Aftermath Of WWII: Trauterose, The Award-Winning Memoir By Elisabeth Haggblade, Offers A First Person Account Of Post-World War II Germany

Elisabeth Haggblade's eyewitness account, winner of the 2024 Indie Reader Discovery Award, will likely be regarded as one of the best accounts ever written about post-World War II Germany.

Though not often found in our history books, in the immediate aftermath of World War II, Germany confronted a crisis of epic proportions. By 1945, the end of the war had left the state vulnerable to political disintegration, severe economic ruin, and profound social dislocation.

Although scholarly and popular literature addresses Germany’s wartime experiences, comparatively fewer studies and narratives examine day-to-day conditions and psychological consequences endured by ordinary individuals in the subsequent postwar period.

Trauterose, an award-winning book, presents such an account through the first-person testimony of Elisabeth Haggblade. Orphaned at birth during the height of World War II, she spent the first eleven years of her life in the household of a former S.S. officer and his family. The book offers readers an unusually rare perspective on postwar Germany—one grounded not in retrospective reconstruction alone, but in an experiential record of survival, adaptation, and loss.

The work has also received notable recognition, including the 2024 IndieReader Discovery Award (Memoir category) and First Place Non-Fiction in The Authors Show 2024 Book Cover Awards. More than a personal narrative, Trauterose provides a sustained and insightful window onto a pivotal historical moment, illustrating how daily life was continually shaped by instability and deprivation.

As reflected in her testimony, Haggblade—along with others she encountered during childhood—was marked both physically and psychologically by wartime violence and its aftermath. In a period when Germany’s social institutions and material conditions were especially fragile, the effort to navigate everyday existence often required constant negotiation. Yet the narrative emphasizes, as well, the enduring roles of faith and communal support in sustaining resilience.

Elisabeth writes, “One person aiding and delivering faith: The late Pope Benedict XVI, known then as Herr Joseph Ratzinger, teacher of catechism in our fourth-grade class in the 1950s. After he left our school, his hand-written letter spelled out the proper path to follow in growing up : ‘If one buttons one’s coat the wrong way, one would have to undo all of it and start over again to make it right. So it is with life,’ admonishing us ‘to choose the right beginning.”’

“I wrote this book as a reaction to reports and pictures of that time that I saw: Glamorous portrayals in German magazines of the postwar years,” Haggblade stated. “More importantly, I wanted to respond to positive comments I kept hearing from Americans about their understanding of the postwar years. Both impressions were in contrast to my experience growing up and those I came in contact with. They told only one side of the story.

“On a personal level, I wanted to bring the reader into the picture: How life had to go on, war or no war. I let the rooms and the furniture be witnesses to our family’s daily struggle.

“By looking back, we learn how Germany has reckoned with its past. We can trace the changes the country has undergone and what it has become politically, sociologically, and economically on account of its size and influence in Europe and in the world today. Baruch Spinoza exhorts us: ‘ To understand, not judge.’”

In a recent talk for the AAUW book club members in Santa Barbara, CA, she described in detail some of the challenges faced during that time.

“One had to make an effort to establish a routine, to bring some kind of order into one’s life. What was it like to get up in the morning, trying to find soap, comb, toothbrush, warm water–not a small task in those times.

“We had to find food and ways to cook it.

“One still had to go to school, without public or private transportation, in all seasons. Find a place to do homework. Find proper clothes and shoes to wear; gear for rain, clothes for winter; Find thread for mending clothes. And we had to deal with sickness and death in the family.

“All the while, people still had to suffer the usual annoying indignities of adolescence, middle age crises, old age problems.”

In short, 'Trauterose' is the account of one person's search for humanity in existence—a cautionary tale on the inherited guilt created by rampant nationalism, and a painfully honest and often humorous view of the world through the eyes of a young woman who found her way to freedom and purpose.

