Books donated to Kansas Authors Club 2000 to present, Listed By Author

Kansas Authors Club members’ books are donated to the Kansas Collection at Spencer Library, University of Kansas. Members are encouraged to send one copy of each of their published books to Don Pady, KAC State Archivist, to be preserved in the Spencer Collection.

Reviews and synopses of donated books can be sent to Don Pady for publication here.

A variety of books have been received and await review. If you would like to write a review of someone else's book or submit reviews with your books, please contact Don Pady for guidelines. Watch for more reviews both here and in the next KAC State Newsletter.

Alphabetical Listing, by Author:
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N |
O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

A:

Allen, Ralph H. (District 5, Wichita)
Flight of a Wandering Sparrow. Revised edition. Wichita, KS: New Creation Books, 1987. In this revised edition of his first book, published in 1977, Ralph Allen tells of his experiences as a volunteer layman before becoming the first full-time chaplain at the county jail. He worked with offenders on the street and in Kansas jails. The prisoners' stories are true and give the reader a glimpse of what imprisonment can inflict on an already troubled soul. (Reviewed by Gail Martin, 2/2003)

Allen, Ralph H. (District 5, Wichita)
The Heart of Matthew Jade, edited by Laurel Shunk (District 5). Wichita, KS: St. Kitts Press, 2001. Ralph Allen's book is a mystery novel focused in the fictional Coffin County Jail and surrounding area. Juju the Crip, Lucy the addict, and Crazy Eddy Kelly inhabit this strange world where strong passions go unchecked. When three inmates of the jail suddenly die, everyone wonders who will be next. A thriller like no other I have read; "it grabs readers from the very beginning and never lets them go," writes Josh Primm, managing editor of The Lantern, Butler County Community College, 1 March 2001. Ralph Allen received the St. Kitts Award for published writings during the year from June 1, 2000 to May 31, 2001, at the Kansas Authors Club Convention in October 2001. (Reviewed by Gail Martin, 2/2003)

Allen, Ralph H. (District 5, Wichita)
Sparrow's Song. Wichita, KS: New Creation Books, 1982. The author's own story as he works through struggles of faith as a chaplain helping the inmates in the Sedgwick County Jail and how God interacts in it all. In the prison men began to share stories with this man whom some called "the Sparrow." This book transports the reader to life behind prison bars, a life that most of us can scarcely imagine. (Reviewed by Gail Martin, 2/2003)

Amirault, Mary Jo Cowan (District 1, Topeka)
The Unshrinkable Violet Cowan and the Unshakable Mary Jo. (n.p.) 2006, 176pp., paper, $20.00.
Hard times, economic downturns and discrimination laws would normally "shrink" the best of us, but the ironic events in this autobiographical account will bring nostalgic memories. We are all "home-town folks," and the author uses some of James Joyce's "stream of consciousness" techniques and William Faulkner's "scattered thought" theories to show what happens when we lose hope. (Reviewed by DSP, Nov 2006)

Anderson, Carol Ann Lindgren. (District 1, Lawrence)
Images from a Small Town; Growing Up in Kansas. Lawrence, KS: Hill Song Press, 2007, 100pp., paper, illus., $12.95.
Published in the year of Carol's passing, this autobiography recounts memories of schools, churches, homes, farms, pets, and most of all, people. This gripping story reveals small-town adventures and big-time events. It portrays delightful portraits of bygone times in Kansas. It will delight you to take this journey with the author as she recreates what life was like, back then. (Reviewed by Don S. Pady, Feb 2008)

Anderson, Walter E. (District 5, Leon)
Scribbles at the Bottom of the Page, Book Two. Augusta, KS: Living Hope Press, 1995. A collection of poetry, scriptures, meditations and humor. Graphics highlight some poems. My favorites were,"The Old front porch," "The Old cellar door," and "Song of the wren." They took me back to my childhood days. Anderson has published two other books. His first book, Must they walk alone? A caring ministry deals with disability. Scribbles at the bottom of the page, book one, was published in 1994. (Reviewed by Gail Martin, 2/2003)

Appelhanz, Fred C. (District 1, Holton)
Midnight Musings. (n.p.: Privately printed), 2007, 72 pp., paperbound.
These sixty-nine poems are fine examples of different verse systems—some examples are built up as blank verse to allow flexibility in transporting the poet's complex feelings; others have rhyming couplets which express a natural order to render a logical progression to the poet's conclusion. (Reviewed by DSP, December, 2008)

Appelhanz, F.C. (District 1, Holton)
Whispered Words. 2004, 64pp., paper.
This poetry describes soft sounds that touch the heart—searching, reaching for truth. Private moments and wishes display the power of love that withstands time. Hope for the future provides faith and the promise of unconditional joy. (Reviewed by DSP, Feb 2006)

August, Sandra. Pseudonym. (District 4, Concordia)
Chasing Alfie, (by Sandra Detrixhe) New York: Dorchester Publishing Co., 1999, 310 pp., Paperbound, $4.99.
The little girl sitting next to her on the train wasn't supposed to talk to strangers, and L.V. "Alfie" Foster knew better herself. But the handsome man across the car was eager to introduce himself, and the feisty reporter felt powerfully drawn to him. Brian Reed started talking about his job. He was a private eye, and he was going to Glitter Creek, Colorado, to investigate the same murders as she. Worse, even though is was 1872, the silly man still believed in ghosts! A human being had killed those miners, and L.V. had planned to get the scoop for The Denver Empire. But in this investigation she sensed something deeper than just a human-interest story. With a moonlit kiss and the help of the little girl from the train, L.V. pledged to unlock the secrets of a small-town—and the heart of a hero. (Reviewed by Don Pady, November 2008)

Austin, Cassandra. Pseudonym. (District 4, Concordia)
Heart and Home. (by Sandra Detrixhe) Toronto, Canada: Harlequin, 1999, 295 pp., paperbound, $4.99.
Jane Sparks had a business to run, and no citified with Wild West fantasies was going to distract her. Even one as warm and handsome as Dr. Adam Hart, the only man who ever tempted her into nightly dreams of love...! But Miss Sparks was aptly named. The busy brunette had certainly sparked Adam Hart's interest! He'd never known a woman as capable, caring and fresh-faced beautiful in his life. And, her happy mothering of a lonely little girl made her just what the doctor ordered. (Reviewed by Don Pady, December 2008)

Austin, Cassandra. Pseudonym. (District 4, Concordia)
The Unlikely Wife. (by Sandra Detrixhe) Toronto, Canada: Harlequin, 1999, 298 pp., paperbound, $4.99.
She'd grown up in frontier forts, so if she couldn't handle a harmless kiss with a soldier, who could? Rebecca Huntington blithely declared. But she hadn't planned on her heart being captured by the likes of officer Clark Forrester, a gentleman whose "casual" kisses were anything but! If Lieutenant Forrester wasn't careful, he would find himself marching down the aisle with Rebecca. And while a woman who could ride astride, beat him at chess and unnerve him just by deepening her dimples, was a fascinating pastime, wooing the boss's daughter and a court martial could go hand in hand. (Reviewed by Don Pady, November 2008)

B:

Bachman, Elda. (District 5, North Newton)
20 Years Too Soon. (n.p.: n.p.) 1994, 44 pp.
This is the story of Ernest Bachman, family man, farmer and fund-raiser. "I was born twenty years too soon" was an oft-repeated expression of Ernest Bachman, who was born in 1895 and always wished he was younger. (Reviewed by Gail Martin)

Baldwin, Bernell. (District 5, Wichita)
Ordination. (n.p.): Mennonite Press, 1999.
The story in this book takes place during the dustbowl era. It is fiction but is written from the author's memories of her life following her mother's ministry. Pictures round out the story of a family of dedicated women. (Reviewed by Gail Martin)

Baldwin, Bernell. (District 5, Wichita)
Preacher Bill's Bats in the Belfry. Wichita, KS: U and W Publishing Co., 2007, 219pp., paper, illus, $19.95.
When the author said, "Yes" to Preacher Bill, little did she know what adventures awaited! Even growing up in Kansas in the 1930s -- her father an ordained minister and, after his untimely death, her mother following in the ministry -- did not entirely prepare her for the exciting, rewarding and hair-raising twists and turns of life as the wife of Rev. William J. Baldwin. (Reviewed by Don S. Pady, Feb 2008)

Bateman, Debra (Brock). (District 1, Leavenworth)
Awakening of the Human Spirit; A Bbook of Poetry. Baltimore, MD: PublishAmerica, 2006, 105pp., paper, $14.95.
This is a book of poetry, made up from the inspirations of life, some serious, others fanciful --the poet's way of healing and sharing thoughts and feelings. Subjects span a myriad of topics: flowers, small-town charm, triumphs, tragedy, death, the sheer joy of living, and many fancies. Friends have described her poetry as relaxing, enjoyable, and having an innocent and joyful outlook on life. (Reviewed by Don S. Pady, Feb 2008)

Bateman, Debra (Brock). (District 1, Leavenworth)
A Renaissance of the Heart: A Book of Poetry. Baltimore, MD: PublishAmerica, 2005, 70pp., paper.
This book of rhyming couplets and free-verse recalls memories of growing up in Texas and Kansas. The poems reflect an innocent and joyful outlook on events beginning in 1959 to the present—covering such topics as love, favorite things, small town charm, heroes, death, and the sheer joy of living, (Reviewed by DSP, Apr 2006)

Bates, Wanda M. (District 4, Manhattan)
Three Years in a Teacherage. (n.p., n.p.): 1998.
These memories are based on the author's experiences in her first teaching job in northeastern Ohio in 1934. Starting with a family trip back in time she includes all the ups and downs she remembers in coping with living away from home, earning $57.50 a month and ten of that went to pay for her living space in the teacherage. These stories could be in almost any state during these years. (Reviewed by Gail Martin)

Beason, Ada Loomis. (District 3, Membership unknown)
Early Kansas Days and Other Short Stories. (n.p., n.p.: n.d.)
Memories of a grandfather who came to southeastern Kansas in 1869. [This book donated by Mrs. Don Beason of Elk City, KS]. (Reviewed by Gail Martin)

Benton Grade School. (District 5, Benton)
Family & Friends. Benton, KS: Benton Grade School PTO, 2003, 29 pp.
This book contains the winning entries in the 2003 Writers in the Schools project at the Benton Elementary School, Benton, Kansas. It includes categories of poetry, prose, and art through six grades. (Reviewed by Karen L. Kolavalli, Children's Librarian, Bradford Memorial Library, El Dorado, KS)

Benton Grade School. (District 5, Benton)
First Annual Benton Grade School Writing Contest. (n.p., n.p.) 2001.
This book contains the winning entries in the 2001 Writers in the Schools project at the Benton Elementary School, Benton, Kansas, led by Iris Cox-Pearce. These thirty-five young poetry and prose writers have the pleasure of seeing their work published. Small biographies give the authors' ages as well as the names of their proud parents. (Reviewed by Gail Martin)

Benton Grade School (District 5, Benton)
Space. The Fourth Annual Benton Grade School Writing Contest, sponsored by the Benton PTO and Kansas Authors Club District 5, Benton, KS: Benton Grade School, 2004, 61pp., paper, $10.00.
Poetry, prose, and artwork by Benton grade-schoolers explore the theme of space. Some entries considered outer space while others described a favorite place on earth. This cooperative effort marked a successful school-wide contest organized by Iris Cox-Pearce and Christie Breault.. (Reviewed by DSP, Jan 2006)

Beattie, Robert (District 5, Wichita)
Nightmare in Wichita; the Hunt for the BTK Strangler. NY: New American Library, 2005, 333pp., paper, $14.00.
Lawyer Robert Beattie tracked the BTK ("Bind, Torture, Kill") killer during the thirty-year search for the Wichita strangler, Dennis Rader. Here he shares his inside knowledge of the case—from its terrifying beginnings to the riveting account of Rader's capture. (Reviewed by DSP, Nov 2006)

Bell-Pearson. Edna. (District 7, Meade)
Fragile Hopes, Transient Dreams, and Other Stories. NY: iuniverse, 2006,369pp., paper, $21.95.
Containing short stories covering 1889-1999, there are essays preceding each tale in the voice of Eva Roth who brings us her thoughts, as well as backg- round information pertaining to the and the intensely-absorbing story of her forebears. Thus begins a tale of intrigue and adventures of John and Laura Roth and their descendants; their hopes and dreams, trials and tribulations through 1 10 years on the sweeping Kansas prairie. Even the land, located on the western fringe of "The Heartland" -- one of the richest wheat and gas-producing regions in the world -- is a significant feature in this southwest Kansas saga. (Reviewed by Don S. Pady, Feb 2008)

Boeve, Eunice (District 6, Phillipsburg)
Maggie Rose and Sass. Baltimore, MD: PublishAmerica, 2005, 144pp., paper, $19.95. A 2006 Kansas Notable Book—State Library of Kansas.
This young adult novel explores the differences between two races and cultures, set in a fictional 1888 town similar to Nicodemus, Kansas—a town settled eleven years earlier by ex-slaves from Kentucky. Orphaned Maggie Rose moves from Georgia to Solomon Town, whose citizens are almost all black. Sass has lived there all of her life. Raised in such totally different cultures, the two girls are about to clash. (Reviewed by DSP, Nov 2006)

Boeve, Eunice. (District 6, Phillipsburg)
A Window to the World. Baltimore, MD: PublishAmerica, 2004.
This book examines the hardships a family faced in the 1850s when father leaves the family to go to California during the gold rush. It is not an easy time for the mother and her children. This book portrays the time period in a realistic manner and shows how the family overcomes a variety of problems to make a better life for themselves. This story is an interesting one that older children will enjoy reading. (Reviewed by Ruth Godfrey, Children's Librarian, Morgantown Public Library, Morgantown, WV)

Boeve, Eunice. (District 6, Phillipsburg)
Ride a Shadowed Trail. Baltimore, MD: PublishAmerica, 2008, 246 pp., Paperbound.
In the fictional town of Indianola, on the Texas coast, eight-year-old Joshua Ryder's mother, a Mexican prostitute, is murdered. Pete Waters, an old ex-cowboy, takes him to raise and teaches him the cowboy trade. After Pete's death, Josh is hired to help drive a herd of longhorns to the cattle markets in Kansas. Totally enamored of Belle, the widowed ranch-owner's beautiful daughter, Josh is surprised and pleased that Ms. Rawlins and her daughters are to accompany the herd. On the drive, Josh and Belle fall in love and want to marry, but Josh knows his mother's killer is the cold-blooded Cole Slade, who robs and murders at will and kidnaps, abuses, and kills young Mexican girls. He has vowed to bring him to justice, but it means leaving Belle, maybe forever, for who would lay bets on an eighteen-year-old going up against a seasoned, ruthless killer? (Reviewed by Don Pady, November 2008)

