The Beaver Bookshelf spotlights titles by alumni authors. If you have an alumni publication you would like to share with the UMF community, please send details (the title, cover image, book description and bookstore link) to us at umfalumni@maine.edu. We’ll add titles as we receive them, so please send them our way.
Tyler C. Hadyniak ’15
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There and Back Again: America Through the Eyes of A Traveling Veterans’ Disability AttorneyIn nine months you can have a baby, start a new job, or complete a year of school. As Tyler Hadyniak learned, it is also enough time to make a whirlwind tour of the United States, making an impact on and helping those who were willing to sacrifice all for their family and country. As a veterans’ disability attorney, Tyler traveled around the United States for nine months, helping military veterans secure VA disability benefits. In the process, he learned as much about himself as the world around him. There and Back Again: America Through the Eyes of a Traveling Veterans’ Disability Attorney is Tyler’s tribute to his time on the road. Based on the detailed travel journal he filled with memories, experiences, thoughts, and reflections, this book not only focuses on the people and places Tyler encountered on his journey, but also highlights the lessons he learned and will carry with him throughout his life. |
Courtney Roy ’13
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Lake Adventures: Counting 1-20, Colors, Shapes and PatternsCome Explore the Lake. You will see boats, ducks, loons, kayaks, fish, and much much more. Many math concepts are covered in a fun way. Young children will learn to Count 1-20, identify colors, shapes and learn how patterns work in an interactive way. |
Dr. Carla Smith Stover ‘96
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Fathers and ViolenceThis highly accessible book presents a new approach to treating men who use violence against their partners and/or children. The Fathers for Change (F4C) program has a unique focus on fostering fathers’ accountability and reflective functioning, and repairing father–child relationships. Grounded in theory and research, it addresses a key need for parents who want to stay together or coparent successfully in the aftermath of violence, while prioritizing all family members’ safety. Clinicians learn how to implement each component of F4C, from assessment to individual-focused work to coparent and family sessions, if appropriate. Illustrative case vignettes are featured throughout. An appendix provides 32 reproducible forms, worksheets, and handouts that can be downloaded (many in a fillable format) and printed as needed.
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Shelley Burbank ‘90
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FINAL DRAFT: An Olivia Lively MysteryOlivia Lively’s private investigation business might be flourishing, but her private life is a mess. Her latest romantic mistake is stalking her, her socialite mother is trying to hook her up with a commitment-minded cardiologist, and her best friend is struggling to start a family and is totally fed up with Liv’s drama.
So when graduate writing student Cooper Tedeschi begs Liv to prove that his professor—one of the most famous novelists in the country—stole his manuscript, Liv is grateful for the distraction and is soon entangled in the competitive world of academia. Meanwhile, the hot heart doc her mother has chosen for her surprises Liv in more ways than one, and Liv’s conniving ex isn’t quite done playing with her yet. As the plagiarism case grows more complicated, and her private life more confusing, Liv learns that the line between truth and fiction–and right and wrong–is not always clearly defined. |
Ross Grifkin ‘04
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Errol, the Cat who wasn’t a CatErrol grew up believing he was a normal cat, and just like any normal cat, he went to college, got a job at a bank, and worked every day.
When a gang of bandits try to rob Errol’s bank, a dragon magically appears to save the day. Soon after, Errol learns his life is anything but normal and he is anything but a normal cat. He’s not a cat at all!
With a dangerous group of villains chasing after him, Errol must uncover the truth about his mythical origins before it’s too late… |
Jennifer Daly ‘13
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Truly Madly DeeplyThe year is 1995 and Claire Hanover is entering high school. With her sidekick and longtime best friend, Sam, by her side, Claire feels ready to take on life at A. Thompson High. But Claire soon finds out that bullies of old only increase their anarchy in this new world and the pressures of trying to fit in and be cool are all too hard to escape. Her one solace? Band class. In the band room not only can she escape the stressors of social norms, the advances of a particular classmate, and the ups and downs of relationships and friendships through the therapeutic act of playing piano, she has also made a new friend: Adam Miller. Through the sharing of cassette tapes, Adam and Claire form a fast friendship—and a fast crush—over the bond of music.
Infused with all the “whatevers” and “as ifs,” Truly Madly Deeply is the totally rad roller-coaster ride of high school, from entering the doors to graduation day.
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Kenneth Emerton ‘18
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Tales of Blue HillStorytelling is universal. Every culture has stories which are passed down to the next generation. Whether it’s a grandchild, a neighbor, or a stranger you just met at the store, recounting an old memory is fun for all involved. The stories passed on in this way grow in the telling, gradually transforming into legend. Stories of love, murder, humor, and some which are hard to believe. The truth of these stories needn’t matter, it’s how they’re told, as well as who is telling them, which make them captivating. They color our perceptions of a place and inspire us to tell stories of our own. The version of Blue Hill presented in this book is a place of many stories that cross a wide spectrum of genres: romance, serial killers, UFO’s, and the perspectives of old guys who speak their minds and love sharing a good tale. From fiction to nonfiction and everything in between, keeping these stories alive is the most important thing we can do for the generations to come. |
Dr. Jessica Harris ‘11
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Health Promotion & WellnessHealth Promotion and Wellness provides students with a foundation in health promotion and wellness through authentic learning, collaboration, practice, knowledge, reflection, and mobilization across the eight dimensions of wellness.
