2022 San Francisco Writer's Conference YA Fiction Writing Contest Winner

"Young Sparrow's dilemma had me wondering how she was going to make her way through such a tension-filled situation. I could almost see her growing up, finding unexpected allies, and using her mama's native skills as she faced the political firestorm of the 1840s in California." —Stephanie Foster, author of Take Action

In 1844, fifteen-year-old Sparrow fears what dilemmas her grown-up life will encounter. Sparrow's mother is from the Chumash nation whose territory borders the Pacific. Her father is an American trapper and trader sent by his government to explore the rich California land owned by Mexico.

Sparrow's difficulties are compounded when she learns her father also has an American wife and daughter. Then, she overhears him making plans to overthrow the Mexican Governor of Alta California and acquire the Mexican lands for the United States.

Sparrow's tribal family and indigenous customs are threatened. She must decide if she will keep her father's secret and lose her homeland, or warn her mother and the Mexican authorities but suffer the loss of her father's love.

Author Bio:

Dr. Perez Ferguson is a cross-cultural educator and consultant. Her fiction brings to life the voices of California inhabitants living 200 years ago. Her non-fiction promotes the voices of under-represented communities in the twenty-first century. This earned her the 2014 Lacayo Lifetime Achievement Award from the United States Hispanic Leadership Institute. She is an Advisor and Former Chair for the InterAmerican Foundation and a Visiting Lecturer for the Council for Independent Colleges. She enjoys living and writing on the Pacific coast.

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By 1900, the German population in the United States was close to 2.7 million. In numerous cities in the Northeast and Midwest, those who had immigrated in the nineteenth century congregated in demarcated ethnic neighborhoods-"little Germanies." This was not the case of the German immigrant community in Charleston, South Carolina. The establishment and evolution of the nineteenth-century German immigrant community there was as unique as the southern Lowcountry city itself.

Early German-speaking immigrants had become settled Charlestonians by the middle of the eighteenth century, having founded the first German militia in America (the German Fusiliers), supported America in the Revolutionary War, and established themselves as successful merchants, a number of whom could be counted among the city's leaders.

By the middle of the nineteenth century, a new wave of German immigrants-primarily of North German origin-constituted an ethnic community that would become fully integrated with the southern host community by the turn of the century. These German-Americans and their descendants would nonetheless experience the anti-German animus that prevailed in the period before and after WWI. The ethnic heritage of Charleston's German-Americans, many of whom had contributed significantly to the city's rich social, cultural, political, and economic history, would be suppressed and denied to the extent that it almost completely disappeared.

Robert Alston Jones, a Charleston native and Emeritus Professor of German at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, takes us back in time to this unique period in Charleston's history. He uncovers the vibrant and often surprising lives, contributions, and culture of the city's nineteenth-century German community of immigrants as it developed, matured, and transitioned into the twentieth century. He argues that the legacy of that ethnic community is still perceptible, if only infrequently acknowledged. He invites the reader to reflect on what it has meant to have had North Germans cross the Atlantic to settle in Charleston and become Charlestonians.



Having her father away in Vietnam wasn't easy for Bets, but she soon discovers having him back home comes with its own set of problems. When a letter from her friend Emmie arrives along with a ticket to the Woodstock Music Festival, Bets has a tough decision to make. Should she stick it out back home or leave her problems behind for a cross-country adventure?

There's a lot happening in 1969, and figuring it all out is complicated. The people Bets encounters all have their own perspectives, each changing the way Bets thinks about the war in Vietnam, the problems America is dealing with, and her own problems at home.

 

Their silent disgust failed to affect me anymore. But this was not silent. This was loud and forceful and violent. I could not ignore it.

Massachusetts, 1854. The anti-foreigner American Party, better known as the "Know-Nothings," take power throughout the state. The city of Lowell elects Leonard Ward, a member of the party, as its mayor. Suddenly the "Know-Nothings" are everywhere. And they're going after the Irish.

Rosaleen is ready to fight back. Emboldened by strange conspiracies about the Catholic Church, violent mobs and corrupt government officials are making life nearly unbearable for her people. Lowell's newly formed police department is committed to ridding the streets of "Irish filth," beating and arresting anyone who crosses them. When Rosaleen uncovers a horrific truth, it will test her in ways she could never have imagined.

Targeted by dangerous opposition, she needs help. But are her friends as loyal as she believes?

About the Author
Boyle, Lisa: - Lisa Boyle has been writing stories for as long as she can remember. Born and raised in Finksburg, Maryland, Lisa received bachelor's degrees in journalism and international affairs from Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts. As part of her college program, Lisa traveled the Middle East and spent two months reporting on political and human-interest stories. She has been published in various online publications and magazines, and has held many different jobs over the years from cheesemonger, to educator at the U.S.S. Constitution Museum. Lisa and her husband Tim live in North Carolina with their daughter and a goofy-looking mutt named Lloyd.