Bouton, Mark. (District 1, Emmet)
Cracks in the Rainbow. Waterville, ME: Five Star, 2005,357pp., do, $25.95.
Crisp dialog and breakneck action highlight police action in this jackhammer L.A. thriller. Rick Dover unravels the enigma of computer codes, and maintains long hours of surveillance with his new partner, Falcon. Both discover a conspiracy more dangerous and widespread that raises the stakes with every new twist and turn. Before it's all over, government investigators, municipal police -- and Dover and Falcon -- collide in a furious flight which neither of them may survive. (Reviewed by Don S. Pady, Feb 2008)

Bouton, Mark. (District 1, Emmett)
Max Unlocks the Universe. Waterville, ME: Five Star, 2006,24Opp., $25.95.
Ex-FBI agent, Max Austin, traces crimes against a young computer scientist and investigates the causes of deaths of several other computer geeks selling security programs to commercial and governmental groups. Max needs help with the computer connection and enlists an ex-girlfriend and head of computer fraud at FBI headquarters. The tangled instructions are far beyond what he imagined, and unless he can cut through criminal deception, this will amount to his last case. (Reviewed by Don S. Pady, Feb 2008)

Bovee, Eugene Cleveland. (District 2, Lawrence)
Biblicalimericks: Genesis. Chadds Ford, PA: WJM Press, 2002
This fifth chapbook of Bovee's poetry gives us the funny side of, yes, Biblical Limericks. With Marge Simon's illustrations, the reader can see as well as read limerick after limerick. (Reviewed by Gail Martin)

Bovee, Eugene Cleveland. (District 2, Lawrence)
Double-dactyl Fun with Some Famous Persons. Chadds Ford, PA: WJM Press, 2004.
Bovee has written this book full of double-dactyl, a humorous form of verse invented by the American poet Anthony Hecht in the 1950s. Even the titles are funny: "Some poets will write anything!" and "I did WHAT in your dreams?" "He had a bad hair day," and "I shouldn't have ridden that horse." All are illustrated by Bovee's favorite illustrator, Marge Simon. (Reviewed by Gail Martin)

Bovee, Eugene Cleveland. (District 2, Lawrence)
Historicalimericks: Mostly Murderous. Chadds Ford, PA: WJM Press, 2003.
The combined efforts of Eugene C. Bovee, poet, Marge Simon, illustrator, and William J. Middleton, publisher, have brought us another chapbook of the most hilarious poetry. All in limerick form, of course. (Reviewed by Gail Martin)

Bovee, Eugene Cleveland. (District 2, Lawrence, d. 2005)
Historical Limericks II: Anecdotes of Famous Folks. Illustrated by Marge Simon. Chadds Ford, PA: WJM Press, 2004, 56pp., paper.
Humorous limericks accompanied by clever line drawings reveal this late poet's enthusiasm for historical sayings. The chapbook's appendix provides short definitions of what some famous people had to say on various occasions. (Reviewed by DSP, Feb 2006)

Bovee, Eugene Cleveland. (District 2, Lawrence) and William J. Middleton
Pandamonium: Partners in Rhyme. Chadds Ford, PA: WJM Press, 2001.
Bovee's newest chapbook is a collection of "Punny Limericks" by two long-distance friends, Bill & Gene. I guarantee you'll laugh while reading every page. Illustrations by Marge Simon contribute to the enjoyment of these witty poems. (Reviewed by Gail Martin)

Bovee, Eugene Cleveland. (District 2, Lawrence)
Selected Poems: A Melange. Lyndora, PA: Jessee Poet Publications, 2003, 24 pp.
You can never get enough of Bovee's poetry. Now his poem "The Mosquito" gives the funniest life cycle of an insect this entomologist ever read. Read more on Guardian Angles, the groundhog in the spring, and Grandfather's Barn, plus many others to get you in a good mood. (Reviewed by Gail Martin)

Bovee, Eugene Cleveland. (District 2, Lawrence)
Various Poems. Lyndora, PA: Jessee Poet Publications, 2003, 20 pp.
This chapbook shows that Bovee can write other styles of poetry besides limericks. Most of these poems tell stories in the life of a dedicated poet. The one about his clothes dryer throwing a nasty fit cracked me up. (Reviewed by Gail Martin)

Breault, Christie Merriman. (District 5, Benton)
Logan West; Printer's Devil. Illus. Matthew Archambault. NY: Mondo Publishing, 2006, 142pp., paper, illustrated.
In 1874, the last thing twelve-year-old Logan West wants is to move away from his grandparents and comfortable home in St. Louis to the wilds of Kansas. Convinced that his father wants him to be like "every other boy in the West," Logan is intent on following his own path, which heads him to many adventures -- including a new job and some unexpected truths about his father and himself. Frontier and pioneer life, newspapers, literacy, and Wyatt E q , provide a fascinating tale of historical fiction. (Reviewed by Don S. Pady, Feb 2008)

Buzard, Susan Eliiabeth. (District 3, Coffeyville), with Tracy K. Mansfield.
Violet; A Historical Novel Based on the Life of Violet Elizabeth Brown. Bloornington, IN: AuthorHouse, 2006, 188pp., paper, illustrated.
During the late 1880s, architect Stanford White designed and built a grand home in Coffeyville for W. P. Brown, a prominent oil and gas magnate. Today, that house still stands atop a hill, alone and isolated except for the memories of his beautiful, intelligent, yet tragic daughter, Violet -- born to wealth and privilege. This novel of historical fiction tells the story of Violet Brown who lived in this mansion for seventy years. But, even more, she fears what will become of her home after she dies. (Reviewed by Don S. Pady, Feb 2008)

C:

Carey, Robert. (District 1, Topeka) and John Furbay.
Freedom Ships. Topeka, KS: Af-Am Links Press, 1999.
Winning the 2000 J. Donald Coffin Award for the best book by a member of Kansas Authors Club within the two previous years, this historical novel tells the dramatic story of African Americans who dared to find freedom in Africa long before the Emancipation. Sailing across stormy seas, fighting hostile tribes, and surviving dreaded African fevers, these black pioneers confronted scheming slave traders and European empire builders to find a place where they created the first black republic in Africa. Based on emigrant letters, diaries, newspaper and journal accounts, and official documents in U.S. Navy and Congressional archives, this thoroughly researched volume makes African and American history come alive. It covers the period from 1820 to 1849, during which the nation of Liberia was founded. (Reviewed by Gail Martin)

Carman, Edna Creekmore. (District 4, Salina) and Kenneth Scott Carman
Tender Twig. Evanston, IL: OKHO Publishing, n.d.
A masterful story starting with troubled times in Scotland that cause a young man to indenture himself to come to pre-revolutionary America. Tender twig is the name of a native American woman he meets. They take to the wilderness with a slave and a seventeen-year-old runaway boy -- combining Indian lore, Scottish ingenuity, the slave's intelligent common sense and the runaway's craving for adventure -- an eventful tale. Carman has written two other books: The Planet fire (1993) and A Day of rest (1994). (Reviewed by Gail Martin)

Clark, Katrina Verschelden. (District 1, Topeka)
Scents of Mother Love. [n.p., n.p.] 2001, 97 pp.
A book full of memories, with pages of pictures, important certificates, her mother's favorite recipes, including Green Rice and Cornmeal Mush, and her mother's favorite song lyrics, including "Playmate" and "Has anybody seen my gal?" tells the story of Katrina's mother, Catherine Elizabeth Johnston, beginning around the turn of the century in Topeka, Kansas. (Reviewed by Gail Martin)

Clark, Marshall C. (District 1, Topeka)
An Eclectic's Buffet. Topeka, KS: Trevor Trump Project, 2005, 325pp., paper.
From accounts of Africa's Massai to Clark's brave action as a Marine corpsman in Korea, this autobiography recalls many exciting incidents that will shock, gladden, amuse, educate, and entertain you. These unique recollections and whimsical stories are richly supplemented by some 70 original photographs taken by the author. (Reviewed by DSP, Nov 2006)

Clarke, Gary K. (District 1, Topeka)
I'd Rather Be on Safari. Big Springs, KS: Baranski Publishing Co., 2001.
As it says on the cover, "This book conveys a genuine feeling for the land, the animals and culture of the diverse and complex continent of Africa. On over 100 safaris, Gary has canoed the Zambesi River, camped on the floor of the Ngorongoro Crater, slept under the stars in the Kalahari desert, and traversed the Great Rift Valley." Gary is a new KAC member and lives in Topeka, Kansas, when he is not on safari. Reading this book was like going on safari without ever leaving Kansas. (Reviewed by Gail Martin)

Clothier, Grant. (District 2) and Jeanie Clothier Montford.
A Prairie beacon; the Peace Creek, Kansas, Church of Christ. Overland Park, KS: Leathers Publishing, 2007, 179pp., paper, illus., $16.95.
Recording the history, since 1874, of the Peace Creek Church of Christ in western Reno County, Kansas, proved an arduous task in assembling the documented facts through authentic research methods. It reveals the strength and character demonstrated by these early Christians. (Reviewed by Don S. Pady, Feb 2008)

Collins, Audrey McCain. (District 6, Hutchinson)
Pages of Prayer and Praise. Baltimore, MD: PublishAmerica, 2005, 67pp., paper.
This fine collection of religious poems spans a period of more than 60 years. They communicate the poet's sentiments, passions and dreams throughout her life. Her poems draw the reader's conviction because they reveal examples of ways her parables in verse can benefit their lives. (Reviewed by DSP, Nov. 2006)

Cloud, David E. (District 5, Wichita)
The Red Book: Choice classroom "Chips?" "Nah." "Clips?" "Nah." "Quips?" "Yeah!" "Slips?" "Oh Yeah!" "Tricks?" "Yeah, Yeah!" Bel Aire, KS: Sunrise Christian School and Academy, 1997.
David compiled all these things from the classes he teaches at the Sunrise Christian School and Academy. The reader is cautioned, and I quote, "Don't blame us if you die laughing!" From 157 students, David came up with 420 surprise laughs over a period of five years. (Reviewed by Gail Martin)

Cloud, David E. (District 5, Wichita)
A Stroll Through Life: A Poetic Walk. Foreword by Raymond Nelson. Wichita, KS: Creative Freelance Services, 1997.
David has chosen to share his experiences of life in poetry with correlating verses from the Bible. He has written four other books: Grandpa, tell me your memories (1999), How God touches hearts through his people (1998), The Red book (1997) and With God and His humor (1997). (Reviewed by Gail Martin)

Cloud, David E. (District 5, Wichita)
Students: The Real Focus of Teaching. Park City, Kansas: Creative Freeland Services, 2005, 120pp., loose-leaf binder, $19.95.
Cloud’s manual offers advice to teachers, poems, journal pages, with a scriptural emphasis. (Reviewed by Karen Sells Brown, Apr 2006)

Cobb, Ronald Lee (District 1, Holton)
Memories of Bosnia: The 35th Division's SFOR-13 NATO Peacekeeping Mission. Bloomington, IN: AuthorHouse, 2004, 319 pp., photo illus., paper.
Colonel Cobb's bittersweet memories of the U.S. Army’s peacekeeping mission in Bosnia include the terror of war and the beauty of peace through understanding. He recounts the efforts of the Army Chaplain Corps to bring together men of differing faiths in order to help rebuild the war-ravaged country of Bosnia. The author’s interpretations of Islam come from his Christian perspective, as he urged religious tolerance during his Task Force Eagle assignment in 2003. (Reviewed by DSP April 2006)

Cooper, Kathryn Croan. (District 2, Ottawa and Memam, Life Member)
By the Telephone Pole. Shawnee, KS: Whirlybird Press, 2007,40pp., paper, illustrated.
Some of the author's poems in this book are reprinted from twenty-seven chapbooks containing short stories, poetry and photographs. Her formal education was largely in one-room schoolhouses scattered in Kansas towns, now gone. Kitty's writing is sincere and from the heart, and serves as a remembrance of the roots of many of us, and, in a way, of who we are. (Reviewed by Don S. Pady, Feb 2008)

Cooper, Kathryn Croan. (District 2, Ottawa and Memam, Life Member)
Old Authors Never Die. [n.p.]: Norman Printing? 2004,42pp., paper, illustrated.
Short prose pieces, poetry and photographs mark the distinct quality of the author's random thoughts, But she reports the impressions of what she sees and hears in the most personable manner. She published this chapbook at the golden age of 85, and this Life Member of KAC is now 89! (Reviewed by Don S. Pady, Feb 2008)

Crum, Lola Adams. (District 7, Dodge City)
Daughter of Kansas. [n.p., n.p., n.d.] 98 pp.
For eighty years Lola Crum wrote poems and put them in a box. Some were contest winners. Lola has gathered them in this book. It included nature poems and more personal poems. Lola has added little postscripts of information. Many poems are dated, such as "My doll, Bessie," which she wrote in 1921 at the age of 13. Lola Crum is a life member and former state archivist of Kansas Authors Club. (Reviewed by Gail Martin)

Crum, Lola Adams. (District 7, Dodge City)
A Reminiscence: Teaching in Dodge City's Mexican Village. Dodge City, KS: Kansas Heritage Center, 2002.
Early in the 1900s, the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway build a town for their Mexican employees in the railroad yards near the depot and roundhouse in Dodge City. Lola Crum describes her experiences teaching school in Dodge City's Mexican Village during the 1930-1931 school year. The story is enhanced with photos of students and their families. Lola, 94, joined Kansas Authors Club in 1931 and is a life member. (Reviewed by Gail Martin)

D:

Dagenais, Julia. (District 5, Wichita)
Verses. (n.p.: Privately printed, n.d.) 12 pp., Paperbound.
An undated but early chapbook of eleven poems—including a sonnet, an acrostic, and a villanelle, Julia portrays glimpses of her pioneering grandparents (the Casads); her mother's piano; the glory of a spring day; and the woman for whom she worked. All are delightful insights into the poet's charming character. (Reviewed by Don Pady, November 2008)

Dagenais, Julia and Ralph Dagenais (District 5, Wichita)
Verses Light and Dark. (n.p.) Christmas, 2005, 60pp., paper.
Highlighting the subjects of childhood, motherhood, family pictures, lessons from nature and the passage of time, this delightful chapbook includes insightful poems and photos of people who witnessed the light of happiness and the dark side of hard times. (Reviewed by DSP, Nov 2006)

Daniels, Celia and Cynthia Pedersen (Non-members)
Fissures. Canton, CT: Singular Speech Press, 1993.
This book of poems by two sisters mingles different styles and topics. Which poet wrote which poems is not specified, but the reader may guess. The authors' very lives reflected in their words. Daniels holds a graduate degree in Museum Studies and Anthropology from the University of Kansas. Pedersen previously lived on the Turtle Mountain Indian Reservation. (Reviewed by Gail Martin)

Dennis, Cynthia L. (District 1, Brookfield, WI)
The Sunflower Sinner; An Odyssey of Politics and Passion. Topeka, KS: Woodley Memorial Press, 2007,217pp., paper, illus., $16.00.
This ambitious memoir of the author's farnilv serves as a sava-ge indictment of her father. Paul Lackie, whose political aspirations tried to foist his name into the governorship of Kansas. Nor does the author compromise the validity of her scathing criticism by softening the tone of some very personal histories. (Reviewed by Don S. Pady, Feb 2008)