Readers and reviewers have expressed praise for Trauterose. Craig Jones of IndieReader wrote, "TRAUTEROSE (Growing Up in Postwar Munich) by Elisabeth Haggblade offers an uncompromising, moving, and elegiac memoir of a deprived childhood in postwar Germany." Midwest Book Review said, "Libraries seeking powerful, personal memoirs that hold political and social lessons and insights will find Trauterose a study in adaptation, survival, and growth. It also deserves attention from young adult and adult book clubs seeking memoirs that reflect not just individual experience, but a sense of the culture and times."

One Amazon review stated, "The book is extremely well written, and I would recommend it highly." Another said, "I highly recommend this book. It will touch your heart." Another wrote, "It offers an unforgettable window into a time and place that few Americans know about."

Elisabeth Haggblade is available for media interviews and can be reached at don@freepublicitygroup.com. 'Trauterose' is available in both print, ebook and audiobook forms at Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/stores/Elisabeth-Haggblade/author/B0CTRXLF9G?. More information is available at her website at https://www.trauteroseauthor.com.

About Elisabeth Haggblade:

Elisabeth Haggblade holds a B.A. in German, a B.A. in Russian, a Master's in Linguistics from California State University, Fresno, and a PhD in English Philology from the Freie Universität Berlin. She retired from teaching part-time English and Linguistics at California State Universities and the Freie Universität Berlin. Her publications began with academic articles and book reviews as well as book reviews of fiction in The Los Angeles Times. She resides in California.

Contact:

Elisabeth Haggblade
don@freepublicitygroup.com
https://www.trauteroseauthor.com 

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Trauterose: Award-Winning Book Offers A First Person Account Of Post-World War II Germany

Elisabeth Haggblade's eyewitness account, winner of the 2024 Indie Reader Discovery Award, will likely be regarded as one of the best accounts ever written about post-World War II Germany.

After the dust settled from World War II in 1945, Germany found itself in the eye of a storm. The country grappled with profound challenges —political fragmentation, economic devastation, and societal upheaval.

While numerous books explore Germany's wartime history, few delve into the profound struggles of its people in the aftermath of World War II.

'Trauterose' is the compelling first-person account of Elisabeth Haggblade, who was orphaned at birth at the height of World War II and spent the first eleven years of her life under the care of a former S.S. officer and his family. History enthusiasts will be captivated by this book, as very few books can offer a view of post-war Germany from the perspective of one who lived through the storm.

'Trauterose' garnered critical acclaim, winning the 2024 IndieReader Discovery Award in the Memoir category and securing First Place Non-Fiction in The Authors Show 2024 Book Cover Awards. It is a compelling story that transcends the ordinary and offers a fresh, profound look into a pivotal era in our history.

Like many she knew and met during her formative years, Elisabeth was marked both physically and psychologically by the traumatic events of the war and its aftermath, where negotiating daily life during the most tenuous time in Germany's history often felt like a balancing act. Yet through it all, faith and the help of others prevailed.

Elisabeth writes, “One person aiding and delivering faith: The late Pope Benedict XVI, known then as Herr Joseph Ratzinger, teacher of catechism in our fourth-grade class in the 1950s. After he left our school, his hand-written letter spelled out the proper path to follow in growing up : ‘If one buttons one’s coat the wrong way, one would have to undo all of it and start over again to make it right. So it is with life,’ admonishing us ‘to choose the right beginning.”’

“I wrote this book as a reaction to reports and pictures of that time that I saw: Glamorous portrayals in German magazines of the postwar years,” Haggblade stated. “More importantly, I wanted to respond to positive comments I kept hearing from Americans about their understanding of the postwar years. Both impressions were in contrast to my experience growing up and those I came in contact with. They told only one side of the story.

“On a personal level, I wanted to bring the reader into the picture: How life had to go on, war or no war. I let the rooms and the furniture be witnesses to our family’s daily struggle.

“By looking back, we learn how Germany has reckoned with its past. We can trace the changes the country has undergone and what it has become politically, sociologically, and economically on account of its size and influence in Europe and in the world today. Baruch Spinoza exhorts us: ‘ To understand, not judge.’”

In short, 'Trauterose' is the account of one person's search for humanity in existence—a cautionary tale on the inherited guilt created by rampant nationalism, and a painfully honest and often humorous view of the world through the eyes of a young woman who found her way to freedom and purpose.