Opening chapters provide an introduction to health promotion and the eight dimensions of wellness. Students learn about historical health and its influence on wellness, the new role of information technology in health and wellness, and theory and planning models in the discipline. Dedicated chapters examine ethics and professionalism, the role of the health education specialist, the improvement of health promotion through cultural competence, and various career venues related to health promotion and wellness.
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Kimberlee Bennett ’97
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Paddling Southern MaineBennett and Moore’s guide provides directions and descriptions for 54 paddling adventures for those who wish to explore Maine by kayak, canoe, and stand-up paddle board. These day trips allow paddlers to explore beautiful ponds, lakes, slow-moving rivers, protected tidal rivers and saltwater coves. (All appropriate for recreational paddlers) None of the trips require shuttling or portaging. All of the trips, with only a couple of exceptions, are within an hour’s radius of Portland, Maine.
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Jenn Bogard ’97
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The ABCs of Plum Island MassachusettsTake your child on a scavenger hunt around Plum Island with this delightful children’s book that celebrates the past and present of Plum Island, Massachusetts. Each letter highlights a special part of Plum Island and includes vivid photographs and short poems. Many of the poems are “found poems” created with words and phrases located on the island: in the signs at the Hellcat Wildlife Observation Area; in the artifacts at the Burgess Museum; in the displays at the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center; in a pamphlet from the Marine Fisheries Shellfish Purification Plant and more. Some words are found in old newspaper articles about the island, and you can read the full articles in the book. Peek into the diary of a Plum Island Lighthouse Keeper and his family from the year 1911! |
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Integrating the Arts Across the Content Areas(Co-authored by Jenn Bogard) These professional resources include dynamic activities, concrete examples, and effective strategies through artistic mediums such as storytelling, music/rhythm and visual arts! With creative methods for rewarding results, your students will learn to be well-rounded, successful future learners. |
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Writing is Magic, or is it? Using Mentor Texts to Develop the Writer’s Craft(Co-authored by Jenn Bogard) students become strong writers and support their understanding of mentor texts with this practical, standards-based resource that dives deep into multiple genres such as poetry, narration, informational texts, literary nonfiction, and persuasion. Teach students how to read mentor texts for the purpose of writing as well as specific strategies that authors typically use in order to help students integrate their strategies into their own writing. This resource provides teachers with strategies and resources to encourage students to understand writing as a craft while using mentor texts to teach them different aspects of writing. |
Scott Bowden ’12
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Introductory AlgebraBowden’s publication is a low-cost alternative to an expensive traditional Algebra I book. Crafted by a high school Algebra I and II teacher who draws on the experience of teaching those courses, the text starts with a review and discussion of number sense and fluency and then dives into the wonderful ocean that is algebra. Starting with linear expressions, equations, inequalities, and graphs, this text goes through examples in a formulaic, straightforward manner. Ending with quadratic equations, factoring, and graphing, it encompasses everything one could want from an introduction to algebra. |
Shelley (Reed) Burbank ’90
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The Last Ten Days: Academia, Dementia and the Choice to DieThe Last Ten Days: Academia, Dementia, and the Choice to Die is a heartrending memoir of love, scholarship, dignity, courage, and the choices one is forced to make when given the devastating diagnosis of a terminal illness. Spanning sixty years, this extraordinary book recounts the love story of Martha Risberg Brosio and her husband, Richard Brosio, Ph.D., a brilliant scholar and college professor whose communication skills dazzled all with whom he came in contact. Teenage sweethearts who went their separate ways after high school, Martha and Richard reconnected twenty-six years later over a friendly dinner that sparked into passionate love. They married in 1983, enjoying a vibrant life. Then tragedy struck. In late 2013, Richard was diagnosed with Primary Progressive Aphasia, a type of dementia similar to Alzheimer’s that affects the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain. The disease impacted Richard’s ability to communicate. Eventually, he would lose his verbal and processing skills. There was no cure. Determined to have a dignified death at the time and in the manner of his own choosing, Richard hastened his death two years after his diagnosis by voluntarily stopping eating and drinking, seeking only palliative and hospice care until the end. Reminiscent of Still Alice, The Notebook, Tuesdays with Morrie, and When Breath Becomes Air, The Last Ten Days grabs the heartstrings and gives a mighty tug. |
Shannon Butler ’13
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All is Calm – A Maine Christmas ReaderWhen many people think of Christmas they dream of snow-covered pine trees and a small cabin warmed by the wood fire on a cold December day. Since Maine was founded, people have written stories about the joys of Christmas in the state. In times of hardship and in times of wealth, Maine and her people have always put the value of Christmas in time shared with family and friends, connections with the natural world, rich traditions, and warm wood stoves. In a collection featuring essays, stories, and poetry, All Is Calm is a look at the lives of Mainers during the holidays from the mid-1800s, to the Great Depression, to modern-day. Spanning nearly 200 years, these stories show that while Christmas traditions and trends may be changing, the warmth, gratitude, and humility of the Maine spirit is evergreen. |
Hannah Calkin ’18
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Pomegranate OdysseyPomegranate Odyssey is a celebration of women in fairy tales and mythology through a series of narrative and lyrical poems. From Rapunzel to Persephone and girlhood to womanhood, Calkin explores the evolution of the archetypal female protagonist in classic literature and modern culture.
