Biography / History / Memoir

Some Dreams Are Worth Keeping: A Memoir of My Bipolar Journey

Susan Johnson's personal struggle with bipolar disorder sets the stage for this wonderful memoir. Written in a crawl-inside-her-head style, readers will experience Susan's highs and lows living with bipolar disorder. For anyone faced with bipolar either personally or with family or friends this real and raw story will give insight into a sometimes misunderstood condition. Intricately woven, utterly authentic, and candidly revealing, this is a must read for anyone wondering if they are alone in a bipolar world. Susan's spirituality and grace are words to comfort and inform.

Grace for Grant: A Journey with an Old Soul

After appearing to have had a stroke, nineteen-year-old Grant Galvin has been approved for the Tampa General Hospital's Rehabilitation Center. But no sooner is he gazing out over the sparkling river when he has a heart attack. Mom, the ex-husband, and the boyfriend find themselves in ICU on a diagnostic merry-go-round with baffling symptoms spinning out of control. Buckle up, Buttercup. This is one crazy ride.
As a student of the world with a mischievous, curious nature, Grant pushes the envelope at every turn leaving trouble and laughter in his wake.

Glorious Times: Adventures of the Craighead Naturalists

Glorious Times… tells the fascinating story of an American clan of Scots-Irish origin that settled in and near the South Mountain “Cradle of Conservation” close to nature. The inspiring lives of the famous twins, known from their many publications, documentary films, and ground-breaking conservation efforts; as well as that of their award-winning sister, Jean Craighead George, are explored in rich detail.

Hibiscus Strong

They were supposed to stay home cooking and cleaning while wearing pearls. They got it half right; they did wear pearls…
Molly: All alone she protected her land and children from treasure seekers, holding them off only with her courage and a shotgun.
Mary: She came with her husband as he drove the first train into Miami in 1896 when the Magic City was nothing more than a collection of wooden shacks and mud streets.
Helen: A flapper, she knew what she wanted and went out and found it.

Rooting Out Shame: A Son's Account of Child Sexual Abuse and Recovery

A dutiful son does whatever he can to earn his parent's approval and falls under their control and is subjected to child sexual abuse lasting nearly a decade. Repressing his memories for over 30 years, he faces his struggles as they emerge. Dealing with family, work, and a broken legal system, he overcomes and adapts to heal and recover. This book is non-fiction and very graphic. Readers should be aware of many triggering aspects of the content. Frank Root III has retired after 37 in the fire service, including 16 years as fire chief.

The Pianist's Only Daughter: A Memoir

The Pianist’s Only Daughter is a frank, humorous, and poignant exploration of aging in an aging expert's own family. Gerontologist Kathryn Betts Adams was the only daughter of colorful and talented parents: her mother an English scholar/poet, and her father a concert pianist/music professor. Their dramatic emotional lives, marital instability, and eventual break-up provided backdrop for her youth. Nearly thirty years after they divorced, her parents reconcile and decide to live together again. As her mother’s Parkinson’s disease progresses, Kathryn steps in to manage her care.

Patsy Swayze: Every Day, A Chance to Dance

This book honors Patsy Swayze who was the mother and mentor of her beloved son Patrick. Patsy was an icon in the dance and performing arts world for decades as a dancer, teacher, mentor, and choreographer. Her work includes founding the Houston Jazz Ballet, teaching at the university of Houston, and choreographing for Hollywood movies and Houston's main theatre companies. She inspired thousands of dance students, many of whom went on to become professionals in the performing arts. With that said, she was most proud of being the mother of five children.

The Village that Betrayed its Children

The Village that Betrayed its Children is the story of a rural village in Southern Ontario where a crime was committed in the 1950s and 60s. Although the teacher of the two-room village school assaulted most of the female students, he was never brought to justice - in fact, he was protected. This man was allowed to continue teaching. Many of the town's parents allowed their children to continue going to the school, though fully aware of the teacher's activities.

Every Other Weekend: Coming of Age with Two Different Dads

Anthony’s father, Gerald Mohr, is a well-known radio actor before slipping to the Hollywood B-list thanks to the advent of television. Accepting the lead in a dying Swedish TV series, he falls for the script girl and divorces Mohr’s mother, who goes on to meet and marry another divorced person, credit card industry pioneer Stanley Dashew. As his stepfather’s career rises and his biological father’s eases downward, Anthony tries to find his place. One weekend he’s sailing on his stepfather’s fifty-eight-foot catamaran; the next, his Swedish stepmother tells him that they’re poor.