Readers and reviewers have expressed praise for Trauterose. Craig Jones of IndieReader wrote, "TRAUTEROSE (Growing Up in Postwar Munich) by Elisabeth Haggblade offers an uncompromising, moving, and elegiac memoir of a deprived childhood in postwar Germany." Midwest Book Review said, "Libraries seeking powerful, personal memoirs that hold political and social lessons and insights will find Trauterose a study in adaptation, survival, and growth. It also deserves attention from young adult and adult book clubs seeking memoirs that reflect not just individual experience, but a sense of the culture and times."

One Amazon review stated, "The book is extremely well written, and I would recommend it highly." Another said, "I highly recommend this book. It will touch your heart." Another wrote, "It offers an unforgettable window into a time and place that few Americans know about."

Elisabeth Haggblade is available for media interviews and can be reached at don@freepublicitygroup.com. 'Trauterose' is available in both print and ebook forms at Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/stores/Elisabeth-Haggblade/author/B0CTRXLF9G?. More information is available at her website at https://www.trauteroseauthor.com.

About Elisabeth Haggblade:

Elisabeth Haggblade holds a B.A. in German, a B.A. in Russian, a Master's in Linguistics from California State University, Fresno, and a PhD in English Philology from the Freie Universität Berlin. She retired from teaching part-time English and Linguistics at California State Universities and the Freie Universität Berlin. Her publications began with academic articles and book reviews as well as book reviews of fiction in The Los Angeles Times. She resides in California.

Contact:

Elisabeth Haggblade
don@freepublicitygroup.com
https://www.trauteroseauthor.com 

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Special Needs Children Deserve Compassion, Not Bullying, Says Jody Sharpe, Award-Winning Author Of Special Needs Children The Angels On My Shoulder

Sharpe was a 1st Place Winner of the 2023 National Association of Press Women's Communications Contest Award for Fiction For Adult Readers - Novellas, and the 2024 National Association of Press Womens's Communications Contest For Fiction - Novellas

In her award winning book, Special Needs Children: The Angels on My Shoulder, Jody Sharpe relates her tale of working with special needs children for 25 years. Her book is a love story about the special students and others who over the years graced her life with just that, their grace. The book took first place in the National Federation of Press Women's at-large contest in 2021. The ebook version of the book will be available at no charge May 21 and 22, 2026 on Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/stores/Jody-Sharpe/author/B00DPL3382.

In a recent blog post, she talked about her experience that resulted in the creation of the book. In that post, she said in part:

My life would change years ago while in high school. It was during the days when kids with special needs weren’t allowed in public schools. My gym teacher asked me to monitor four girls with special needs because they had swimming lessons at our high school. I was to help them get ready for their lessons. Why was I asked? I was a teenager with low self esteem and an underachiever academically. But the teacher asked me and I obliged. Did my teacher find a way to help me feel good about myself? Did she see something caring in me I didn’t see? I had a heart for the kids ever since I was little and saw a child bullied outside of the school.

After college I had two thoughts. One was to pursue acting and the other was teaching kids with special needs. I decided acting wasn’t for me but I didn’t have a degree in education. But miraculously or shall I say with synchronicity, I was given an opportunity to work with the children again in a private school setting in a church.

I loved my job. I learned by interacting with the children as I had no training. I was blessed with two fantastic assistants who knew more than I did about the diagnoses and behavior. But I learned. As I went on, I learned more by getting a masters degree then by raising my own children. I went back to work when my kids were in school.

Instinctively, I knew the children were my teachers. They were like angels to me. Their love was unconditional. There was never an agenda but mostly kind souls navigating their own lives. Some had supportive families while others did not. I found they brought out a gentle nature in me, a calmness. There was always a kindred spirit feeling when I was with them. I knew they were the most important teachers I would ever have.

When sadness came and my daughter passed away, these children with special needs were kind and empathetic . Like my own children, they needed me and I needed them. They were comforting, caring and seemed to have a wisdom about the needs of the emotions of others.