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Sarah Carlson ’90
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The Radiance of ChangeCarlson penned her collection of poems in the 12 years following the sudden death of her husband. Part of her process of healing involves an emergence of the written word and deep connections to the natural world. In this collection she blends the two through pairing each poem with digital photography of her experiences hiking and skiing the mountains, walking and biking the woods, and swimming and paddling the rivers and lakes in and around her home in Maine. This book reflects the positive changes that can happen when one chooses to explore within while recovering from and adjusting to difficulties that life inevitably contains.
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Louy Castonguay ’89,’94
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My Neighbor’s Keeper — Charlie Henson Book 1My Neighbor’s Keeper, the first in a series, is centered on retired paramedic Mrs. Charlotte Henson, aka Charlie or Mrs. H. She’s 60 years old and a widow. Her husband, a former police officer, was run down by a drunk driver three years before. Charlie befriends shy 6-year-old Bert, from next door. One evening, Bert comes to her door, dirty, tattered and crying. His mother won’t wake up and his two younger sisters, he says, are hungry. Charlie runs to the rescue, and ends up embroiled in a murder. Bert’s mother is crumpled at the foot of the cellar stairs. When Charlie realizes she’s under surveillance, she sneaks out the back door and down to the river, where her canoe is kept. She gets out on the river, at night, in a rainstorm, goes upriver and travels to a cabin hidden in the woods in order to buy time to solve the crime. Along her journey, she makes friends, and also gets help from her husband’s niece, Louise. |
Michael Cecere ’87
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The Invasion of Virginia, 1781The American War for Independence was fought in nearly every colony, but some colonies witnessed far more conflict than others. In the first half of the war, the bulk of military operations were concentrated in Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. A shift in British strategy southward after the Battle of Monmouth in 1778 triggered numerous military engagements in 1779 and 1780 in Georgia and the Carolinas. Surprisingly, Virginia, the largest of the original thirteen colonies, saw relatively little fighting for the first six years of the Revolutionary War. This changed in 1781 when British and American forces converged on Virginia. The war’s arrival did not result from one particular decision or event, but rather, a series of incidents and battles beginning in the fall of 1780 at Kings Mountain, South Carolina. Benedict Arnold’s sudden appearance in Virginia in early 1781 with 1,600 seasoned British troops and his successful raid up the James River to Richmond and subsequent occupation of Portsmouth, demonstrated Virginia’s vulnerability to attack and the possibility that the colonies could be divided and subdued piecemeal, a strategy Britain had attempted to deploy several times earlier in the war. British General Henry Clinton’s decision to reinforce Arnold in Virginia expanded Britain’s hold on the colony while events in North Carolina, including the battle of Guilford Court House, led British General Charles Cornwallis to conclude that defeating the Patriots in Virginia was the key to ending the war. As a result, Cornwallis marched his army north in May 1781 to assume command of what was now a very powerful British force of over 7,000 troops. The war had returned to Virginia with a vengeance, and how it did so and what happened as a result is the focus of The Invasion of Virginia 1781. |
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A Brave, Active, and Intrepid Soldier. Lieutenant Colonel Richard Campbell of the Virginia Continental LineRichard Campbell of Virginia is one of thousands of Revolutionary War veterans whose service and sacrifice in America’s War for Independence is largely unknown to his countrymen today. Lieutenant Colonel Campbell did not leave behind a detailed diary or a trove of letters from which to remember his life. Campbell’s legacy was his service and ultimately, his sacrifice for the American cause of independence. |
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A Universal Appearance of War: The Revolutionary War in Virginia, 1775-1781 Paperback – December 30, 2019“The troops in town are in high spirits, and wish for [another] attack in this quarter; they are all excellent marksmen, and fine, bold fellows… Lord Dunmore may now see he has not cowards to deal with!” Pinkney’s Virginia Gazette 26 October, 1775 This bold statement, written in response to the outbreak of warfare in Virginia in late October 1775, conveyed both a sense of confidence, and a sense of relief, that Virginians had finally stood firm against the forces of the Royal Governor, Lord Dunmore. Six months after the bloodshed of Lexington and Concord (and the inauguration of the Revolutionary War), Virginians had fired their first shots in anger and repulsed a small squadron of British ships bent on burning the town of Hampton. The fighting that occurred in Hampton spread to the James River and Virginia’s Southside, where engagements at Kemp’s Landing and Great Bridge led to the eventual destruction of Norfolk, Virginia’s largest town. Combat continued sporadically into the summer of 1776, but ended in July when Lord Dunmore was driven off Gwynn’s Island and abruptly sailed for New York. Dunmore’s departure ushered in four years of relative peace in Virginia (except for the settlers on the frontier). Thousands of Virginians continued to fight, but they did so on distant battlefields to the north, south, and west of Virginia. Except for an occasional British raid or frequent engagement on the frontier, Virginia was relatively unscathed by warfare. This changed in 1781 with the arrival of General Benedict Arnold, the notorious traitor and turncoat, and 1,600 British troops. Ten months of nearly continuous warfare commenced with Arnold’s arrival, during which British troop levels in the state eventually surpassed 7,000. It was time for Virginia to suffer through her fair share of the war. This book chronicles the war in Virginia from start to finish (1775-81), shedding light, and recognition, on many overlooked Virginia engagements. Readers will discover that although the war started off modestly in Virginia, it concluded with a dramatic flourish that required bold action and some good fortune for the allies to succeed. |