Detrixhe, Sandra J. (District 4, Concordia)
The Everything Sewing Book. (n.p.): F + W Publications, 2004.
This large book does just what the title says, covers everything you might want to know about sewing. Includes illustrations for all projects, and the text is easy to follow for even the non-seamstress. Good addition for the sewing room. (Reviewed by Gail Martin)

Detrixhe, Sandra. (District 4, Concordia)
Zen and the Art of Needlecraft: Exploring the Links between Needlecraft, Spirituality and Creativity. Avon, MA: Adams Media, 2005, 210pp., paper, $12.95.
Zen tradition says a lot about sewing and the long journey to self-awareness in clothing designs and styles. Based on influences from angels to yin and yang, the author's narrative promotes creativity through meditation and spirituality. (Reviewed by DSP, Dec 2005)

Detrixhe, Sandra J. (District 4, Concordia)
Zen and the Art of Quilting. Avon, MA: Adams Media, 2004.
Sandra wrote that the word "Zen" in Japanese is for meditation, and the word "quilt" comes from the Old French word meaning mattress. So mixing the two creates an image of meditation mats and sweet dreams under warm quilts. To read is to enjoy a different view of the life of a quilter. (Reviewed by Gail Martin)

Detrixhe, Sandra J. (District 4, Concordia), See also Cassandra Austin and Sandra August, pseudonyms

Dillard, Leona M. (District 6, Hutchinson)
"Picnic at Pryor's Grove," Kansas Heritage, 14(2) Summer 2006, pp. 17-20.
Death in Kiowa County in southeast Kansas came on a peaceful summer day. Near a quiet grove, a town picnic was violently interrupted by gunshots. The crowd scattered, the gunmen fled, and a sheriff lay mortally wounded. What happened to Bill Wyatt is revealed by Dilliard's fascinating true account. (Reviewed by DSP, Nov 2006)

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E:

Elster, Toby. (District 5, Wichita)
Pioneer Cooking. Hillsboro, KS: Hearth Publishing, 1993.
The author says this is a collection of original recipes of yesteryear handed down several generations. This book would be great in the libraries of all memoir writers. Very interesting just to read and imagine life the way it used to be in the family kitchen. (Reviewed by Gail Martin)

Engler, Jerry W. (District 4, Marion)
A Heartland Voice; Just Folks Two. Illustrated by Sheri Lauren Schmidt. Marion, KS: 6-Mile Roots, 288pp., paper.
The author's second collection of short stories demonstrates why he is considered a strong voice of small-town America. Colorful characters provide entertaining tales about the lives of those who mingle in mythical farm communities where everyone knows their names -- and love one another despite that! (Reviewed by DSP, Feb 2007)

Engler, Jerry W. (District 4, Marion)
Just Folks: Earthy Tales of the Prairie Heartland. Vol. I, illus. Sheri Schmidt. Marion, KS: 6-Mile Roots, 2005, 292pp.
These short fictional essays describe a bygone age that was close to the author's heart, and his stories hold on to the memory of a way of life. Engle writes about the characters who are still around us because part of what is easiest to love about humanity is the uniqueness of each individual. Some of his tales are almost true; yet some are purely concoctions. (Reviewed by DSP, Nov 2006)

Epp, Karen Ross. (District 5, Newton)
With Love Stan; a Soldier's Letters from Vietnam to the World. Bloomington, IN: AuthorHouse, 2007, 329 pp., illustrated, paperbound, $19.95.
Thirty-three years after nineteen-year-old SGT Stanley Dennis Ross fell in Vietnam on 20 October 1969, his sister Karen gathered his letters home. She edited Stan's sometimes shaky handwriting, and found surviving members of his 199th Light Infantry Brigade to confirm and reinforce Stan's bravery under enemy fire. This compelling memoir of her brother, his buddies, and his family back in the world, brings home the absolute horrors of war as if they happened only yesterday. Primary-source documents and candid photographs made it possible for Karen to write an inspired tribute to her brother and those who served with him. With unexpected twists like a bayonet thrust—jam-packed with trenchant wit, strong characters and simple, crisp, declaratory prose, this bittersweet biography ratchets up tension-inducing actions of true heroism ... in one of America's most difficult and frustrating wars. (Reviewed by Don Pady, January 2009)

Everett, Ann Fowler (District 5, Haysville)
Emotional Choice: Caregivers Surviving Alzheimer's Disease. BookSurge, LLC, 2005, 55pp., paper.
The author's husband suffered through debilitating levels of the Global Deterioration Scale of Alzheimer's disease. Through poetry and prose, she documents his mental and physical confusion until his untimely death. She learned a positive way to grieve and give passage to a change in her relationship with the inevitable. (Reviewed by DSP Jan 2006)

F:

Fenceposts, 2002. (District 5, El Dorado)
The work of members of the Prairie Prose and Poetry Guild of Butler County, including short stories, poetry, and non-fiction articles by Lois Friesen, Gail Martin, Jane Persons, Cindy Ross and Dorothy Turner, all members of District 5, Kansas Authors Club. Art work, biographies, and pictures of contributing writers allow the reader to become familiar with the authors as he/she enjoys their diverse writing styles. (Reviewed by Gail Martin)

Fisher, Glenn W. (District 5, Wichita)
Not to Reason Why: The Story of a One-Eyed Infantryman in World War II. (n.p.): Xlibris, 2002, 325 pp.
Glenn Fisher takes the reader into his world as an 18-year-old army draftee in World War II. Wounded during the Siegfried Line campaign in Germany, he spent nearly a year recuperating in an army hospital. He tell the horrors of war like it really happened. (Reviewed by Karen L. Kolavalli, Children's Librarian, Bradford Memorial Library, El Dorado, KS)

Fredricks, Jack. (District 1, Topeka)
DNA (Do Not Ask); A True to Life Novel. College Station, TX: Virtualbookworm.com Publishing, 2007, 211pp., paper, $13.95.
This historical novel vortravs techniaues the author used in describin-g dilemmas and psychological problems among many American families during the last century. He developed special education programs for boys in the locked units of the Kansas State Reform School. He related stories about the joys and sorrows of both children and their families while he worked with boys and girls with emotional problems at the famous Menninger Clinic in Topeka. Each fictionalized case plumbed the depths of emotional cases in family relationships, many of which involved drugs and alcohol combined with physical and mental abuse. (Reviewed by Don S. Pady, Feb 2008)

Fredricks, Jack. (District 1, Topeka)
What is Time and Where Does It Go When It Is Gone? Topeka, KS: Sowsear Publishing Co., (n.d.) illus., 33 pp., paperbound.
This story is dedicated to all mothers who take time to talk with their children about life that is made of time and chances -- chances to talk with each other and chances to make time to truly get to know each other, across generations. The booklet's three characters are used to talking about important topics by being open, not burdened with business. (Reviewed by Don Pady, June 2008)

French, Luanne. (District 6, Great Bend)
Cruising Toward Romance. Baltimore, MD: PublishAmerica, 2002.
A modern, light hearted romance about two Midwestern schoolteachers who take a cruise to meet potential husbands. Their success provides entertaining reading in the manner of the 1930s books by Grace Livingston Hill. Two surprising love stories for this modern generation. (Reviewed by Gail Martin)

G:

Garvey, Olive White. (District 5, Wichita)
Lob-Folly. Wichita, KS: Punch Bowl Press, 1989.
The only fiction story Garvey ever wrote, produced in 1930 and published in 1989, Lob-Folly has everything including murder, car chases, bootlegging, mystery, and romance. The action is set in western Kansas along the Smokey Hill River during prohibition days. Garvey joined KAC in 1934 and was a life member. She died in 1993. (Reviewed by Gail Martin)

Gentry, Lesley Ann (District 6, Beloit)
The Lady Is a Veterinarian: The Pioneer Women Who Graduated from the School of Veterinary Medicine, Kansas State College, 1932-1956. Newton, KS: Mennonite Press, 2005, 145pp., photo illus., paper.
This well-illustrated biographical account testifies to the courage and intellect of twelve women graduates who dared to claim their place in the profession of veterinary medicine, not then considered a place for ladies. The honors and achievements of these women rewarded their hard work to gain proficiency in animal science. These graduates and their knowledge of the care of animals made an indelible mark on the future of women as veterinarians. 2005 Ferguson Kansas History Book Award. (Reviewed by DSP, Jan 2006)

German, Greg. (District 2, Kansas City, KS)
"The Farmer's wife," (Poetry), see Midwest Quarterly, pp. 542-43.

German, Greg. (District 2, Kansas City, KS)
"Beyond confessional: Jonathan Holden . . . honest poetry, honest discovery," (Criticism) see Midwest Quarterly, pp. 497-501.

Glenn, Nancy.  (District 5, Wichita)
Don't Ask Me For the Moon. Newton, KS: Mennonite Press, 2001, illus. by author. Nancy Glenn's first book of poetry. Dreamlike and sensitive, revealing the emotions we all experience as we process what life has given us. (Reviewed by Gail Martin)

Goering, Gladys V. (District 5, Moundridge)
Women in Search of Mission. Newton, KS: Faith and Life Press, 1980.
This history of the General Conference Mennonite Women's Organization is supported by many photographs. It began in 1917 at the General Conference Mennonite Church meeting in its triennial session in Berkeley, California. The eight chapters cover such topics as Missions Nearer Home; Fund Raisers; Winds of Change, and The Home Front. (Reviewed by Gail Martin)

Gonzales, Lydia (District 7, Garden City)
Gringo/Ringo: The Trials of a Watchdog. Newton, KS: Mennonite Press, 2005, 14pp., photo illus., paper.
Gringo/Ringo tells the true story of how the author’s bilingual dog was lost and then returned to his family. Numerous photos record real-life family experiences in western Kansas. Consideration for the needs of others becomes very important in solving the immediate problem, especially in a multicultural town. This book is very positive and encouraging for both children and adults. (Reviewed by Lorena Joyce Herrmann, District 7, Apr 2006)

Gray, Harold L. (d. 1997)
To the prairie and to God; poems written between 1936 - 1941; collected and edited by Kevin L. Gray (District 2, Olathe) and M. Stefan Strozier. NY: World Audience, March 2007, 120pp., paper, illus., $15.99.
This collection's rich variety of poems conveys the sensitivity and often lyrical response of a young Midwesterner to the world around him at a time that now seems quite distant to us -- the late 1930s and early 1940s. The poems display the exuberant interest in various forms, like repetition, wit, and serious religious temperament. The poet's son has lovingly prepared these poems for publication, and his highly-personal introduction provides a moving portrait of great appreciation. (Reviewed by Don S. Pady, Feb 2008)

Grimes, Marcene (District 1, Tecumseh)
Ill Blows the Wind. Overland Park, KS: Leathers publishing, 2006, 128pp., paper, $15.00.
This fictional tale concerns a family in the Kansas Flint Hills who allows a commercial wind farm to be erected on their landcreating friction between wind-farm advocates and those who want to preserve the pristine prairie. A brutal murder takes a look at all sides of a real-life issue of producing "clean" electricity with the renewable resources of the famous Kansas winds. (Reviewed by DSP, Nov 2006)

Grimm, Jo. (District 2, Bella Vista, AR)
Putting on Her Face. (n.p.): 1stBooks, 2001, 398 pp.
This is a novel about a young girl's life during World War II. The story takes the reader with Bea Stephens as she trains for a job with the Civil Aeronautics Administration as an Aircraft Communicator in the 1940s. Romance, travel, and history are intertwined as Bea handles the difficulties placed upon young women of that time. This is Jo's second book. (Reviewed by Gail Martin)

Grimm. Jo. (District 2, Bella Vista, AR)
When the Word Came. (n.p.: n.p.), 1982, 135 pp.
This collection of poetry was written during the fifteen years since Jo Grimm's father died when she was forty years old. The conversion she experienced at that time changed her view of the world. The poems reflect the broadening of her focus from her immediate family, to the extended family of her husband, to the worldwide Christian family. (Reviewed by Gail Martin)

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H:

Harshbarger, Laurence.  (District 4, Junction City)
Sixty Years of Poetry, 1941-2000. (n.p.: n.p., ca. 2000) Winner of the 2002 Nelson Poetry Award, this book encompasses a wide variety of moods, ideas, and verse forms. Larry's poems are like Kansas weather -- if you like it today, just wait and it will change; or just turn the page. Laurence's comments throughout the book and his "Happy Reading" lend a very personal air to the more than a hundred poems that chronicle his life from 1941 to 2000. He is a retired professor of English at Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana. Larry lives in Junction City where he writes academic, fiction and poetry. (Reviewed by Gail Martin)

Harris, Cynthia A. (District 4, Manhattan)
K-State Agronomy; centennial 1906 - 2006; a century remembered; a centennial history of the Department of Agronomy, Kansas State University. Manhattan, KS: Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service, 2006, 191pp., paper, illustrated.
KSU's Department of Agronomy has statewide responsibilities for teaching, research, and extension in crop, soil and range sciences. This history brings together the accomplishments of faculty and staff, teaching and research programs, extension activities, and services. Chapters written by Cynthia Harris include: "Heads of agronomy," "Experiment fields," "Agronomy farm," and "Ashland agronomy farm." (Reviewed by Don S. Pady, Feb 2008)

Herrmann, Duane L. (District 1, Topeka)
Andrew Herrmann family in America. Topeka, KS: Buffalo Press, 1990, 35pp., paper, illns., $2.50.
For three generations the Andrew Herrmann family owned land and farmed in Kansas. As a member of the fourth generation, the author interviewed as many living descendents as he could and listened to them narrate the most important parts of their genealogy. A chart showing the decadency illustrates this remarkable story of the American experience of an immigrant family. (Reviewed by Don S. Pady, Feb 2008)

Herrmann, Duane L. (District 1, Topeka)
By Thy strengthening grace: a brief history of the first One Hundred years of the Baha'i faith in Topeka, 1906-2006. Topeka, KS: Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'i, 2006, 159pp., paper, illustrated
Winner of the 2007 Ferguson History Book Award, the author, a native Topekan, shows that the Baha'i Faith's religious community in Topeka during the twentieth century met unique challenges in establishing its place among Topeka's religious denominations. Some of these challenges involved questions like: How do you worship or conduct business when you have no clergy or priesthood because they are forbidden? What do you do when your marriage is not legally valid with the state? These are only two of the many challenges faced and overcome by the Baha'i of Topeka, and this is the story of their first one hundred years. (Reviewed by Don S. Pady, Feb 2008)

Herrmann, Duane L. (District 1, Topeka)
"On the hillside," (Poetry) see Midwest Quarterly, pp. 543-44.