Years later, my sister encouraged me to write a memoir about my experience teaching them. I realize I am the mother and grandmother I am now because they taught me about life, loving the now, forgiveness and finding joy in all accomplishments, as well as the little things. The students embraced learning and loved succeeding. They seemed to know instinctively who were their advocates.

It is with such gratitude toward heaven that their grace glowed around me. The shy girl with self esteem issues changed the day when I first volunteered. I thrived and had goals for the future.

The full post is available at her website at https://JodySharpe.com.

Other books by Jody Sharpe include:

To Catch an Angel - Jody is also the author of 'To Catch an Angel', written in memory of her late husband Steve. In 'To Catch an Angel', miracles happen in Mystic Bay, California, the town with the psychic and angel vibe. Angels are calling. Psychic Maggie Malone returns home to find she's swept up in the miracle of it all. She can't imagine why her mother left or who her father might be. But these questions pale in comparison to the wonder of the angels. Maggie meets writer, Noah Greenstreet. They realize they've met before, but where? Maggie and Noah embark on a journey to find our world is all awash with angels.

Town Of Angels - it's angel vs. Bully in the town of Mystic Bay, California, where a well-kept secret lies. Angels live as humans there. After angels appeared to three children, all was blissful in the town full of psychics, and ordinary folk. But as brute, Klaus Waxman, comes to town, angel Ken Leighton, a storeowner, must carefully guide his flock of humans not to give in to the bully's efforts.As Klaus opens a store mocking the resident angel sightings, angel Ken guides psychic Justine Greer, and her family to thwart his efforts. And with the help of the indomitable oldest psychic in town, Madam Norma, the bully meets his match through the soft voices and intuitive minds of his neighbors.

Town Of Angels Christmas - The bully never wins. A secret lies in Mystic Bay California. Angels live as humans there. Angel Ken, a storeowner, fears the secret will be revealed when vet, Jordana Hart, a woman with special healing abilities moves to town.

Years before Angel Ken materialized as an old man, changing the course of her life. Will Jordana recognize Angel Ken as the man from her past as they work together on a rescue mission to bring twenty-two horses to Mystic Bay before Christmas, will they see what lies before them, a Christmas story only the angels could write.

The Dog Who Came For Christmas - Meteorologist and psychic, Gayle Force Knight, proves to be a force to be reckoned with once more. While Gayle was sleeping, an angel sent her a vision of a future event. With her intuition, Gayle wonders, will she really meet the dog in her dream and save another one?

With the help of her intuitive husband, Alex Knight, and friends, Gayle sets on a course to rescue many more. But with surprising twists and turns of intrigue, both Gayle and Alex find there are always angels at the helm as they ride on their coattails.

20 Moon Road, An Angel's Tale - Miracles still happen in the town of Mystic Bay California. Angels live as humans there. Angel Ken, a former football coach, is surprised when his late best friend, the indomitable psychic, Madam Norma, appears in spirit form and asks him to write the story of her life through her memories she will send him. Surprising to Angel Ken, Madam Norma saw thousands of angels since childhood.

Special Needs Children followed her children's book about angels, When The Angel Sent Butterflies. The new book helps children understand that love from their parents and others surrounds them. Love conquers fear, and believing that angels are near can help sweep any childhood fear away. This concept is presented in the book when Angel Ken sends Jones and Kate butterflies. The book, appropriate for ages 2 to 7, is now available at Amazon and Ingram.

One of her latest books, Summer Of Angels, is a mystery novel. Meteorologist and psychic, Gayle Force proves a force to be reckoned with as she moves back to her beloved Mystic Bay, California. While sleeping, an angel sent her a vision in a dream of a future event. Gayle realizes she must use her intuition to save an old man from drowning. But who is this old man?

With the help of intuitive attorney, Alex Knight, she finds they are caught in the middle of a future crime. But can Gayle and Alex solve the case and save the old man before it’s too late? With surprising twists and turns of intrigue and love, Gayle and Alex find there are angels at the helm as they help prove the bully never wins.

In addition, on the "Tuesdays With The Angels" section of her site, Sharpe presents stories of real-life encounters with angels. The stories are available at Sharpe's website at http://www.jodysharpe.com.