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The story of America’s riflemen in the Revolutionary War begins with its formation in 1775. First-person accounts of their recruitment, long march, and encampment at Boston, introduce readers to the flamboyant and sometimes unruly nature of riflemen. |
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He Fell a Cheerful Sacrifice to His Country’s Glorious Cause. General William Woodford of Virginia, Revolutionary War PatriotWhen one thinks of the American heroes of the Revolutionary War, the names Washington, Greene, Lee, Morgan, and even Arnold come to mind. Much has been written of these American patriots, and rightly so, but the attention these officers have long received has also obscured the contributions of many, many other patriots of the Revolutionary War. One such person is General William Woodford of Virginia, a man chosen by Virginia’s leaders to command a regiment of Virginia regulars at the onset of war and who remained in service for over five years. William Woodford began his service in 1775 as colonel of the 2nd Virginia Regiment during which he and his men handily defeated Lord Dunmore’s force of British regulars and runaway slaves at Great Bridge. Woodford was promoted to brigadier-general in 1777 and commanded Virginia troops at Brandywine (where he was wounded in the hand), Valley Forge, and Monmouth. On each of these occasions, along with countless smaller engagements, General Woodford and his men contributed significantly to the American cause. Their service came at great sacrifice, and as the war dragged on, Woodford’s health declined. He remained in service, however, and when General Washington ordered the entire Virginia continental line to march to Charleston, South Carolina, to assist in the defense of that important town, Woodford led the troops. They arrived in April 1780, just in time to become trapped with the rest of the American garrison. A month of fruitless resistance against a far superior enemy force ended with the surrender of the entire American garrison. Five years of service culminated with captivity, first in South Carolina, during which Woodford’s health declined precipitously, and then in New York, where he was sent in a desperate attempt to recover his health. Alas, it was not to be, and General Woodford joined the ranks of thousands of other patriots who paid the ultimate sacrifice for American independence. This book highlights William Woodford’s service and sacrifice. An index to full-names, places and subjects; maps; and a bibliography add to the value of this work. |
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In This Time of Extreme DangerResidents of Northern Virginia played an instrumental role in the American Revolution. Fairfax County native, George Mason drafted Virginia’s first boycott plan in 1769, and later drafted Virginia’s first constitution and bill of rights. |
Kathleen (Strange) Clemons ’79
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All About TexturesClemons’ 60-page book contains everything you need to know to start adding textures to your photos. From finding, creating, and choosing textures, to four different ways to apply them — this book covers it all. There are also five video links included so that you can watch Clemons demonstrates the techniques covered in the book. |
Aliza Dube ’18
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The Newly-Tatttoed’s Guide to AftercareI’m shaking my head at the little girl who thought she could control the story. She doesn’t understand that you can’t control the story, the story controls you.” At twenty, Liza still sleeps with the lights on. In this alcohol-fueled narrative, filled with tattoos, family lore, and short biographies, Dube shares her raw and graphic coming of age tale. This is a story about ink, on the page and on skin. The Newly Tattooed’s Guide to Aftercare is the love story you never saw coming and only now realize you need. |
Alana (Aubin) Eisenbarth ’99
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The Girl Who Thought She Was GodIn the days preceding a cataclysmic event, animals flee to safety. A shift is happening in the human species. Those of us attuned to our inner nature are moving to higher ground. However, it is not a physical movement but spiritual. And it is not to a place but an elevated level of consciousness, for this is how we evolve. An apocalyptic vision leads a mystic to accept her role as Prophet in this philosophical journey into who we are and why we have come. But when her spiritual investigations carry her so far from the phenomenal world that she finds no place in it on her return, must she forsake all she has brought with her to survive? Or is her survival and the survival of us all contingent upon her recognizing what she has found? Told predominantly through a series of lyric dialogues woven through with narrative and culminating in myth, The Girl Who Thought She Was God is a modern story in the ancient master-disciple tradition. At its most fundamental level, it is a book about restoring balance to the world through the return of the feminine divine. |