Herrmann, Duane L. (District 1, Wichita)
Prairies of Possibilities: New and Selected Poems. New York: iUniverse, Inc., 2005, 114pp., paper, $14.95.
These poems bother our consciences because they memorialize our innermost sentiments about many aspects of life. Each poem portrays the journey of the soul as it strives for perfection—for human growth never ends. Many tenets of the Baha'i faith are revealed as the substantive basis for the poems. (Reviewed by DSP, Jan 2006) (Reviewed by Don S. Pady, Feb 2008)

Herrmann, Duane L. (District 1, Topeka)
Voices from a borrowedgarden; a collection of poetry. Topeka, KS: Buffalo Press, 1990, 107pp., paper.
Herrmann is one of sixteen poets whose works he edits as Poet-in-Residence at Louhelen Baha'i School in 1989, at which time he directed work of the Kansas Baha'i History Project. (Reviewed by Don S. Pady, Feb 2008)

Herrmann, Duane L. (District 1, Topeka)
Whispers shouting glory. Topeka, KS: Buffalo Press, 1989,40pp., paper.
"(These) poems are very clear and uncluttered, which makes them most appealing; there is nothing contrived or artificial in them and the poetic voice is unaffected and pure."-- Roger White. Hemnann received the Robert Hayden Poetry Fellowship at Louhelen Baha'i School. (Reviewed by Don S. Pady, Feb 2008)

J:

Jenks, Dorothy. (District 7, Lakin)
"The Runaways," (Poetry) see Midwest Quarterly, pp. 587-89.

Johnston, Colleen Kelly. (District 5, Wichita)
Stepping Stones; Moments in a Woman's Life. Wichita, KS: Total Printing Solutions, 2001.
Colleen has written enjoyable poetry and prose relating to precious moments in her life -- moments many of us have experienced. (Reviewed by Gail Martin)

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K:

Kamberg, Mary-Lane. (District 2, Olathe)
"In Search of John Juda's grave," (Poetry) see Midwest Quarterly, p. 547.

Kansas Authors Club
Pen life as art; write from the heart; youth writing contest award winners, 2007. Kechi. KS: TRMS Creative Services, 2007 ,86pp., spiral-bound paper.
Fiction, non-fiction and poetry entries by contestants, who placed or were given honorable mention, are published annually by youth in grades 1-12 at the local, district or state level. A judge for each literary genre determines winning entries based on inventive imaginations, sense of adventure and creativity, and maturation in the complexity of the work. Good writing and valuable story-telling techniques teach other youngsters to contribute yearly examples of their poetry and prose. (Reviewed by Don S. Pady, Feb 2008)

Kansas Authors Club
2006 Youth Writing Contest Award Winners. Kansas Authors Club, 2006, 107pp., paper.
This collection of poetry, prose, and artwork selected by noted judges represents a myriad of award-winning efforts submitted by Kansas students in all grade levels. As one judge wrote, "Every drawing, painting, sculpture, every story and poem, every dance and song and game you create is a masterpiece, because you have made something beautiful that the world did not have before. . . And try to laugh every day, for the best creations come from a light heart." (Reviewed by DSP, Nov 2006)

Karnowski, William J. (District 4, Wamego)
Catching the rain;prose and poetry by ... NY: iuniverse, 2007, 119pp., paper, $13.95.
Karnowski's poetry has its roots as deep as the big bluestem grass that makes up the last remaining expanses of the Tallgrass prairie. The prairie chickens still boom on early spring mornings The poet shares his language of this land. (Reviewed by Don S. Pady, Feb 2008)

Karnowski, William J. (District 4, Wamego)
Hardtails and highways; poems of the open road. [n.p.: privately printed, n.d.1 1 lpp., paper.
In sixteen gasoline-charged poems, the poet takes us on his Harley to places beyond the reach of most -- unless you've straddled a "hog" over all the backroads that he has traveled. Reminiscences of places seen, people met, and bikers' joys and fears, lay down tire marks and exhaust plumes all along the way. VROOM VROOM. (Reviewed by Don S. Pady, Feb 2008)

Karnowski, William J. (District 4, Wamego)
Painting the Train: Prose and Poetry by ... New York: iUniverse, Inc., 2005, 112pp., paper, $13.95.
The wordsmithing of Karnowski's poetry leaves an indelible mark as he observes life's passages. His portrayal of people and strong belief in himself forge unbreakable chains linking reality and basic truths in the search for hope. (Reviewed by DSP, Feb 2006)

Karnowski, William J. (District 4, Wamego)
Pushing the Chain: Prose and Poetry. Lincoln, NE: iUniverse, 2003.
The author states this book is about a journey across time and places, and the one constant that remains important in his life, searching for joy. I found joy reading his "Old Pine," and "Ten Thousand Years," written on January 10, 2003. Many of his poems and prose pieces are dated. This gives you a feeling of closeness to the author. (Reviewed by Gail Martin)

Karnowski, William J. (District 4, Wamego)
"The Smell of sunrise," (Poetry) see Midwest Quarterly, pp. 547-48.

Kazminski, Agnes J. Sutter (District 1, Topeka; edited by Karen Sells Brown, District 1, Topeka)
When We Were Children. Topeka, KS: Hall Commercial Printing, 2001, 91 pp. The author refers to her book as "simple tales" of growing up in Switzerland during World War II. She presents a child's view of one corner of the world in a difficult time, including funny and serious episodes of family life. Agnes came to the United States in 1970 when she married Charles Kazminski. She became an American citizen in 1982. She has made her home in Ozawkie, Kansas, for many years. (Reviewed by Gail Martin)

Kinney-Riordan, Susan. (District 4, Salina)
I Wanted a Poem About Kansas. Salina, KS: East Window Press, 2004.
This a collection of poetry about the wonders of living in Kansas and elsewhere. Chapter titles are as intriguing as the poem titles. "Traveling Shoes" includes such poems as "Birkenstock Catalog," "Flint Hills to Colorado," and "Car Ride to Eagle's Nest." Then the chapter "I wanted a Poem about Kansas" includes poems like these: "Funny Trees," "Blue Spruce in Kansas" and "Post Rock Country" to name a few. (Reviewed by Gail Martin)

Klaassen, Mike (District 5, Valley Center)
The Brute. Port Orchard, WA: Blue Works, 2005, 167pp., paper, $14.99.
Klaassen's first novel for young adults is centered in the Flint Hills of Kansas. What happens to sixteen-year-old Fortney Curtis on a Boy Scout campout will strongly reinforce Scouting's legendary motto, “Be Prepared.” (Reviewed by DSP, Jan 2006)

Klassen, Mike (District 5, Valley Center)
Cracks. Port Orchard, WA: Blue Works, 2006, 255pp., paper, $14.99.
An exciting novel for young adults features earthquakes, caves, drugs, and murder. Sixteen-year- old Bodie McCann is on a youth-rehabilitation outing in the vast Ozarks of Arkansas when earthquakes rock the Mississippi Valley. The adults are killed and Bodie finds himself stuck in the wilderness with four other troubled teens. Along the way, Bodie discovers something about himself— and a lot about life. (Reviewed by DSP, Nov 2006)

Klemmer, Jo Ann. (District 1, Topeka)
Leaving; memoirs. Topeka, KS: Hall Commercial Printing, 2006, 128pp., paper, illustrated.
This autobiography tells about her life on a Kansas farm during the 1930s --the years of "drouths, dust storms, grasshoppers, and overall depression." In this very remarkable book, Jo Ann gives her readers pictures of many experiences: golfing in Ireland and Scotland in 1981; working for the Menninger Clinic's School of Psychiatry; teaching English at two universities -- and many more topics. The author was President of KAC's District 1 in 1973/74. (Reviewed by Don S. Pady, Feb 2008)

Kurtis, Bill. (District3, Chicago, IL)
The Death Penalty on Trial; Crisis in American Justice. New York: PublicAffairs, 2004, 218 pp., Hardcover, $25.00.
Bill Kurtis, anchor of the popular true-crime TV series, Cold Case Files and American Justice, used to support the death penalty. But after observing the machinations of the justice system for thirty years, he came to the stunning realization that changed his life: Capital punishment is wrong! Kurtis takes his readers on an investigative journey to look at two harrowing murder scenes, and explores the legal and tactical decisions made before and during trial—which sent two innocent men to the death row. (Reviewed by Don Pady, October 2008)

Kurtis, Bill. (District 3, Chicago)
The Prairie table cookbook ... with Michelle M. Martin. Napierville, IL: Sourcebooks, 2008, 152pp., illus., $29.95.
The revolution toward healthy beef -- from the trail to gourmet kitchens, as described in this book -- offers dozens of great-tasting recipes, many of them contributed by today's top chefs and leading ranchers. Bill Kurtis founded the Tallgrass Beef Company to produce grass-fed and grass-finished beef that's good for you. The idea of grass-fed beef is nothing new; it's the way cattle were raised in the days of cowboys and cattle drives.
Historical recipes, photographs, anecdotes and stories give a savoring flavor to the
cowboy and army life. (Reviewed by Don S. Pady, Feb 2008)

L:

Lampe, Roberta Agnes Seiwert. (District 5, Garden Plain)
Agnes. Overland Park, KS: Leathers Publishing, 2006,304pp., hardcover, illus., $19.95.
Agnes Puder Linnebur of Breslau, Germany (renamed Wroclaw, Poland) was thematernal grandmother of the author. Agnes came to America in the early 1900s and she worked in New York City, Milwaukee and Chicago. But she relocated in Garden Plain,Kansas, to take the "i ob as housekeever for a widower and his children. Presented here is a fictionalized version based on actual events of that family. Agnes' broadminded, worldly mannerisms, stylishness and interest in political events were also cause for suspicion among the locai female populace. (Reviewed by Don S. Pady, Feb 2008)

Lawson, Robert N. (District 1, Topeka)
The Collected Sonnets of . . . 5th ed. Topeka: Woodley Press, 2004, 189pp., paper, $10.00.
Robert Lawson is a master of the sonnet, approaching the form with respect for the language and an unusual skill with rhyme. The poems are infused with his passion for literature and drama, and many reflect his affection for friends and humorous bent for having fun with words. His essay on “How to Write a Sonnet” is included. Eleanor Bell writes in her introduction, “If you like poetry, if you enjoy the creative use of language, you’ll find a feast for the heart and mind in these pages.” (Reviewed by Karen Sells Brown, Apr 2006)

Lawson, Robert N. (District 1, Topeka)
"Somewhere near Abilene," (Poem) see Midwest Quarterly, pp. 548-50.

Ledgin, Norm. (District 2, Stanley)
The Jayhawker; a novel. Illus. Jay Reinhardt. Stanley, KS: 672pp., paper, illustrated.
The author's "primary aim has been to show how people of varying temperaments carried Kansas past warring to a watershed movement, the political triumphs of Free State forces late in 1857 over proslavery intruders." The border struggles feature "both strengths and weaknesses by the principals: heroism, family devotion, romance, . . . incest, along with the vengeance, comption, treachery, rape, butchery, and slaughter that 'won' the West." (Reviewed by Don S. Pady, Feb 2008)

Lilly, Judy Magnuson. (District 4, Salina)
"Foreclosure," (Poetry) see Midwest Quarterly, pp.591-93.

Long, Helen R. (District 4, Manhattan)
The 1996 Directory of Annual Conference Archives of the United Methodist Church in the U.S.A. Natchitoches, LA: Raephern Press, 1996.
Information about the United Methodist Church's Archives and Historical Centers from Alaska to Wyoming and all states in between. Lists location, days and hours open, a contact person, and how extensive the collection is for each center. (Reviewed by Gail Martin)

Lytle, Marsha (District 2, Olathe)
Haggerty's Curse. Bloomington, IN: AuthorHouse, 2004, 184pp., paper, $20.00.
Two brothers fleeing post-famine Ireland vow that neither of them will pass on the disease that has claimed so many of their Haggerty relations. A chance meeting with the Brennan family tests that vow repeatedly as James Haggerty fights his growing attraction to the oldest daughter, Cat. Through forty years of adventure and heartbreak, Cat Brennan's undying love for James never waivers, despite bad choices they both make with their lives. (Reviewed by DSP, Nov 2006)

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M:

McAfee, Joan K. (District 5, Derby)
Riddle of the Lost Gold. Manhattan, KS: Sunflower University Press, 2002.
A historical fiction that blends life in western Kansas in the 1960s with a riddle from the past. An action-packed story for young adults and even senior citizens to enjoy. Cover design by Rod Hoover, St. George, KS. (Reviewed by Gail Martin)

McCourtie, Anne (District 1, Mayetta)
The Keeper of Names. Mayetta, KS: Gypsy Cat Publications, 2005, 67pp., paper.
Little One's search for the Keeper of Names, whom she hopes will someday reveal her true name, becomes an unexpected challenge on the mountain where the Keeper is said to reside. Even when Little One finds the Keeper of Names, the answers to her questions are not what she expects. But she discovers, in this older children's novel, the depth of her inner strength as she seeks to know her true name and her destiny. (Reviewed by DSP, Nov 2006)

McCray, Billy Q. (District 5, Wichita) with Jon Roe.
Between These Walls: Working For the People. (n.p.): McCray's Publications, 2000.
Winner of the first Ferguson History Book Award (2001). Every liberty we enjoy today was won through courage and commitment of individuals who stood tall and worked hard yesterday. This man, who was on the front lines of the civil rights struggle then—and is still there today—offers inspiration for all of us. Billy proved that in America one can go as far as he or she has the will and education to go, no matter what our beginnings are. This is a book about making a difference written by a man who made the difference. (Reviewed by Gail Martin)

McFarland, Trudy (District 1, Topeka)
Diary of a German War Bride. Privately printed, 2006, 474pp., paper, $22.95.
Winner of the 2006 J. Donald Coffin Award, the author's narrative of her mother's life story relates in diary form the hardships and good times between post World War I to her death in 1988. This prodigious work provides a remarkable account of family relationships, historical events, and the personal traits that make a strong and memorable family. (Reviewed by DSP, Nov 2006)

McHenry, Eric. (District 1, Seattle, WA)
"Hypermart, " (Poetry) see Midwest Quarterly, pp. 55 1-52.