2021 San Francisco Writers Conference Young Adult Writing Contest Winner

Alicia Ortega, a 14-year-old Mexican girl, struggles to protect her father's land when she and her older sisters are aggressively courted by land-hungry Yankees and rough-cut fur traders in the Spanish colony. It's up to Alicia, her sister Clara, and their Chumash friend Nina to shoulder the responsibility of caring for the Ortega home and business.

When Alicia's oldest sister is sent to finishing school in Texas for protection and refinement, the remaining younger sisters must run the rancho alone. Dangers on all sides begin to descend as the sisters are pursued by Yankee immigrant merchants and sailors hoping to cash in on rich lands and access to Pacific ports.

Alicia is trying her best to keep her family's home and business afloat and thankfully, her companion, Nina is there to help. But as an indigenous girl, Nina is valuable to traders, trappers, and surveyors for her knowledge of the Californian terrain and her network of tribal relations. However, she won't always be there to help Alicia's family, especially since she has problems of her own. The Franciscan Mission is pressuring her family to convert to Catholicism, a charming trader is courting her, and, worst of all, their tribal territory and tribal ways are vanishing.

The girls struggle to protect the Ortega family's land and black market dock from conniving suitors, but tough family secrets are threatening everything, and Alicia doesn't know if they'll be able to survive until her parents return.

Author Bio:

Dr. Perez Ferguson is a cross-cultural educator and consultant. Her fiction brings to life the voices of California inhabitants living 200 years ago. Her non-fiction promotes the voices of under-represented communities in the twenty-first century. This earned her the 2014 Lacayo Lifetime Achievement Award from the United States Hispanic Leadership Institute. She is an Advisor and Former Chair for the InterAmerican Foundation and a Visiting Lecturer for the Council for Independent Colleges. She enjoys living and writing on the Pacific coast.

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"A grand and epic prose poem . . . The purely human experience of war in the Pacific, written in the graceful imagery of a human being who--somehow--survived."--Tom Hanks

See Robert Leckie's story in the HBO miniseries The Pacific

Here is one of the most riveting first-person accounts ever to come out of World War II. Robert Leckie enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in January 1942, shortly after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. In Helmet for My Pillow we follow his odyssey, from basic training on Parris Island, South Carolina, all the way to the raging battles in the Pacific, where some of the war's fiercest fighting took place. Recounting his service with the 1st Marine Division and the brutal action on Guadalcanal, New Britain, and Peleliu, Leckie spares no detail of the horrors and sacrifices of war, painting an unvarnished portrait of how real warriors are made, fight, and often die in the defense of their country.

From the live-for-today rowdiness of marines on leave to the terrors of jungle warfare against an enemy determined to fight to the last man, Leckie describes what war is really like when victory can only be measured inch by bloody inch. Woven throughout are Leckie's hard-won, eloquent, and thoroughly unsentimental meditations on the meaning of war and why we fight. Unparalleled in its immediacy and accuracy, Helmet for My Pillow will leave no reader untouched. This is a book that brings you as close to the mud, the blood, and the experience of war as it is safe to come.

About the Author
Robert Leckie was the author of more than thirty works of military history as well as Marines, a collection of short stories, and Lord, What a Family!, a memoir. Raised in Rutherford, New Jersey, he started writing professionally at age sixteen, covering sports for The Bergen Evening Record of Hackensack. He enlisted in the United States Marine Corps on the day following the attack on Pearl Harbor, going on to serve as a machine gunner and as an intelligence scout and participating in all 1st Marine Division campaigns except Okinawa. Leckie was awarded five battle stars, the Naval Commendation Medal with Combat V, and the Purple Heart. Helmet for My Pillow (Random House, 1957) was his first book; it received the Marine Corps Combat Correspondents Association award upon publication.

A Children's Picture Book About Diversity and Acceptance

Literary Titan Gold Winning Book

Studies show that supporting diversity in early childhood books is a two-pronged process: helping children to feel good about themselves, their families, and their communities, and also exposing children to differences, things that are unfamiliar, and experiences beyond their immediate lives. Research suggests adults who read books with diverse characters to their children will increase awareness, appreciation, and inclusion of diverse cultures.

WE WANT ALL KIDS TO SEE THEMSELVES REPRESENTED

Honeycake: A Family of Spices, the first book in Medea's Honeycake series, introduces readers to a diverse, multi-cultural family that is full of love. A grandmother explains why she calls her grandchildren "honeycakes" while she teaches her granddaughter, Nala, how to bake a honey cake.