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The Apocalypse of EveEverything they told us was wrong, Aurora discovers when her love for something human wrenches her from the plane of light and locates her again in the world of forms, a world that relegates prophets to lost civilizations and the unseen to the realm of the insane. How one might apprehend everything all at once and then let go, falling back into a human mind. How strangely biblical it all seems, and how prescribed that she is Eve now betraying Adam for God, for she cannot reconcile the two. When in scathing diatribe her husband reveals the repercussions of her neglect and threatens to leave her, she unwittingly sets fire to the bridge of light, the way back to the universe beyond. She has lost God, and now she is losing Adam. There is only a memory of peace and the knowledge of how little we have learned in the land of illusion. |
Kenneth Winfield Emerton ’18
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Freshman YearFreshman Year is a socially satirical romantic comedy. When David and Carol begin their freshman year in high school, they immediately fall in love. At the same time, their English teacher, Mr. Morrison, also falls in love. “Freshman Year” tells the tales of each romance as it unfolds, showing the ups and downs of each relationship and showing how both age and maturity dramatically change the outcome of each. |
Melissa Falcon Field ’97
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What Burns AwayGood wife, good mother. That’s all Claire Spruce is trying to be, but the never-ending snow in this new town and her workaholic husband are making her crazy. Even the sweet face of her toddler son can’t pull her out of the dark places in her head. Feeling overwhelmed and alone, she reconnects with her long-lost high school boyfriend, Dean, who offers an intoxicating, reckless escape. But Dean’s reappearance is not a coincidence. He wants something from Claire-and she soon finds that the cost of repaying an old favor may lead to the destruction of her entire life. |
Don Gnecco ’70
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The Dean’s Underwear: Living My American DreamFrom humble beginnings in a cockroach-infested garage apartment on the Mississippi bayou to a former P.O.W. camp in New Mexico, Don Gnecco’s poignant, synchronistic, and humorous anecdotes take the reader on a twisty path through New England, Puerto Rico, and eventually to the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in northeast Georgia. An abusive father, a strict Catholic upbringing, and multiple moves in adolescence set the stage for what could have been a life of desperation and despair.Most of us have struggles in our lives, and it is both healing and inspiring to learn through memoir how other ordinary people overcome these challenges. The Dean’s Underwear: Living My American Dream affirms the resilience of the human spirit and underscores the belief that miracles, blessings, and synchronicities are in all our lives–when we are open to seeing them. |
Jason “Jay” Hawkins ’08
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The Greatest HeartJason Hawkins’ loved ones published the works in this book with the intention of promoting discussion and creating awareness about the realities of suicide, especially in young people. This collection of writings showcases the beautiful mind of a beloved young man who left us too soon.
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Stefanie (O’Keefe) Jolicoeur ’97
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Devil’s ChairKate is thrilled when she buys a new house, just for her. That is, until she discovers it’s haunted. Things quickly go downhill as she learns of the strange legend of Devil’s Chair–seven suicides on her property, a red-eyed creature luring people to their deaths, and terrifying stories of the local Penobscot tribe. Undeterred, Kate decides to rid her house of this curse once and for all. With the reluctant help of her new boyfriend Matt, Kate launches herself headfirst into solving the mystery and destroying the creature. In this paranormal thriller, the only question is: who will win? |
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Gabby Michaelson Has FleasGabby has just about everything going for her at the start of eighth grade. She’s smart, pretty, loves school and has a special friend in Dana. If that isn’t enough, a gorgeous Italian exchange student, Benito, has singled her out as the object of his affection. However, someone is out to get Gabby, writing mortifying things her locker. Who is doing it and why? With its array of believable characters and witty dialogue, Gabby Michaelson Has Fleas captures all the yearnings, excitement and colossal embarrassments that come with adolescence. Join Gabby on her quest to solve the mystery! |
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Mousamus: A Gladiator’s TailMousamus – A Gladiator’s Tail encourages readers, big and small, to dream big, be brave and know that everything will be okay. Keep your eye out for new adventures for Nibbles, the main character in Mousamus – A Gladiator’s Tail. This time he’s a gladiator… next time… who knows! |
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Sir Mousalot: A Knight’s TailIn Sir Mousalot – A Knight’s Tail, a mouse named Nibbles imagines he’s a knight and uses his new-found bravery to save himself from a “squeaky” situation. As Sir Mousalot, Nibbles proves that even a little imagination can help you cope with everyday challenges, big and small. Through Nibbles and his wonderful imagination, I hope to teach kids that the power to protect yourself is already within you! Read, learn and be brave! |
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Colorful CrittersColorful Critters is a fun way to teach your child about colors! Unique and engaging artwork combined with a sweet, rhyming poem lead you and your child through each color of the rainbow. You and your child will love to read it again and again! |
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Sola’s WishSola is a colorful mermaid who yearns to look like everyone else in her ocean village. When her wish on a passing sea star magically comes true, Sola discovers how important it is to be herself and to be grateful for the unique gifts that she was given. |