Mach, Tom (District 2, Lawrence)
All Parts Together. Lawrence, KS: Hill Song Press, 2006 (The Jessica Radford Trilogy, Book 2), 362pp., paper, $16.95.
A searing historical account of a young heroine caught in a whirlpool of American factions during the Civil War. What happens to Jessica Radford from the day after Quantrill's raid on Lawrence, Kansas, to the days after the death of Abraham Lincoln, will shock and inspire you. (Reviewed by DSP Apr 2006)

Mach, Tom. (District 2, Lawrence)
Sissy! Book One of the Jessica Radford Trilogy. Lawrence, KS: Hill Song Press, 2004c2003.
Tom Mach's historical novel Sissy! won the 2003 J. Donald Coffin Memorial Book Award. It follows the exploits of Jessica Radford, a young 19th century Lawrence, Kansas woman who was caught up in the turmoil of the Civil War. According to Civil War historian, David Hinze, author of The Battle of Carthage, Sissy! lays bare the turbulent times along the Missouri-Kansas border during the Civil War.
Sissy! makes the era of bleeding Kansas, the Underground Railroad, and the infamous Quantrill raid come alive for the reader." says Rebecca Phipps, Director of the Watkins Community Museum of History in Lawrence. "His novel vividly shows how some men risked their very lives to abolish slavery and how women showed enormous courage in helping preserve the Union or in protecting their men from murderous border ruffians such as Quantrill." (Reviewed by Gail Martin)

Mach, Tom (District 2, Lawrence)
The Uni Verse: a poem exploring the wonders of it all. Lawrence, KS: Hill Song Press, 2006, iv + 62pp., paper, $11.95.
The poet writes, "I realized that the universe is so vast that there was an excellent chance that there is another world out there very similar to ours. Given that, what are the chances that God has souls other than those on earth He cares about? Since a creator is always larger than his creation, our Creator must be truly spellbinding and wonderful!" (Reviewed by DSP, Nov 2006)

Mahanay, Don (District 5, Wichita)
Eagle Woman. Baltimore, MD: PublishAmerica, 2005, 360pp., paper.
Anita Yellowhair administered justice on the killer of her granddaughter, Maria, by releasing fearsome spirits into him that had been held in a dream catcher. Anita and her other granddaughter, Rosa, were the last descendants of the famed warrior Eagle Woman. Anita and the tribes’ chief were convinced that Rosa was the Promised One prophesied to lead their nation out of poverty. (Reviewed by DSP, Nov 2006)

Majdi, Ali A. (Sam) and Sarang Majdi. (District 5, Wichita)
Lovers Paradise. Newton, KS: Mennonite Press, 1997. A collection of quotations about love, beauty and truth, containing 222 entries selected from 111 poets, writers and notables around the world, including a biography of each. (Reviewed by Gail Martin)

Marshall, Mary Marie. District 2, Fort Scott)
Main Street Musings. Illustrated by Marc Marshall. Fort Scott, KS: Published by the author, 1997.
I've always been told to not judge a book by its cover. But I do choose to read a poem because of its title. In M. M. Marshall's book, poem titles enticed me to read "Mother's Hands," Dad's Garden," and "Grandma's Rocking Chair," in the selection called "Home and Family." In the next division "For the Birds" and couldn't stop until the last poem, "The Buzzard." The "Humorous" section's titles that intrigued me were "Li'l Dandelion" and "To a Cockroach." These two poems will leave you chuckling and in the right frame of mind to read Marie's nineteen "Inspiration" poems. (Reviewed by Gail Martin)

Masters, Dorothy M. (District 4, Harveyville)
A Day on the Trail: a Humorous Journey.   (n.p.:  Privately published), 2002. Another fascinating book by the author of Keep of the Sunny Side of Life. Many chapters are about the people Dorothy met in libraries as she promoted her first book. As she soon found out, it is a small world. Some of the short essays were written as columns for the Flint Hills Independent and other newspapers. I really related to "Outhouses to Outer Space and Beyond." It was very entertaining. (Reviewed by Gail Martin)

Masters, Dorothy M.  (District 4, Harveyville)
Keep On the Sunny Side of Life. Leawood, KS: Leathers Publishing, 2001. A wise and humorous retrospective on her sometimes hard life growing up on a farm in the Kansas Flint Hills in the "dirty thirties," and holding a career in nursing together with being a farmer's wife and mother. The title says it all. Dorothy lives in Harveyville and writes a column for the local paper. (Reviewed by Gail Martin)

Memoir Writing Class, East Wichita Shepherd's Center, The. (District 5, Wichita)
Reflection II. (n.p.: Privately printed), October, 2002.
Memoirs written in prose and some poetry by thirty writers led by Edith Coe, District 5. They all take you back to our early years and the way it was back then. (Reviewed by Gail Martin)

Midwest Quarterly, The; a journal of contemporary thought. Vol. 48(4), Summer 2007. Pittsburg, KS: Pittsburg State University.
Poems by fifty-four poets of Kansas are alphabetically arranged, plus interviews of the first two Poets Laureate of Kansas -- Jonathan Holder and Denise Low. (Reviewed by Don S. Pady, Feb 2008)

Miller, Judith A. McCoy (District 1, Topeka)
First Dawn. Minneapolis, MN: Bethany House, 2005, 379pp., paper, $12.99. (Series: Freedom's path, book I)
A fictional account of two families that portrays the harsh circumstances and intense courage displayed by African-American sharecroppers and Caucasian men as they formed the towns of Nicodemis and Hill City in the western Kansas prairie during the late nineteenth century. (Reviewed by DSP, Nov 2006)

Mori, James R. (District 1, Sonoma, CA)
Beyond the Outer Limits; a Novel. New York: iUniverse, 2008, 341 pp., Softbound, $20.95
What is the force that moved Harry Krebbs from the Kansas prairie and focused his eyes on far horizons and beyond? Is it the force that drives a monarch butterfly across a thousand miles of desert and mountains to a tiny spot on the California coast? The reasons as to why people and insects live and move in accordance with nature's compelling order describes living things in incredible beauty. (Reviewed by Don Pady, December 2008)

Morrison, Margaret Pegram. (District 5, Wichita)
The Other side of the string. Clayton, NC: P.D. Publishing, 2006,222pp., paperbound.
This memoir draws its strength from real people who lived and shared during The Great Depression. Ironclad faith, earthy wisdom and personal courage are examples in the story as seen by a young girl between 1926 and 1941. The rich abundance of family reliance takes you on a determined pursuit of giving and sharing knowledge. Life experiences are shown through the eyes of a child, beginning when she is five years old, and continuing top chefs and leading ranchers. Bill Kurtis founded the Tallgrass Beef Company to produce grass-fed and grass-finished beef that's good for you. The idea of grass-fed beef is nothing new; it's the way cattle were raised in the days of cowboys and cattle drives. Historical recipes, photographs, anecdotes and stories give a savoring flavor to the cowboy and army life. (Reviewed by Don S. Pady, Feb 2008)

Mulanax, Elizabeth (District 1, Delia)
Fulfilled Dreams. Kearney, NE: Morris Publishing, 2004, 307pp., paper, $10.00.
Adam and Nancy met in college where she tutored him with computer problems. He married her so she could do the bookwork for his grandmother's business. But the threat that forced them apart sparks this novel's mysterious intrigue . . . and its final solution. (Reviewed by DSP, Feb 2006)

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Nelson, Raymond S. (District 5, Wichita)
The Majesty of God. Hillsboro, KS: Print Source Direct, 2001.
This is another collection of Raymond's inspiring poems. The art work of Stan Nelson and his stirring introduction set the pace for reading pleasure. No other title could have encompassed the many diverse themes portrayed in poetry. Even the individual titles of the poems are intriguing, as the over seventy poems include such titles as "Mt. Fugi, Seeds and Weeds, Watching Faces, Spin Span, Spun," and don't you dare miss reading "Work In Progress." This combined work of father and son is their fifth production. (Reviewed by Gail Martin)

Nelson, Raymond S. (District 5, Wichita)
Mothers & Babies: Beautiful In Our Time. (n.p.): Privately printed, 2004.
The author wrote these poems during the times his granddaughters were becoming mothers. One even had quadruplets! What an inspirational time to write. (Reviewed by Gail Martin)

Nelson, Raymond S. (District 5, Wichita)
Prairie Sketches. Hillsboro, KS: Hearth Publishing Co., 1992.
A book of poems divided into five sections: Nature's Quirks; Law and Disorder; Restless Times; Political Vignettes; and Artists In Residence. Includes two narrative poems about Cheyenne Indians. Illustrated by Stan Nelson. (Reviewed by Gail Martin)

Nelson, Raymond S. (District 5, Wichita)
Thy Love Is Better Than Wine. Hillsboro, KS: Hearth Publishing Co., 1994.
Fifty-seven traditional sonnets, English and Italian, on all kinds of themes: love, work, separation, death, faith. X. J. Kennedy says of Nelson's poetry, "It isn't easy to write so simply and well." (Reviewed by Gail Martin)

Nichols, Peg. (District 2, Olathe)
I Knee-ded it; poem of recovery. Coffeyville, KS: Tanos Books, 2007,119pp., paper,
illus, $1 1.95.
Need knee surgery? Joint replacement is not something to be feared. These poems about preparation and recoveIy fiom surgery will give you some idea about what to expect, chase away your fears, and help you to view your circumstances with a sense of humor. (Reviewed by Don S. Pady, Feb 2008)

Nichols, Margaret (Peg) Y. (District 2, Olathe)
Mediation Survivor's Handbook, ed. Thomas Britt Nichols. Olathe, KS: Weir Box Publishing, 2006, 110pp., paper, $14.95.
From her work as a pioneer and leader in local mediation and peacemaking, author Nichols shares her wisdom and hopes to encourage self-determination among mediation groups. In her quest to promote mediation as a constructive process for dispute resolution, Nichols states that her motivation for writing this book is to demystify the mediation process. (Reviewed by DSP, Nov 2006)

Night Writers. (District 3, Coffeyville)
Southeast Kansas: Its Places and Faces. Coffeyville, KS: (n.p.), 2005.
Some of the more familiar names in this book are Robert Docking, Kansas Governor; Nolan Luhn, former Green Bay Packer; Emmett Kelly; and Col. James A. Coffey. Places I found interesting were The Brown Mansion, Chautauqua Springs, Round Prairie School, and Coffeyville Carnegie Library. But I didn't overlook reading about :The Lady in Black" or "The Caney River Monster." (Reviewed by Gail Martin)

Night Writers. (District 3, Coffeyville)
Who Walked These Trails? Southeast Kansas Celebrities. Coffeyville, KS: (n.p.), 2005.
Kansas Authors Club members of District 3 put together stories of interesting people from their area of the state. Many are well known and others not so well known, but you will enjoy learning about them. Most everyone has heard of Gordon Parks, Laura Ingalls Wilder, the famous Dalton brothers and the bloody Bender family but what about Bud Gillette, Eva Jessye and Chief Black Dog? This book should be included in Kansas history classes. (Reviewed by Gail Martin)

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Ohm, Kenneth R. (District 1, Topeka)
Ducks Across the Moon. Overland Park, KS: Leathers Publishing, 2008, 233 pp., illus., $16.95.
This beautiful autobiography is a fine memorial to the people and geographical region of the Kansas Flint Hill—providing personal "snapshots" of the author's life. These stories will remind older readers of similar events in their lives, and will stir younger readers to appreciate their own lives. It's like a "Through the Looking Glass" visit to another time, place and era. These "Remembrances of Things Past" give guide-map urgings to come home again. (Reviewed by Don Pady, July 2008)

Olmstead, Roxie. (District 5, Sheridan, WY)
How Did Augusta Get Its Name? (n.p.): Privately printed, 2004.
A well-researched story of the founding of Augusta (KS) by C. N. & Augusta James around 1870. Many photographs add interest to this early history of a Kansas town. (Reviewed by Gail Martin)

O'Shea, J. Scott. (District 2,Kansas City, KS)
Effect of a whisper. Indianapolis, IN: Dog Ear Publishing, 2006,289pp., paper,
illustrated.
This novel chronicles a sequence of true-life events, and this story of hope is set in a small, rural Kansas town as events begin to unravel in September, 2006. John Greeley lived twenty-nine years to get to today, but a single phone call and bad timing changed it all in an instant. John made his decision on the next step of his life, but fate chose otherwise. What follows is one man's fight to recall any memories that may give him a future. With the news of a dear uncle's plight, and John's bizarre, violent car crash, John's spirituality tells him there are no accidents. Caught between personal suffering and the mourning of another, John must find his way. (Reviewed by Don S. Pady, Feb 2008)

Our Way With Words, compiled and edited by Alice Flower (District 4, Junction City). Junction City, KS: Kansas Authors Club, 2004.
This Centennial Celebration Edition is a large book of 2004 members of Kansas Authors Club writings. They range from all types of poetry and prose interspersed with members' photos and illustrations. (Reviewed by Gail Martin)

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Parker, Tom (District 4, Blue Rapids)
Dispatches from Kansas. BookSurge, LLC, 2005, 346pp, paper, $17.95.
Bouncing between humor and satire, this collection of personal essays examines the author's discovery of things he was not looking for. He reaches happy—sometimes uproariously funny—conclusions by accident. Most topics touch upon one facet of the author's observation but suddenly veer off into something else that proves his original point. (Reviewed by DSP, Jan 2006)

Parmley, Mary Alice (District 1, Topeka)
Seasons: Thoughtful Reflections in Poetry. Topeka, KS: Indian Trail Press, 2004, 95pp., paper, $10.00.
Bucolic themes—summer rains, garden colors, winter snowstorms, driving along country roads, and calling on old friends—produce a poetic travelogue through the seasons of life's journey. (Reviewed by DSP, Feb 2006)

Patterson, Naomi. (District 1, Topeka)
"Decorum," (Poetry) see Midwest Quarterly, p. 558.

Patterson, Naomi B. (District 1, Topeka)
For Crying Out Loud!! Poems by . . .. Topeka, KS: 2004, unpaged, paper.
This book of poetry, the author's third, deals with life's hardships and how humans react to them. Contrasting poems illuminate life's ironies and mark her wide-ranging observations of how we recognize the brilliance, yet shortness, of our mortal experience. Line drawings enhance the images evoked by her superb use of free verse. 2005 Nelson Poetry Book Award. (Reviewed by DSP, Dec 2005)

Patterson, Naomi B. (District 1, Topeka)
Thinking Out Loud. Topeka, KS: Privately published, 2001.
The author encourages the reader to eavesdrop while she is thinking out loud. The poems' titles just beg you to listen or read them out loud. The first section, "People Watching," contains poems about Kindergarten first day, Brow-beater, and Hospital Cafeteria. Oh, how I love to people watch! "Mother Nature" includes Sea birds, Cherry harvest, and Driving rain. "Just for fun" has the funniest poem "Curious Dresser." Grab a copy of Naomi's book and be prepared to laugh. (Reviewed by Gail Martin)

Pederson, Cynthia Sue. (District 1, Topeka)
Spoken Across a Distance. Edited by Robert N. Lawson. Topeka, KS: The Bob Woodley Memorial Press, 1982, 75 pp., illus., Paperbound, $2.95.
This poet "is, in a sense, a product of the content of her poetry. She has lived in the Kansas that is in many of her poems since an early age. She traveled extensively in the U.S., starting with many family vacations, to the locales and feelings and people which have become this book." (Reviewed by Don Pady. November 2008.)

Pendleton, Deanne Purcell. (District 2, Overland Park)
Gullible's Travels: From Diaper Rash to Kissing Frogs; My Life's Stories -- Book One. Bloomington, IN: AuthorHouse, 2007, 229 pp., illus., Paperbound,
The author's autobiography includes thirty stories from her early days—from birth through teen years—in Horton, Kansas. The title comes from her "recognized" gullibility as described in the amazing and sentimental tales about her journey through the late 1930s to the '50s. Each memoir includes a moral, message or lesson learned by Deanna as a result of her "travels." (reviewed by Don Pady, November, 2008.)