Through imagination, the grandmother details how each delicious ingredient represents a different family member and his or her unique ethnic background.

This charming book also includes a recipe and step-by-step instructions on how to bake your own delicious batch of honey cake with your Honeycakes!

The Honeycake Series is a glimmer of HOPE and POSITIVITY, which will not only entertain, but it will educate, empower and enlighten children and their families for generations to come.

The valuable lesson that readers can expect from the first book in the Honeycake series is a strong message about diversity and acceptance. Caregivers can teach their children that, "even though we look different and come from different places, we are all part of one race...THE HUMAN RACE. In this beautiful world, we live in, WE ARE ALL ONE."

Readers give this book and series a 5.0 out of 5 stars!

"What an amazing book. My daughter is 8 and was delighted to read this book without hesitation. Sends such a beautiful message and discusses diversity. We then followed the recipe in the back of the book and created our own delicious honeycake! Can't wait to order the rest of the series!"

"A Delicious Lesson in Diversity!

"The entire premise of this book has me smiling from ear to ear. Kalantar artfully teaches not only acceptance of diversity, but the celebration of it. And what a delicious way to go about it! The metaphor of spices as people is inspired. Each of us has a unique contribution to our human family and our world. This is a great lesson for children and adults alike!"

"This book is a sweet story about a loving grandmother and her granddaughter. I enjoyed seeing a children's book with a family that has multiple cultures in it. It reflected my reality growing up and currently in my marriage. My teen son wanted to take a book and volunteer to read to kids in a lower grade. A Kindergarten class enjoyed reading time, listening to this story!"

It's the perfect gift for all teachers and children, preschool through grade 3. It helps caregivers and educators start an age-appropriate conversation about diversity by reflecting on what spices they are made up from that makes them unique-just like a honey cake.

About the Author
Kalantar, Medea: - Medea Kalantar, a Reiki Master and Practitioner, is an award-winning author of a new children's book series called Honeycake. Medea was inspired to write these books when she became a grandmother. Her stories are all based on her own family, whose members come from many ethnic backgrounds. This unique mix is a perfect recipe, and it's the reason that she calls her grandchildren her little Honeycakes. With more lovely stories to tell, Honeycake will be followed by a series of books. Each one tells valuable life lessons and gives parents and children the tools to overcome obstacles in their everyday lives. These books will teach children how to do random acts of kindness, have honest and open communication, and practice gratitude. Children will even discover how to meditate and manage their emotions when things don't go their way. Medea writes her stories to help young readers count their blessings and to share positive messages about diverse multicultural families.

“...a heartfelt tale of the struggles of married life on a nineteenth-century farm…a touching and realistic portrayal of love, loss, and friendship.” —Heather Stockard for Readers' Favorite

In 1897 newly married Beryl and Edward Massart travel more than one thousand miles from Quebec to farm a plot of land in Wisconsin that they bought sight-unseen. An almost magical grove of maples on their property inspires them to dream of a real home built within the grove, not the tiny log cabin they've come to live in.

Misunderstandings and tempers get the better of them when difficulties and troubles arise. Just months after they wed, Edward leaves pregnant Beryl in the midst of the coming winter to tend the farm and animals while he goes to be a teamster at a northern Wisconsin logging camp.

Will Beryl and Edward walk into the future together to build their house of dreams in the grove of maples, or will their plans topple like a house of sticks when the winds of misunderstanding and disaster strike?

More Reviews:

”Dramatic character development and lavish descriptive language make Knipfer's prose shine, and carry this emotionally stirring plot from start to finish. The storytelling is casual but unmistakably aged, and the research into this particular time period is remarkable, while the variation in narrative format keeps the story engaging throughout.” —Self-Publishing Review

“In a Grove of Maples presents a fascinating look at what life was like for a young couple starting out on their own and how necessary it was to have friends and neighbors that you could call on for help.” —Kristine Zimmerman for Readers' Favorite

”Readers of women's fiction and Christian historical romance will find In a Grove of Maples an engrossing story of 19th century rural life that examines matters of heart, ethics, morality, and belief as Beryl faces a new world with few resources other than her faith and love. It concludes with an unexpected twist that comes full circle to leave the door open for more.” —Midwest Book Review

Author Bio:

Jenny Knipfer lives in Wisconsin with her husband, Ken, and their pet Yorkie, Ruby. She is also a mom and loves being a grandma. She enjoys many creative pursuits but finds writing the most fulfilling. 