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Rat-a-ClausRat-a-Claus was inspired by a story my father had created for my sisters and me when we were little. In my father’s story, Santa’s sack was becoming full of coal and sticks for the bad little kids so he needed help to make room for the presents for the good kids. |
Teresa Moulton Lavender ’83
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Worn Phrases and Other ClichesTeresa is an award-winning singer songwriter. She grew up in Damariscotta, Maine, and currently resides in the Portland area with her husband, Steve, teenage son, Dale, and their black lab, Penny, and cat, Luke. This is her first collection chronicling her work from high school to the present. It is a mix of song lyrics, poetry and short stories. |
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Random Thoughts For The Cat In The Window“Like the semicolon, my last book is not the end of my story. In May 2018 I embarked on a trip from Maine to Austin, Texas, to start a new life. My daughter flew in to help me with the drive. My daughter, my cat and I drove for three days across 13 states. Let the journey begin. These poems, lyrics and rambling thoughts are all part of the path that brought me where I am now.” |
Zackary Lavoie ’17
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Upheavals: a collection of poems“Rhubarb grows from rhizomes, releasing its body wherever conditions prove favorable. Similarly, Zackary Lavoie’s poems in Upheavals contain those rhubarb-like qualities of disruption and alteration, an I that vanishes and reappears in the natural world, in the city, in the sacred, and back in a corporeal body. There is a rich curiosity in Lavoie’s poems that reminds me of how Elizabeth Bishop, Matthew Henriksen, Neruda, Blake, and William Carlos Williams devise imagery in their works. “if i could create // a religion i would pray to trees and call them mother,” Lavoie claims in world replete with myth, flora, and longing. These poems will meander like rivers to “fill [your] bell[ies] with pebbles,” and you won’t soon forget their humming.” -Roy G. Guzmán, author of the forthcoming collection, Catracho, from Graywolf Press. |
Tonya (Pellegrino) Leger ’04
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Saved;Leger’s poems are enchanting. They bring you through a stage, a moment, a time in life, and have you embrace it fully. There is no way you cannot become mesmerized by her thrilling descriptions. Each phrase you may think of, Leger will take a bit further to make sure that you are put into that part of her life and you are witnessing that moment in time. You are drawn to feel her feelings, to taste her tears, to embrace her moments of happiness. Leger knows how to make a poem go from paper to life. If you take the time to read them, really read them, her poems will show you a world in which you have never been; and you will be all the better for experiencing that type of emotion. |
Jean Skelton Libby ’75
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Beware of the Dog: Breaking Free from Abusive Relationships“Nothing I had believed was as it seemed. This was the bottom of the pit for me. I’d endured abuse for 20 years with my first husband only to now have spent another five and a half years of my life being chewed up and spit out by another man who I believed in. The first one exited my life spewing hateful, vulgar, blaming curses as he was sinking into self-loathing and suicidal episodes only to then point the gun at me. Then, again, in my simple quest for love and partnership, my devotion was rewarded with hatred, deceitfulness, and destruction. “After 20years of teaching Family Life Education and experiencing the devastation of abusive relationships, I offer real-life tools to enable the reader to recognize real love, avoid the counterfeits and understand God’s desire to heal us when we make poor choices.” |
Katie Marshall ’13
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The Other Half of the MoonFor Aphrodite Miller life has been an never-ending push to avoid finding a husband. When she manages to avoid her best friend, Jessica’s need to set her up on blind dates with her cousins, she gets cornered by her mother who thinks she should marry the town dry cleaner. Despite the avoidance, Aphrodite manages to find herself in an unusual situation when she meets Jake in one of her dreams. Now Aphrodite is left to figure out the difference between reality and fantasy. |
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The Blackbird’s SongAfter his mother’s death, Brian suffers severe trauma from his abusive father. When the abuse becomes too much, his mind splits into multiple personalities and starts him down a path of murder and destruction. Lizzie’s life is turned upside down when she is tortured by a serial killer. Now she has to learn to cope with a new school, new friends, and a new life with a sister that she didn’t meet until recently. As Lizzie struggles to discover the identity of the man who ruined her life, people think she’s crazy and suffering from delusions. But when Lizzie finally discovers that Brian was her attacker, the two collide in a battle of survival… |
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A System of the Chaotic MindMarshall’s series of short stories tell of everyday people placed in overwhelming situations and beating odds to find more of themselves. They might make you laugh, cry, and think — but regardless of the emotion, they will make you feel. |
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Tears Against the WindowpaneMarshall’s collection of poems is dedicated to the struggle of life and the will to continue, regardless of the obstacles. There are poems about life, love, and discovering one’s self in a collection that will leave tears on your pillow and hope in your hearts. |
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The WriterThis selection of poems tells of the muse of a writer — and how inspiration can come from the most simple of places.