Pfeifer, Bobbie J. A. (District 1, Topeka)
Hush Little Baby Don't You Cry. San Jose, CA: Writers Club Press, 1999.
A thriller that will keep you awake at night wondering what you would do if you were in this young woman's shoes. But the ending will leave you in a happy mood. (Reviewed by Gail Martin)

Pierson, Sam (District 2, Lebo)
Rose's Mountain: Take an Eye for an Eye. Kearney, NE: Morris Publishing, 2002, 254 pp., paper.
The quiet, tranquil mountain standing high over the town of Hazard, Kentucky, will never be the same again. Peace as the Holloway family knew it is gone forever. The rattling of something metal in the middle of the night is just the beginning of a journey so perilous to young Rose Halloway. The dark of night will bring frightening visions, and her life will hold more excitement than she wants. (Reviewed by DSP, Mar 2007)

Pierson, Sam (District 2, Lebo)
A Scary Story for Brave Children: an exciting adventure. Kearney, NE: Morris Publishing, 2006, 82 pp., illus., paper.
What happens when a once elegant but now haunted house makes you afraid to enter. Why does a hanging rope dangle overhead tied to nothing? Inside this monstrous house are spirits just itching to torment even the toughest kids in your neighborhood. (Reviewed by DSP, Mar 2007)

Pierson, Sam (District 2, Lebo)
She's Called Willie. Kearney, NE: Morris Publishing, 2003, 168pp., paper.
Following her first two books, Rose's Mountain and Wind Whispers, Sam Pierson weaves a tale of neighbors living on a street in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. A summer heat wave explodes and lays bare raw emotions, secrets, jealousies, and hatreds. We're already in a sweat when murder is done, and we are caught up in a suspenseful “Who done it?” Sam's inimitable style shines through every page, and the ending will leave readers thinking long and hard about Willie’s favorite Bible verse: Be not deceived for whatsoever man soweth, that he shall also reap. Another great read for Sam Pierson fans. (Reviewed by Trudy McFarland, District 1)

Pierson, Sam. (District 2, Lebo)
Targets of rage. Coffeyville, KS: Tanos Books, 2007,30lpp., paperback.
Sheriff Thad Marlow is looking for a murderer -- a murderer who may be looking to kill again. The small university town of Ottawa, Kansas is in an uproar; its citizens just want the murders to stop. A group of old men, who play detective in a restaurant at the edge of Ottawa, will take part in the arrest of a bumbling taxi driver, and a fumbling old man and his new friend will bring an end to the killer's trail of blood. And wouldn't you know love blooms during all this mayhem?! (Reviewed by Don S. Pady, Feb 2008)

Pierson, Sam (District 2, Lebo)
Wind Whispers. Kearney, NE: Morris Publishing, 2003, 341 pp., paper.
Cold snow covers the tracks of a murdering man. Tragedy stalks a group of people stranded on this mountain and children are left in a cabin with no food to fend for themselves. Strange things happen on Rose's mountain when unwanted visitors arrive one freezing night. (Reviewed by DSP, Apr 2007)

Pinker, Rebecca K. (District 2, Olathe)
The Cry of a Mother's Heart: Poems by . . ., illus. by Jana E. Pinker. Leawood, KS: Leathers Publishers, 2004, 96pp., paper.
Composed since her daughter Jana's death, Pinker’s poems fathom her devastation as she learns to survive her terrible loss. These verses show how the practice of life and the anticipation of life beyond death reveal human faith. (Reviewed by DSP, Jan 2006)

Platt, LaVonne Godwin. (District 5, Newton)
Bela Banerjee: Bringing Health To India's Villages. Newton, KS: Wordworth, 1988.
This is a biography of the author's friend and colleague from the 1950s when they served together as members of a team of an American Friends Service Committee development project in the state of Orissa, India. A fascinating story of how one woman made a difference in many lives. (Reviewed by Gail Martin)

Platt, LaVonne Godwin. (District 5, Newton)
In Memory of Bela Banerjee: a Coda To Her Biography. Newton, KS: Wordworth, 1996.
This book covers the last year of Banerjee's life, with focus on her final four months which she spent with the Platt family in Kansas. (Reviewed by Gail Martin)

Poetpourri. (District 5, Wichita) (n.p.): East Wichita Shepherd's Center Winter 2001 Workshop. Kansas Authors Club members Lily Angle, Julia Dagenais and Ruth Stunz have poems featured in this enjoyable anthology. (Reviewed by Gail Martin)

Pope, Floyd. (District 5, Wichita)
Jacob's Well: the Story Of A Land and Its People. (n.p.): Mountain House Publishing, 2000.
This story begins as the homesteaders settle around the famous landmark called Jacob's Well. They encounter droughts, prairie fires, a tornado, and dust storms. They even run across a member othe dreaded Dalton gang. An exciting story that could have happened to our own ancestors and probably did. (Reviewed by Gail Martin)

Porubsky, Matthew (Topeka)
Voyeur poems. Lawrence, KS: Coal City Review, no. 22, May 2006, 55pp., $10.00.
Winner of the 2006 Nelson Poetry Book Award. The poet defines a voyeur poem as "a situation of observation where the viewer is absent from the perceived action, and through that, has the realization that he or she is the most important contagion in the event ... the variable of fate." (Reviewed by DSP, Nov 2006)

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Reiter, Lora K. (District 2, Ottawa)
Animals Galore and Love Unconditional; Essays (Glad, Sad and Mad) About Creatures Who Share the Earth. Baltimore, MD: PublishAmerica, 2007, 150 pp., paperbound.
Animal lovers will love this book! In these essays, you'll meet Cully, Christmas, Bugle and Shiner, all lost or abandoned dogs -- some doomed, some joyously adopted. Dozens of other companion animals will make you laugh, rage and cry. The author writes with honest understanding, respect and love both of the animals who have been her friends and of those she has successfully tried to rescue. (Reviewed by Don Pady, June 2008)

Reiter, Lora K. (District 2, Ottawa)
One Was Annie. Baltimore, MD: PublishAmerica, 2005, 402pp., paper.
Meet Annie Sherwood in this historical novel—a pioneer woman, one of thousands who came to Kansas after the Civil War. A pretty Tennessee mountain girl, married at fifteen to a shell-shocked Civil-War veteran, she struggles against all odds in places like St. Louis, Kansas City, the Kansas Flint Hills, along Starvation Trail, and into the Solomon Valley. Annie bares her soul, and her life's journey takes you close to your own experiences. (Reviewed by DSP, Nov 2006)

Rochelle, Larry. (District 2, Pittsboro, NC)
Arrow. [n.p.: Booksurge, LLC], 2007, 151pp., paperbound.
From the lonely backroads of rural Kansas to the mesmerizing toxicity of city streets, Rochelle's poetry depicts people who develop imaginative methods of escape. Some go inward, fighting the surrealistic battles of lost loves and interpersonal defeat. Others streak through the skies, trying to find meaning in spiritual impressions. All are seekers, and many fmd their targets. But some are off-target, leaving unique and loving environments for experimental habitats and defeat. (Reviewed by Don S. Pady, Feb 2008)

Rochelle, Larry. (District 2, Pittsboro, NC)
Blue ice; a Palmer Morel mystery. [n.p.]: BookSurge, LLC, 2005,33Opp., paperback.
Palmer Morel was not prepared for the unexpected Kansas City ice storm. The indoor tennis season carried its own stress and strategy. But when this holiday season included the mob for Thanksgiving, he was not ready for dinner. Author Rochelle cleverly takes the reader into the back streets of Kansas City and the fields of Osawatomie where lives are lost on a whim and where playing with the mob feels like the cold horror of a dead turkey. (Reviewed by Don S. Pady, Feb 2008)

Rochelle, Larry. (District 2, Overland Park)
Dust Devils: Collisions With the Wind. (n.p.): BookSurge.com, 2004.
This book won the 2004 Nelson Poetry Book Award. (Reviewed by Gail Martin)

Rochelle, Larry. (District 2, Pittsboro, NC)
Home schooled. [n.p.]: BookSurge, LLC, 2006, 141pp., paperback.
Winner of the 2007 Nelson Poetry Book Award, Home schooled portrays the strongest impressions of a writer deeply connected to place. Rochelle's sense of connectedness navigates through a landscape of hardware stores, tornados, or an old Kansas where sharks died near Salina. He invites readers to share his insight of vistas cleared of distractions. Here can be found the whispering of people loved, hated or merely being witness to "pancake s p p dripping offlthe edge of a platter." Impressions of experience remain like "footprints in cement," or evoke smothered passions and resentments. Tales of families are found as in "Off old Osawatomie road," where father and son contend within the breath of alcohol-impaired lives. (Reviewed by Don S. Pady, Feb 2008)

Rochelle, Larry (District 2, Overland Park)
I Got da Ever Lovin' KC Blues: Poems. BookSurge, LLC, 2005, 164pp., paper.
The barbecue sauce splashes and the French fries are so sweet. A few people start to dance and the blues singer's gravelly voice rumbles deeper -- the sound of the bass rattling our chests. The essence of Kansas City expresses itself as the poet explores the rhythm of the city, exposing its strengths and challenging its foibles -- and all the while mixing with that good Boulevard Beer, and healing the community with love. (Reviewed by DSP, Nov 2006)

Rochelle, Larry (District 2, Overland Park)
Moody Blue. (n.p.) 2006, 99pp., paper.
In both poetry and prose, Larry Rochelle presents an interesting juxtaposition of Elvis Presley to the dry, religious folk of rural Kansas. He wonders if these stolid, red-state conservatives will warm up to Elvis' gyrations. What he finds will give you a kick in the ribs and a shock to your soul. (Reviewed by DSP, Nov 2006)

Rochelle, Larry (District 2, Overland Park)
Pistol Whipped, and Other Suburban Delights: Poems. BookSurge, LLC, 2004, 192pp. paper.
Pain, sorrow, nervousness, and fright! Rochelle's free verse pinpoints obvious reasons behind many fears that confront modern suburban families. He sifts through a myriad of earthly disorders, and provides plausible routes toward sanity. (Reviewed by DSP, Jan 2006)

Rochelle, Larry (District 2, Overland Park)
Siren Sorcery: Magic in the Night. 2004, 115pp., paper.
Free-verse poems grouped into four parts—“New Orleans Jazz,” “Kansas City Blues,” “Toledo Ballads,” and “Ancient Rhythm”—describe fictionalized situations and how people deal with them. Every reader can recognize ancient and modern nightmares in Rochelle's superb collection of human experiences. (Reviewed by DSP, Feb 2006)

Roland, Frankie (District 3, Coffeyvile)
To Even the Score. Coffeyville, KS: Tanos Books, 2006, 128 pp., paper, $12.95
A novel about a young boy who during hard times finds strength and courage to protect his younger siblings and keep them together in the deep South. Poverty and cruelty mark abusive attitudes and actions against what we would now call a dysfunctional family. The author's first novel puts the reader in the middle of heart-rending situations and triumphant solutions. (Reviewed by DSP, Apr 2007)

Ross, Ray. (District 3, Coffeyville)
Birds Against the Sky. Coffeyville, KS: 3Yank7 Publishing (n.d.)
A compilation of prose and poetry, "one legged poetry that stands alone words with no rhyme nor reason birds against the sky." The pages are full of various poetry and prose forms, fonts, colors, borders and graphics. But each page leads you to reading the next one and then the next, all in anticipation of what might turn up. (Reviewed by Gail Martin)

Russell, Ione Dawes. (District 4, Clay Center)
Clay County Scrapbook: Volumes I & II. (n.p.: Privately published, n.d.)
This large book is the second printing of Clay County's long and interesting history, first printed in the late 1950s. You name it and it is all in this history beginning in 1862. Not only is the book factual but interesting. (Reviewed by Gail Martin)

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Scheel, Mark. (District 2, Mission)
"The Gardner," (Poetry) see Midwest Quarterly, pp. 562-63.

Schray, Martin H., ed. by Harley J. Stucky (District 5, North Newton)
The European History of the Swiss Mennonites From Volhynia. Newton, KS: Graphic Images, 1974.
This book traces the European heritage of Mennonites who settled in Kansas. Harley Stucky's contribution involved not only editing; he was also the pillar of strength that made this book and two other publications possible: The Swiss Mennonite Memorial Monument: Is It Inspirational Art, Symbolic Expression, Or History? (1999) and The Centennial Treasury of Recipes Of the Swiss Mennonites, which was compiled by Harley's wife Ruby and Mrs. Alice Kaufman in 1973. These books are great resource material about Mennonite life in Kansas. (Reviewed by Gail Martin)

Schroeder, Doris. (District 6, Hutchinson)
Remember When. Coffeyville, KS: Tanos Books, 2008, 155 pp., illus., Softbound, $13.95
These memoirs reveal autobiographical accounts of a simpler time in Kansas history. The author's life story emits great happiness in spite of hard economic times. It shares much sadness when family members die. Her treasure box of memories, from which the author selects examples that we all recognize, reveals why we don't really "need change," —as some present-day politicos tell us that we must. (Reviewed by Don Pady, December 2008)

Seymour, Michael R. (District 4, Council Grove)
The Bloodletting: An American Tale of Revenge. Book I. Leawood, KS: Leathers Publishing, 2005, 359pp., paper, $9.95.
A novel about retaliation against foreign invaders and how ordinary people can find the courage and stamina to mobilize and finally repulse insidious attacks. What happens at the Taylor farm near Timberlake, Iowa, will make readers wonder if such enemy infiltration could someday happen in their communities. (Reviewed by DSP, Feb 2006)

Simpler, Helen. (District 4, Junction City)
Tin; it's a dog's life. [n.p., Privately printed, 20051 161pp. Paper, illustrated.
Did you ever watch a dog trot across your yard, huny down the street, and disappear around the comer? Did you wonder where he came from and where he is going? This delightful little story of a dog's life, as told by the dog, will bring warmth to your heart and tears to your eyes. (Reviewed by Don S. Pady, Feb 2008)

Sharrett, Anne. (District 1, Topeka)
The Railroader and Other Stories. Topeka, KS: Privately printed, 2001
This very personally Anne book includes touching short stories, memoirs, and a poem. The foreword is written by Pat Bell. (Reviewed by Gail Martin)

Shauers, Margaret (District 6, Great Bend)
”Johnny's House” in God Allows U-Turns for Women: The Choices We Make Change the Story of Our Life, comp. Allison Bottke and Cheryl Hutchings. Bloomington, MN: Bethany House, 2006, pp. 37-39, paper, 252pp., $12.99.
Through prayer and quick decisions the author's Sunday School class provides a disruptive boy with God's miraculous direction to change his behavior. Only God could have enabled the teacher to give Johnny the sense of importance he so desperately needed. (Reviewed by DSP, Apr 2006)