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After moving to California with her parents in 1967 and saying goodbye to her father as he leaves for Vietnam, Bets tries to settle into a small town routine. It doesn't take long before the town's most mysterious resident pushes Bets to reconsider how she feels about her mother, the war that has taken her father far away, and her own role in the events that show up in newspaper headlines and flash across her TV screen. "The characters unfold beautifully. They are complex, intriguing, and most of all, real." Sarah Milne, English teacher, Kilmer Middle School, Fairfax County, Virginia.

One small town's dark secrets lay hidden in the hollows...

Rumors have swirled around Jake Cashen his whole life. Is he crazy like his father? Is it true they booted him out of the F.B.I. right after he cracked a career-making RICO case? Was he dirty?

Only Jake knows and he's not telling.

He came back to his tiny hometown at the foot of Ohio's Blackhand Hills and joined the Sheriff's Department as a deputy. He hopes to punch a clock and keep his head down until retirement.

It was a solid plan. Until someone put a bullet in the head of a revered county judge.

Jake's new boss knows Jake has a particular set of skills. The Sheriff pins a detective badge on him whether Jake likes it or not. He could have said no. But as Jake watches the locals nearly bungle the case in the first five minutes, he knows he's all in.

As Jake digs into the murder, he soon learns Judge Rand had enemies in every corner. And someone hiding in plain sight may be plotting to bring his investigation to a deadly end.

To bring a cold-blooded killer to justice, Jake's forced to confront every truth he's tried to escape. Even the ones that could bury him.

Murder in the Hollows is the first book in the gripping Detective Jake Cashen crime thriller series. A former police detective, author Declan James brings you authentic crime fiction that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

Jack Noble found freedom from the CIA. A rogue assassin doesn't care.

When Jack Noble is sent to Brugge, Belgium to wait for further instruction, he finds himself at battle with a group of thugs harassing local businesses. But they aren't his only problem...

A rogue assassin who had Noble in his sights once before and missed is determined to finish the job, no matter the consequences.

With new allies by his side, Noble is locked in a life or death battle with one of the deadliest assassins in Europe, and they'll be lucky if only one of them makes it out alive.

"...exceptionally entertaining writing..."
"...George is genuinely hilarious..."
"...everything you could want in a travel memoir and more..."
"...hilarious, cringe-worthy and totally chaotic. A brilliant read..."
"...amusing, informative and heart-warming..."
"...I laughed out loud throughout..."
"...I learned more about our great US of A from this BRITISH author than I did in history class..."

Two Brits, George and Mark, set off from New York City to explore the back roads of America. In this calamity-ridden travel tale, George sets out in true clich d fashion to discover the real America.

Throw in plenty of run-ins with the police, rapidly dwindling finances and Josephine - the worst car in the world - and you have all the ingredients for a classic American road trip. Will George and Mark make it all the way to California?

And then there is Rachel, George's girlfriend, left back in England. Would travelling to the United States without her turn out to be the stupidest decision he had ever made?

"PINTO deserves a spot on the reading list of not only young, horse-crazy readers, but adults who like horse tales, ala Black Beauty." -- Diane Donovan for Midwest Book Reviews

"PINTO is a story of joy, tragedy, heartache, and dedication by a group of men and their horses and the people they meet along the way." -- Trudi LoPreto for Readers' Favorite

"PINTO revives an amazing part of history that has lain forgotten for ages. It is written with a unique twist and is both informative and entertaining." --Edith Wairimu for Readers' Favorite

In 1912, four men, calling themselves the "Overland Westerners," decided fame and fortune awaited if they embarked on the longest horseback ride in history. Their goal was to visit all forty-eight state capitals over the course of three years and complete their journey at the San Francisco World's Fair on June 1, 1915. Facing rugged roads, raging rivers, thieves and near starvation, the men went through seventeen horses. Only one horse completed the entire journey... Pinto, a little horse with a heart as big as the whole country This is Pinto's account of his arduous adventure.

About the Author
Evans, M. J.: - Award-winning author, M.J. Evans grew up in Lake Oswego, Oregon and graduated from Oregon State University. She spent five years teaching junior high and high school students before retiring to raise her five children. The author is a life-long equestrian and enjoys competing in dressage and riding in the beautiful Colorado mountains where she and her husband now live.

This is the seventh book in the series about Fred the friendly snake, who was sent as a present by Jungle Jim. Having gone camping with his friends

in book six, in this book, "When Fred The Snake and Friends Explore USA," the adventure continues as they have fun in some of the best cities along the eastern United States.

Hold on tight, and go along on their ride.

Jungle Jim takes Fred the friendly snake, his girlfriend Bernadette, other animals, Perdy and Jack to enjoy some of the sights on the west coast of USA, from Hollywood California to Alaska and Waikiki beach, Hawaii.