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Araminta Star Matthews ’01
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Crystal Intentions: Practices for Manifesting WellnessHarness the time-honored tradition of crystals and healing stones: The use of gemstones is one of many energy-centered practices that can help you find the calm and peace you need to stay grounded every day. Authors Lune Innate and Araminta Star Matthews are dedicated practitioners of the art of healing with gems, and they’ll teach you everything you need to know to develop a personal practice that works for your own spiritual development. |
Jennifer McGee ’86
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Nine Minutes and CountingEvery year Lizzie and her family travel to their favorite spot, Beaver Brook Campground. In the year of this storytelling, Lizzie is nearly 12, entering middle school, and has been temporarily charged with babysitting her 2-year-old brother. Distracted by the allure of the campground, she turns her attention away from her little brother who wanders into the woods, resulting in a tragic series of events. All of this happens in the span of nine minutes. Nine Minutes and Counting brings the reader into Lizzie’s journey as she navigates middle school, her classes, her friendships, and her unraveling home life, all while coping with intense feelings of grief and guilt. The reader experiences this difficult and emotionally raw journey through Lizzie as she encounters a very special teacher and interacts with other middle schoolers who have experienced loss. Middle school students, young adults, parents, teachers, coaches, administrators, and school counselors will come away from the book with insights and tools for coping with their own tragedy, or for helping someone else mired in guilt and grief. Although the story has moments that are dark and gritty, the overall tone is one of hope. Lizzie models strength and resiliency, and the reader will experience her steady march from darkness into the light. |
Jo-Anne Bean Palmer ’82
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My Cape Cod MagicA beautifully illustrated early reader for parent and child, based on an engaging poem and with fifteen, fine art, picture-postcard images of classic Cape Cod scenes reminiscent of children s picture books more commonly found a century ago, but also refreshingly today. |
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ElsBeth and the Pirate’s TreasureWhen Halloween approaches, a never-quite-forgotten pirate’s treasure awakens some serious trouble in the sleepy Cape Cod town. ElsBeth Amelia Thistle, who happens to be the youngest witch on the Cape, and her friend Johnny Twofeathers, chief-to-be of the local Wampanoag tribe — together with a cast of spirited classmates and curious magical creatures (including two troublesome fairies from the old country) — must face off against dangerous outsiders, and the notorious pirate Billy Bowlegs, to restore the balance of past and present, good and evil. |
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ElsBeth and the PrivateerHer grandmother worries there are too many out-of-control ghosts in Boston for ElsBeth’s field trip off-Cape to the historic Freedom Trail. But the young Cape Cod witch is determined to go and Sylvanas, her cat, handles that. The real danger turns out to be human when one of her classmates from a royal family is kidnapped. ElsBeth encounters and enlists the ghost of the famous Captain Thomas Jacques to lead the sea chase all the way to Nantucket Island. But she needs all the science and magic her grandmother has taught her, and help from the birds and fishes ElsBeth also recruits to their cause. And along the way she and her friends find out about fighting for freedom, and caring for something bigger than themselves. |
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ElsBeth and the Call of the Castle GhostiesWhen their ancestral lands in the Highlands are threatened, three ancient ghosts of the castle need one of their clan from the living world. They call the young Cape Cod witch across the sea. ElsBeth has a personal calling to protect the natural world, and her own need to know more about the family line. Drawn deep into the present danger and the mysteries of the old country, she is in well above her magic level. |
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The Little Cape Cod Witch CookbookWholesome, tasty treats for young folks to make with their grown-up helpers and to enjoy with friends. Graced with original full-color art, whimsical stories, and entertaining facts, readers find out how cooking is a kind of magic! And come to know the truth: good magic is difficult on an empty stomach. |
R. David Philbrook ’70
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Sharing Some Short Stories — Eight Science Fiction AdventuresThis anthology comprising eight short science fictions stories includes tales of space ghosts that attempt to trap a ship and its crew, mutant beetles that create electrical short circuits aboard a space station, gold-stealing space pirates that put a planet to sleep, telepathic sand crawlers that control a village of farmers, a young village girl setting out to find her kidnapped brother, a hapless spider trapped in a sink, a space culture composed completely of automated entities, and a mind game within the mind. |
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The Adventures of Aleena and Elliss: Book 1, The Protectorate ManipulationAleena’s search for her abducted brother, Elliss, and their adventures form the narrative arc of this novel. Space ghosts, telepathic plant-animals, and insulation-eating beetles test their resolve to survive as they deal with the space raiding ViNarians. |
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The Little Prince and the GargoyleIn a small village there is much sadness. Many of the children are missing and have been carried away by a mean gargoyle that lives in the nearby forest. The king’s son is determined to find the children and return them to the village. He thinks he can trick the gargoyle but he is only a little boy and must be very brave and resourceful. |
