emotional challenges that occurred with her bright, talented husband's passage into FTD. This memoir offers hope to patients and loved ones coping with dementia, along with helpful resources. Available at riverrockbooks.com and amazon.com
By Tara Mendanha