Shauers, Margaret (District 6, Great Bend)
Manhattan Mysteries—winning entries in The Great Manhattan Mystery Conclave short story contest in honor of the 2004 centennial of the Manhattan Public Library. Manhattan, KS: KS Publishing, 2005, 150pp., paper, $12.50.
Three short stories crafted by Margaret Shauers are included among 23 by other authors: “Mrs. Fritche’s Missing Chicken,” “Aunt Merle Rules Aggieville,” and “Mikey’s Gone.” These collected tales celebrate the centennial of Manhattan's Carnegie Free Public Library. Early settlers in Manhattan formed the first library organization in Kansas. All of the stories are set in Manhattan. (Reviewed by DSP, Jan 2006)

Shiever, Anne (District 4, Salina)
Captivated: In the Heart of Love and Romance. Salina: Anne’s Angel Publishing, 2005, 195pp., paper.
A collection of sentimental poems about love and relationships. (Reviewed by Karen Sells Brown, Apr 2006)

Shiever, Anne. (District 4, Salina)
Fathers Are Forever! Salina, KS: Anne's Publishing, 2004.
This sensational little book is full of memoirs of a father told in prose, poetry, photographs, and illustrations. An interesting story dedicated to all fathers the author has known. (Reviewed by Gail Martin)

Shiever, Anne. (District 4, Salina)
Forever Love ... A Mother. Salina, KS: Anne's Publishing, 2004.
This is a small book about the happiness of motherhood. The contents cover a wide range of emotional experiences of raising a family written by a mother. (Reviewed by Gail Martin)

Shiever, Anne. (District 4, Salina)
Heart, Mind, and Soul. Salina, KS: Anne's Publishing, 2004.
This inspirational book of more than 250 poems will lift your heart on almost any and every occasion. (Reviewed by Gail Martin)

Shiever, Anne (District 4, Salina)
Inside My Heart, Mind, and Soul: The Poetic Works of . . . . Lotus Books, 2005, 273pp., paper, $24.95.
Anne Shiever's heartaches and arduous life journeys have given her many subjects to include in this collection of verses, which asks readers to “accept her for the woman inside her heart.” (Reviewed by DSP, Dec 2005)

Shiever, Anne. (District 4, Salina)
The Myth of the Special Christmas Spider. Salina, KS: Privately printed, 1974.
A mini, mini book telling the tale with colorful illustrations of how spiders became so special during the Christmas season. (Reviewed by Gail Martin)

Shiever, Anne (District 4, Salina)
Nature’s Touch: A Hint of Positive Inspiration for Your Life from the Treasures of the Earth. Salina: Anne’s Angel Publishing, 2005, unpaged, paper.
A compendium of gemstones, myths, spiritual and healing properties associated with them. (Reviewed by Karen Sells Brown, Apr 2006)

Shiever, Anne (District 4, Salina)
Taffy’s Wonderful Miracle: Advanced Reader Edition, illus. by the author. Salina: Anne’s Publishing, 2005, 46pp., paper.
This memoir details the relationship of the puppy with the author from Taffy’s birth in the kennel, coming home, a tragic injury, and a miraculous healing, all attributed to a loving God. (Reviewed by Karen Sells Brown, Apr 2006)

Shiever, Anne (District 4, Salina)
Taffy’s Wonderful Miracle: An Easy Reader/Coloring Book, illus. by the author. Salina. Anne’s Publishing, 2005, 38pp., paper.
Anne’s injured puppy is able to walk again in this story meant to appeal to younger children, who are reminded that “God loves us!” Sketches of Taffy’s experiences on every page. (Reviewed by Karen Sells Brown, Apr 2006)

Shiever, Anne (District 4, Salina)
Time for Tig*ger Tales. Salina: Anne’s Publishing, 2004, paper.
Captioned photos of a cute kitten followed by several poems about cats. (Reviewed by Karen Sells Brown, Apr 2006)

Shiever, Anne. (District 4, Salina)
The Worst Fishing Trip. Salina, KS: Anne's Publishing, 2001.
A cleverly illustrated book of a fisherman's worst nightmare. Like Murphy's Law, "If it could happen," it did!. (Reviewed by Gail Martin)

Solomon, Eva Kouri. (District 5, Wichita)
Gems of the Heart. Wichita, KS: Privately published, 1968.
Poems gathered from newspapers, yearbooks, church bulletins, and radio and TV stations in Oklahoma and Kansas during the late thirties and early forties. So many thoughts and ideas expressed in poetry grab your heart. Categories include Sacred Poems, Prayer Thoughts, Short Thoughts, Brighteners, Thought Capsules, and many others that encourage you to browse, read, and enjoy. (Reviewed by Gail Martin)

Sorensen, Claire Willis. (District 5, Wichita)
On Lines My Muse Has Led Me. Powers, MI: North Star Publishing, 2005.
As usual with poetry books I started with the index. Interesting titles then led me back and forth through the book. Some of the titles that caught my attention first were "Abandoned Shed," "A Dog's Desire," and "A Row of Identical Houses." But you might find these titles interesting, too: "My Forever Valentine," and "Thank You, Lord, for Mothers." The poems lived up to my expectations. (Reviewed by Gail Martin)

Sorensen, Claire W. (District 5, Wichita)
A Simpler Uncomplicated Age. (n.p.): Privately printed, 1999.
Easy-reading vignettes and poems ranging from Claire's early childhood to being the grandmother of two girls and two boys. Most of the stories take place in western Kansas. Illustrations and family pictures complement the text. Intriguing chapter titles include "Red Flannel Christmas" and "Spiders, Burns, and a Boy's Bed." The author brings these stories alive. (Reviewed by Gail Martin)

Sorensen, Claire W. (District 5, Wichita)
Souvenirs and Other Stanzas. (n.p.): Privately published, 1994.
These charming poems are divided into the categories of Romance, Christianity, People, Childhood, Heartbreak, Limericks, and Philosophy. Sketches add a whimsical touch to the kaleidoscope of words from the heart. (Reviewed by Gail Martin)

Stackley, Muriel T.  (Non-member, Kansas City)
Oracle of the heart. Newton, KS: Wordsworth, 2003. Winner of the 2004 Nelson Poetry Book Award. (Cited by Gail Martin)

Stanley, Ellen May. (District 7, Dighton)
Golden Age, Great Depression, and Dust Bowl. Newton, KS: Mennonite Press, 2001.
Winner of the 2002 Ferguson History Book Award, the third and final book of Lane County's history covers the period between World War I and 1940. Stanley covers such interesting chapters as "One Million Bushels of Wheat," "Young Men Register for the Draft," and "War Wounds and Death in France." "A Failed Bank Robbery" and "Bobbed Hair and Dances" also caught my attention. With bated breath I read "Snow, Dr. Brinkley and Blizzards" and "Black Blizzards." The book is liberally enriched with photographs, advertisements, maps, and miscellaneous paper items. A "must read" books for history buffs of western Kansas. Other books in this series are Early Lane County History, 12,000 B.C. - A.D. 1884., published in 1999. In 1996, she published Cowboy Josh: Adventures of a Real Cowboy. (Reviewed by Gail Martin)

Stanley, Ellen May. pistrict 7, Dighton)
A Journey -- from Germany in 1853 to Alamota, Kansas in 1904. [Newton, KS:
Mennonite Press] 2007, 147pp., illus., indexed.
This superb genealogical study of the author's family follows her enviable place as an accomplished historian. A Journey is well-indexed, has explanatory endnotes and features many photographs. The KAC in 2002 awarded her book, Golden age, great depression, and dust bowl (2001) its Ferguson Kansas History Book Award. Stanley is a Past President of the Kansas State Historical Society. She has written many historical articles for newspapers and periodicals, and is now a community editor for Legend Magazine. (Reviewed by Don S. Pady, Feb 2008)

Stein, Mary Lou Buckholz. (District 1, Topeka)
Too Late to Regret, Too Soon to Forget. Topeka, KS: Privately printed, 2001, 36 pp.
This volume of memoirs and photos, subtitled, "A Story Remembered," covers the author's life from 1929. "The Beginning," through the Depression, World War II and the Korean War, ending with her parents' deaths. Stein does not gloss over the difficult times; rather she writes expressively of them and how they formed the person she became. (Reviewed by Karen L. Kolavalli, Children's Librarian, Bradford Memorial Library, El Dorado, Kansas)

Stonecipher, Sandra Parr (District 5, Wichita)
Threads of Life Stitched in Rhyme: Poems by . . . Wichita: ADR Bookprint, 2003, 134pp., paper $11.95.
Faith in God and love of family fill these simple rhymed quatrains. The problems of war, the unfairness of life, and a big helping of humor about dieting are included. A poem likely to be appreciated by authors supposes what might happen if “God the Author” were “on earth to sign his Book.” (Reviewed by Karen Sells Brown, April 2006)

Stratton, Lori. (District 4, Wamego)
Seasons of the Heart. Mobile, AL: Parson Place Press, 2008, 233 pp., paperbound, $21.97.
Filled with hope, occasional tragedy, and scenes that provoke laughter as well as tears, this Christian historical romance will keep you entranced while you follow young Swedish immigrant Anna Svensen through her late teens and early twenties as she searches for love and independence. Set in the 1880s, this beautifully-written book shows how hard love and life actually occurred on the Kansas frontier. (Reviewed by Don Pady, June 2008)

Stufflebean, Debra Guiou (District 1, Topeka)
Untold secrets; a novel. NY: iUniverse, 2006, 324pp., diagrs., paper, $19.95.
Readers will find this well-crafted novel has it all: romance, suspense, inspiration. The author does not shy away from the demons of sickness, rape, murder, adultery, kidnapping, abandonment, abuse and addiction. Her science- versus-spirituality approach to the discovery of truth asks many questions of the reader: Can memories be genetically transferred through DNA? Are dreams the gifts from God?, etc.  (Reviewed by DSP, January 2007)

Stumpf, LeNore. (District 4, Axtell)
Bits of Wisdom (For Folks Already Too Smart For Their Britches). Newton, KS: Mennonite Press, 2008, 95 pp., Softcover, $14.95.
Pithy comments and short, original epigrams mark universal truths that apply to any modern culture. Who can dispute her perfectly-honed logic or her ingenious turns of thought? To quote an example: "Kansas, they say, is the land of Ahs. Ah for the beauty of a Kansas spring. Ah-men for a drought-breaking rain. Ah-choo for a ragweed season." This book is perfect for busy readers who digest books in increments. (Reviewed by D.S. Pady, August 2008)

Stumpf, LeNore. (District 4, Axtell)
Branded With Love. Baltimore, MN: PublishAmerica, 2002.
A modern-day romance and the solving of a long-ago mystery set in the "real west" of western Kansas. A must for horse lovers, mystery buffs, and those who yearn for some Kansas landscape. (Reviewed by Gail Martin)

Stumpf, LeNore. (District 4, Axtell)
Life, I Think, Is Like a Watermelon. Illustrated by Greg M. Goff. Baltimore, MD: PublishAmerica, 2003, 190 pp. Softcover, $14.00.
With humor sometimes bubbling over into extravagant, exaggerative hyperbole and occasional satire, the author, poet and newspaper columnist, describes adventures and misadventures of people who affected her life. She wrote weekly humor columns for nearly two decades, and found subject material among her many memories. Her ability to fancifully parse ordinary words into new definitions will amaze you -- and irreverently tickle your funny bone! (Reviewed by D.S. Pady, August 2008)

Stunz, Ruth S. (District 5, Wichita)
Contrails In the Wind. Newton, KS: Mennonite Press, 2002.
Winner of KAC's 2003 Nelson Poetry Book Award, Ruth Stunz writes with skill and sensitivity of many facets of the human experience: living, loving, learning, losing ... She writes, too, of human weakness, of denials of life and love, and of the personal and political decisions she believes wreak havoc with civility and peace. Readers will find many poems here to ponder, to enjoy. They speak of lifeas they bespeak this poet's life. Ruth's other books are Poems To Ponder, 1968; Reflections, 1988; Evolution, the Hole Story, 1989 & 1997; and Peace On Earth, 1990. (Reviewed by Dr. Helen J. Throckmorton, Professor Emeritus, Wichita State University, Wichita, Kansas)

T:

Tanos, Richard Paul. (District 3, Coffeyville)
The Best Ever! Centennial Celebration, Montgomery County, Kansas. 100 Great Years, Fair-Races—Rodeo, Coffeyville. Coffeyville, KS: Tanos Books, 2008, 199 pp., illus., hardcover, $25.00
This book won the 2008 Kansas History Book Award. From 1908 to 2008, the Montgomery County Fair has thrilled thousands of people who came to Coffeyville to see the Fair, races, rodeo, 4-H projects and a myriad of starring celebrities. For the most part, author Tanos relied on reports of annual events published in the Coffeyville Journal over the past 100 years. Interviews he conducted with modern-day people also captured the cultural, social and historical essence of what took place since the earliest times. Civic pride in the Fair has traditionally brought the community together to entertain and educate. This book recaps hard-to-get facts, starting from a relatively small conception through the industrial age, several major wars ... up to the present time. Local businesspeople have rallied together with common vision to bring city and rural folks together for a celebration of good food, fun, entertainment, competition and education. (Reviewed by Don Pady, December 2008)

Tanos, Richard P. (District 3, Coffeyville)
The Home Child. Palm Bay, Florida: Tanos Books, 2004, 227pp., paper.
Richard Tanos has based this fiction on the story of his grandfather’s journey from an orphanage in England to a tobacco farm in Canada where he spent five years as a home child. Tanos’s portrayal of the difficult life in the orphanage, the boys’ long trip to Canada, and the horrors of their treatment on the farms, is compelling. Romance between Tawny and Lizzy, a girl who lives in a nearby town, offers hope in these grim circumstances, and they marry. Though the outcome is known, it is an intriguing story. (Reviewed by Karen Sells Brown, April 2006)

Turner, Ursula (District 3, Coffeyville)
Hello there ... have a nice day: a collection of her columns about life in America and elsewhere. Coffeyville, KS: Tanos Books, 2006, 204 pp., illus., paper, $14.95.
For nine years, Ursula Turner, Lifestyle editor of The Coffeyville Journal, wrote a weekly column called "Bits 'n pieces." This book contains a collection of her favorites. They will send you on a nostalgic trip into your past, bringing up many things long forgotten but well worth remembering. (Reviewed by DSP, Apr 2007)

Turner, Ursula (Winter). (District 3, Coffeyville)
A Dalton's Revenge. Coffeyville, KS: Tanos Books, 2008, 219 pp., Softbound, $16.95
"Daniel Newman is a Vietnam veteran who, upon receiving a letter from his dying father, learns that he is a descendant of the late Emmett Dalton, member of an outlaw gang that once terrified people of the Old West. He also learns that the Dalton Gang found its end in the small town of Coffeyville, Kansas, where some of its citizens killed all but Emmett in a fierce gun battle. Newman devises a plan to avenge his relations by doing some damage to Coffeyville and to some of its citizens." He intends to do this with the help of four men he knows. One backs out at the last minute, but Daniel's girl friend reluctantly agrees to help. When the gang roars into town on motorcycles instead of horses, Mother Nature shows up with a vengeance of her own, and provides a nail-biting, functional plot with a wild ending. (Reviewed by Don Pady, November 2008.)