Jacques J. Rancourt ’09
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Broken Spectre“Who would I have been back then?” asks the speaker of this aching and astute collection of poems, many of which wrestle with the legacy and intergenerational trauma of AIDS from the point of view of someone born in the pandemic’s aftermath. What does it mean to live and love in the wake of a community-rupturing crisis, when a stranger’s kiss recalls “those men/of our fathers’ generation/who’d rendezvous in parks/past dark?” |
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NovenaIn poems inspired by and sometimes borrowing their forms from the novena, a nine-day Catholic prayer addressing and seeking intercession from the Virgin Mary, Jacques Rancourt explores the complexities of faith, desire, beauty, and justice. Novena is a collection that invites prayer not to symbols of dogmatic perfection but to those who are outcast or maligned, LGBTQ people, people in prison, people who resist, people who suffer and whose suffering has not been redeemed. In Novena, the Virgin Mary is recast as a drag queen, religious icons are merged with those who are abolished, and spiritual isolation is scrutinized in a queer pastoral. |
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In the Time of PrEP“Jacques J. Rancourt’s rapturous poems look backwards and forwards at once. Living ‘half in this world, half in another,’ they interrogate desire and queer history, showing us how one generation struggles to understand the one before. Like all essential art, they take the long view, reminding us of what passes, what endures. We’re lucky to have this book in the world, proof of a prodigious talent and of a wise and generous heart.” |
Robert Rowe ’93
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The Day Kal Aikens Streaked Down Main StreetRobert Rowe’s poems tell stories. The high school student Kal Aikens who, in a carpe diem moment, dons a Halloween mask and streaks through the center of Bath, Maine. The skier Marcus Muller who schusses Tuckerman’s Ravine to impress a girl. The chatterbox grandmother who won’t stop telling stories even though people have stopped listening—but not Mr. Rowe. The athlete in “The Perfect Search” who swims from Maine to Canada in a quest to find life’s meaning. In short, Mr. Rowe’s characters attempt to strip off the veneer of everyday life to discover what it means to truly be alive. Mr. Rowe is happy to oblige. With his lyrical language, intricate off-rhyme schemes, and that rare ability to extend metaphors through entire poems, Mr. Rowe serves poetry that is surprising, fused with emotion, and is a pleasure to read. Most of all, his poems complete the sacred task of poetry: the ability to lift readers up, and take them to a sacred place where, in the words of one of Mr. Rowe’s characters: “the skin never cuts, the neck never snaps, and the snow never stays this late in June.” Readers of Robert Frost’s “Birches” and “Mending Wall” and E.A. Robinson’s “Richard Cory” and “Miniver Cheevy” will find a kindred spirit in the poetry of Mr. Rowe. This wonderful volume firmly places Mr. Rowe at the forefront of a Pre-Eliot movement in American poetry. I suspect this book will delight poetry lovers, but also attract new readers to poetry. – Michael Jones |
Emily (Coye) Smith ’10
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Thumbs Up For AllEveryone deserves a thumbs up! This story, based on a Maine lobster, will bring children on a journey through the eyes of a creature unlike the rest. This lobster will always has a thumbs up, thereby sharing his positive outlook on life everywhere he goes. Throughout this story he learns to embrace difference by finding his inner courage, while teaching others to do the same. |
Karen Richards Toothaker ’85
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The Rag Doll GiftKimberly can’t wait for her sixth birthday! On their sixth birthdays, all the cousins in her family receive a rag doll homemade with love from Gran. Soon it would be Kimberly’s turn! This gentle story is about loss, but more than that it is about the strength of family, the comfort of traditions, and the boundlessness of love. A timeless story that appeals to young listeners, early readers, and adults alike. |
Jan Elizabeth Watson ’97
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Asta in the WingsAsta in the Wings is a poignant and often darkly funny story narrated by Asta Hewitt, a resourceful 7-year-old growing up in an isolated house in Bond Brook, Maine. Shut off from the outside world and restricted to the company of a delusional mother and a bookish older brother, Asta is content to be part of a “society of three,” constructing fanciful, theatrical worlds of their own. When circumstances push her into a strange outside world— with all of its discontents — Asta must find a way to assimilate while remaining true to herself and her fractured family. |
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What Has Become of YouWhat Has Become of You follows Vera Lundy, an aspiring crime writer and master of self-deprecation who, like many adults, has survived adolescence but hasn’t entirely overcome it. When she agrees to fill in for a private school English teacher on maternity leave, teaching The Catcher in the Rye to privileged girls, Vera feels in over her head. The students are on edge, too, due to the recent murder of a local girl close to their age. Enter Jensen Willard. At 15 she’s already a gifted writer but also self-destructive and eerily reminiscent of Vera’s younger self. As the two outcasts forge a tentative bond, a sense of menace enfolds their small New England town. When another student, new to the country, is imperiled by her beliefs, Vera finds herself in the vortex of danger — and suspicion. With the threat of a killer at large, the disappearance of her increasingly worrisome pupil, and her own professional reputation at stake, Vera must thread her way among what is right by the law, by her students, and by herself. In this poignant page-turner, populated with beguiling characters and sharp social insights, coming-of-age can happen no matter how old you are. |