Turner, Ursula (District 3, Coffeyville)
A Mother's Sins. Coffeyville, KS: Tanos Book Publishing, n.d., 156pp., paper.
"Holly Snyder arrived at Seven Oaks to work as a private secretary for Senator Drew VanDorn. However, the real reason she came to the manor was to find her birth father. When she falls in love with a young man who might just be her half-brother, her task becomes more than complicated. Will Holly find the answer she desperately seeks? Will she need to sacrifice her happiness? This is a well-crafted romantic novel with good movement throughout. (Reviewed by DSP, Nov 2006)

Turner, Ursula (Winter). (District 3, Coffeyville)
Sirens: Life in Rural Germany During and Shortly After World War II. Coffeyville, KS: Tanos Books, 2008, 230 pp., illus., Softcover, $17.95.
Nazi Germany, with its constant threat to German civilians, filled the author's life with unbelievable hardships and fear. This historical memoir tells a compelling story from the point of view of a child who lived through the horrors of WWII. She did not know for a year that her father was a prisoner of the Allies in France; her mother struggled to feed and clothe Ursula, her sister, and herself; bombs dropped by Allied aircraft were a constant threat. But her mother wrote a daily journal in which she noted everything of importance to her—everything she would put into her letters to her husband. This tragic but inspiring record will bolster your spirit, and turn this first-hand novel into a warning of what could happen in years to come. (Reviewed by Don Pady, December 2008)

U:

Umbehr, Eileen. (District 4, Alma)
Small town showdown; the true story of a trashman's battle for free speech that led him from a Kansas town to the United States Supreme Court. [n.p.]: Xulon Press, 2007,485pp., paper, $23.99.
The true story of a trash hauler's battle for free speech that ultimately led to resolution by the U.S. Supreme Court. When county commissioners in Wabaunsee County, Kansas, clamped down on this refuse collector's right to speak freely about how taxpayer money was being spent, they demanded that the editor of the local newspaper censor his articles or face withdrawal of all county business. What happens after that explicitly questions whether people should speak out against government abuses at their own economic peril. (Reviewed by Don S. Pady, Feb 2008)

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V:

Vaughn, Dale E.  (District 1, Topeka)
The Chance.  Leawood, KS: Leathers Publishing, 2004, 278pp., illus., maps, hardbound, $22.95.
An historical novel about the 1st Kansas Colored Volunteer Infantry, this thrilling action of a brave regiment documents how it was that Kansas actually produced the very first African-American troops to fight in uniform in the American Civil War. The story alludes to the fact that the war most likely began in Bloody Kansas in 1855 rather than Fort Sumpter in 1861. The author, a veteran himself, demonstrates a solid historical grasp as he spotlights this long-overlooked and neglected aspect of the war between the states.  (Reviewed by DSP, Feb 2007)

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W:

Wacker, Mary Langley. (District 5, Wichita)
Landmarks. (n.p): Baltimore, MD: PublishAmerica, 2002.
The author used her grandfather's life as her guide for this fictional story of the adventures of a fourteen-year-old boy left alone after a bear kills his father. His travels from Michigan to Kansas in 1881 will give you an idea of the harsh life the pioneers experienced. I found a new hero in Darwin Langley to put alongside my favorite hero, Daniel Boone. (Reviewed by Gail Martin)

Walkenhorst, Patricia Callahan. (District 2, Blue Springs, MO)
The Callahans of Kansas. Blue Springs, MO: Keepsake Books, 1997.
The saga of the Callahan clan's migration through many generations from Ireland to Kansas, down to the author's own family is well documented and indexed. The book itself is an excellent example of what can result from intensive family history research. The author autographed the book with these words: "Treasure the memories!" (Reviewed by Gail Martin)

Wassall, Irma. (District 5, Wichita)
The Ruby-Emerald Jungles. Wichita, KS: The Vortex Press, Lee Streiff, 1999, 14 pp., illus., Paperbound.
Irma Wassall is a Wichita writer-recitalist. This is her sixth collection of poems previously published in magazines, newspapers and anthologies. All nine poems in this delightful little chapbook, illustrated in color and black and white by Ken Jones, feature descriptions of African places, tribal rituals and the devastating slave trade. (Reviewed by Don Pady, December 2008)

Wellman, Sam. (District 5, North Newton)
Galaxy of Superstars: Ben Affleck. Philadelphia, PA: Chelsea House Publications, 2000.
An entertaining story of the life of Ben Affleck and his rise to fame and fortune as an eight-year-old in the PBS series of The Voyage of the Mimi. Affleck played in commercials and television movies, then with his roommate, Matt Dillon, wrote a play, Good Will Hunting. The rest is history, as the saying goes. (Reviewed by Gail Martin)

Wellman, Sam. (District 5, North Newton)
Heroes of the Faith Series. Uhrichsville, OH: Barbour Publishing, 1995 - 2001.
This series of books includes: C.S. Lewis, Author of Mere Christianity (1996); William Carey, Father of Modern Missions (1997); George Washington Carver, Inventor and Educator (1998); Billy Graham, The Great Evangelist (1996); David Livingston, Missionary and Explorer (1995); John Calvin, Father of Reformed Theology (2001); Amy Carmichael, A Life Abandoned to God (1998); Florence Nightingale, Lady With the Lamp (1999); Corrie Ten Boom, Heroine of Haarlem (1995); Mary Slessor, Queen of Calabar (1998). All these books are wonderful stories of faith heroes. (Reviewed by Gail Martin)

Wescoe, Jason. (Non-member)
Between the Letters. Perry, KS: 219 Press, 2002.
A collection of poetry covering the years 1998 through 2002. Try "Kaw River Road" or "The Prairie Intersections." This poet has seen the prairies of the Flint Hills as I have. The poems are each dated and enhanced with photographs and pencil sketches. (Reviewed by Gail Martin)

Wilcox, Myra L. (District 1, Nortonville)
Red Moon Rising. Nortonville, KS: HillTop Ministries, 2006, 133pp., paper.
Grab a cup of coffee, a comfy chair, and enjoy the life reflections of an audacious southern belle. Here is poetry elevated to a new level with five intriguing themes. Her Analytic Spoofs are daring; Quicksand Revelations fearlessly tread dangerous ground; Soul Cries tug the heartstrings; Spicy Romance poems brim with the fiery passion of youth; laugh with insightful Retrograde Anagrams. So relax and enjoy the magic of poetic license Myra uses to challenge the wondrous adventure we call life. (Reviewed by DSP, Nov 2006)

Williams, Grant (District 3, Arkansas City)
Another Piece of My Mind. Arkansas City, 2003, 100pp., paper.
Williams shares more verses on many subjects occasioned by life in a small Kansas town, with a hope that readers will remember “A Piece of My Mind.” (Reviewed by Karen Sells Brown, Apr 2006)

Williams, Grant (District 3, Arkansas City)
Big Willie. Coffeyville, KS: Tanos Books, 2007, paper, $14.95
A powerful novel with both fact and fiction woven together into a beautiful quilt with a New England setting. When Big Willie is stricken ill, the relationship with his son William takes on a new meaning. But have there been too many bridges burned to allow reconciliation between father and son? (Reviewed by DSP, Apr2007)

Williams, Grant (District 3, Arkansas City)
The Boys from Hog Heaven. Coffeyville, KS: Tanos Books, 2006, paper, $17.95
The author's first novel features Tarleton McGregor, who quickly discovers that growing up in southern Georgia holds memories relating to his experiences of living in small town America. He creates a story that all of us could have lived. (Reviewed by DSP, April 2007)

Williams, Grant (District 3, Arkansas City)
From My Hand to Your Heart. Winfield, KS: Central Plains Book Mfg, 2006, 96pp., paper.
These didactic poems express Williams’ moral compass—guiding the reader into decisions about what is right. (Reviewed by DSP, Apr 2006)

Williams, Grant (District 3, Arkansas City)
From My Pencil Box: Children’s Moral Poetry. Arkansas City, Kansas: 2005, 25pp., paper, spiral bound.
Simple nostalgic rhymed verses describe things remembered from childhood, some more adult. (Reviewed by Karen Sells Brown, Apr 2006)

Williams, Grant. (District 3, Arkansas City)
Hog heaven and home. Coffeyville, KS: Tanos Books, 2007,224pp., paper, $17.95.
The fictional tale of Tar McGregor continues as a sequel to Williams' fist novel, The Boys from hog heaven. Now an adult, Tar McGregor experiences the trials of people in a southwest, rural Georgia community who deal with strange happenings in the woods by a big farm. Characters find they can overcome many obstacles in their lives and live in happiness and harmony. What lies in store for Charlotte and Tar? What will happen to Grandpa McGregor? (Reviewed by Don S. Pady, Feb 2008)

Williams, Grant (District 3, Arkansas City)
My Favorite Poems. Arkansas City, KS, 2005, 101pp., paper.
This assortment of homespun ditties expounds on the stories, philosophies, and opinions Williams has recognized through his life's endeavors. (Reviewed by DSP, Apr 2006)

Williams, Grant. (District 3, Arkansas City)
Pigs and Packinghouses; a Collection of Short Stories and Poems. Coffeyville, KS: Tanos Books, 2008, 271 pp., illus., Paperbound, $18.95
A collection of poignant but fictional short stories and poems, the author leaves a distinct legacy to his many readers. He states purposely that we should all do the best we can for those with whom we contact during life's journey. But, as Grant readily admits, "Making a difference in people's lives takes many twists and turns. Sometimes in stories you must feel the idea more than the words." (Reviewed by Don Pady, December 2008)

Wood, Annette G. (District 5, Wichita)
A Different kind of kin; for relations of persons with autism. Wichita, KS: Kansas Windmill Press, 2007, 125pp., paper, illus., $16.99.
This heartrending story, from the perspective of a sibling who grew up in the 1950s with a sister who had autism, describes much that has been learned so far about this insidious, developmental disability during the last forty years. Personal accounts from the viewpoint of sibling are rare, but these struggle with many issues: loss, guilt, anger, resentment and embarrassment, and many other reactions. A bibliography of books, articles, and websites provide helpful resources. (Reviewed by Don S. Pady, Feb 2008)

Wright, James D. (District 5, Bel Aire)
The Middle of Somewhere: Stories of Life on the High Plains. Lincoln, NE: iUniverse, 2004. This book's title is about all you need to want to read these interesting tales. One story, "Beyond Lodge Trail Ridge," is written as a daily journal. All are fictional glimpses into different lives in the short-grass prairie that stretches from the Midwest to the foothills of the Rockies. Reading some of these brought up memories of someone I knew, like the rodeo girl who lost her dreams in just one last ride. (Reviewed by Gail Martin)

The Write Stuff (District 1, Topeka)
Insight Out: an anthology of poetry and prose. Ed. Karen Sells Brown, illus. Barbara Waterman-Peters. Topeka, KS: The Write Stuff, 2003, 154 pp., paper,
These literary contributions by twelve members of The Write Stuff writing group, which grew out of a creative writing class taught by Dr. Robert D. Carey in Topeka, display some of the best writings of those who took his course of instruction. First the students practiced the art of memoir-writing. Those recovered clumps of words gradually shaped authentic writing in other creative genres, such as poems, novels, short stories, and drama. The Write Stuff continues writing together weekly, steadily pursuing the craft of becoming fine authors. (Reviewed by DSP, Apr 2007)

A Write Stuff Christmas: a collection of poems, stories and recipes. Topeka, KS: The Write Stuff, 2004, 70 pp., illus., paper.
This small holiday collection includes touching memories of Christmas past, poems, artwork, and favorite recipes contributed by members of The Write Stuff. (Reviewed by Karen Sells Brown, Apr 2007)

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Y:

Yoder, James D. (District 5, Hesston)
Mudball Sam: an historical novel. West Conshohocken, PA: InfinityPublishing.com, 2006, 348pp., $18.95.
After a bully picks fights with him and calls him "Mudball," Sam learns to forgive and win friends. He struggles to live with hope as he contends with thievery, floods, and false charges brought against him at a threshing fire. With the help of his faithful mother and sister, Sam wades through near-overwhelming challenges toward a life of joy and fulfillment. (Reviewed by DSP, Nov 2006)

Yoho, Max (District 1, Topeka)
Felicia, These Fish Are Delicious: Poems, Essays, and Short Stories. Topeka, KS: Dancing Goat Press, 2004, 97pp., paper, $10.95.
Yoho's poems, essays, and short stories swing the delighted reader between humor and pathos like a vibrating yo-yo string. Each piece reminds us of just how vulnerable we are to act, or react, in the same way his characters do. What tweaks our imagination is his brazen and unperturbed literary interpretation of the human condition. (Reviewed by DSP, Nov 2005)

Yoho, Max (District 1, Topeka)
The Moon Butter Route. Topeka, KS: Dancing Goat Press, 2006, 194pp., paper, $12.95.
These hysterical adventures of twelve-year-old Wally Gant deliver more than just Moon Butter and other “dairy products” to homes along his route. Playful humor and biting satire portray everyone from gangsters to preachers, and a shot of double-distilled Deep Shaft smoothes many aspects of life in the mining area called the “Little Balkans” in southeastern Kansas. [Winner of the 2007 J. Donald Coffin Award.] (Reviewed by DSP, Jan 2006)

Yoho, Max. (District 1, Topeka)
The Revival. Topeka, KS: Dancing Goat Press, 2001, 201 pp.
Max Yoho's humorous novel won the 2002 J. Donald Coffin Memorial Book Award for the best book by a member of the Kansas Authors Club published within the two previous years. His story, about a boy growing up in a small Kansas town, is a coming-of-age novel without the usual angst. Max's young hero embodies a craving for fun and adventure, a healthy dose of sibling rivalry, and just enough budding romance to keep the story interesting. Max has captured his small-town setting with its rival revivals perfectly. (Reviewed by Gail Martin)

Yoho, Max. (District 1, Topeka)
Tales From Comanche County: The Peculiar Education of Jack Freeman. Topeka, KS: Dancing Goat Press, 2002, 238 pp.
A rousing, warm and funny series of yarns, these tales are memories of summer hours spent on the front porch at Great Uncle Jack and Great Aunt Tildy's home in rural Comanche County, Kansas. Young Max Freeman listens as the two oldsters spin stories -- some with kernels of truth, and some just concocted to entertain. (Reviewed by Gail Martin)

Yoho, Max. (District 1, Topeka)
"Vacant lot - Colony, Kansas." (Poetry) see Midwest Quarterly, p. 574

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