Sharpe hopes to create a collection of angel stories that involve sightings of angels, interaction with angels, miraculous angel encounters, and other types of accounts or stories. Everyone is welcome to submit angel stories. All submissions will be considered, but inclusion is not guaranteed. Stories may be submitted at http://bit.ly/2FV8amd.

Sharpe's YouTube channel brings all of this together, offering segments on all of these topics. One topic of special interest is bullying, specifically as it relates to special needs children.

In addition to the National Federation of Press Women’s award, Jody was chosen as a winner in the annual "50 Great Writers You Should Be Reading" Book Awards. She was chosen from a field of hundreds of authors through a public voting process.

Jody also announced recently that two new screen treatments of her books are now available: The Angel's Daughter and Town Of Angels Christmas.

Jody Sharpe is available for media interviews and can be reached using the information below or by email at sharpejody76@gmail.com. Angel stories can be submitted at http://bit.ly/2FV8amd. All of her books are available at online book retailers. New quotes will be added every Tuesday to the "Tuesdays With The Angels" section of her blog, which can be found at her website at http://www.JodySharpe.com.

Profile:

Jody Sharpe had a rewarding career as a Special Education teacher. Writing about angels became healing after losing her daughter and then her husband. The valuable lessons she learned about moving forward and loving life in the now have set her on a mission to tell the stories with love, humor and spiritual awakening. The fictitious town of Mystic Bay has given her an avenue to put characters and themes together hopefully enlightening the reader towards contemplation of the precious life and memories we are given.

Contact:

Jody Sharpe
sharpejody76@gmail.com
https://jodysharpe.com 

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Christmas Gifts For Baja Lovers: Special Collector's Edition, A Finger Of Land On An Old Man's Hand, By Bestselling Author Earl Vincent de Berge

'A Finger of Land' by Earl Vincent de Berge is not just a well-written memoir; it is also a masterful retelling of a journey that reveals the intensity of self-discovery and the intricate tapestry of human connection with nature and spirituality.

People from all over the world travel to the Baja Peninsula to enjoy the stunning scenery and cultural richness of the area. A unique and fascinating destination, the peninsula is replete with breathtaking views featuring mountains, deserts, and beautiful coastlines. Baja is rich in biodiversity, including sea lions, whales, dolphins, numerous land animal and bird species, and an amazing array of plants -- a paradise for nature enthusiasts. The peninsula also offers visitors ample opportunities for outdoor activities.

Baja also harbors a captivating essence that for many remains largely undiscovered. But to those who take the time to delve deeply into its heart, truly embracing the soul of this remarkable land, it reveals a vibrant mosaic of culture, beauty, and authenticity -- the enchanting quintessence of Baja. Bestselling author Earl Vincent de Berge reveals that spirit in 'A Finger Of Land On An Old Man's Hand, Adventures In Mexico's Baja Wilderness'.

De Berge’s book is a compelling coming of age story, intimately detailing his life-changing adventure through the Baja wilderness with three friends in the 1960's. An exploration of growth, identity, and self-awareness, it is both inspirational and transformative -- a masterful blend of daring adventure, introspection, and cultural discovery.

A Finger of Land on an Old Man’s Hand' is more than just another adventure story; it’s a meditation on resilience, friendship, and the inescapable power of self-discovery. Each challenge, physical or emotional, becomes a steppingstone in the explorers’ evolution, perhaps reminding readers of their own capacity for growth. It offers a compelling testament to the human spirit's capacity for transformation.

Lovers of the Baja region will find much to explore, as the Baja Peninsula serves as both a backdrop and a mirror. Readers are immersed with the four young explorers in a transformative journey through Baja California in 1962, inspired by 'The Forgotten Peninsula' by Joseph Wood Krutch.

The book would make a signature gift for Baja enthusiasts and collectors.

‘A Finger of Land’ records Baja’s formidable challenge to men and equipment within its mountainous, sometimes lush, sometimes barren, desert environments; spectacular geology and complex ecologies bracketed by oceans. The four travelers enjoyed encounters with wild animals; found bountiful places to hunt and fish; met frontier families of the kindest sort; weathered Pacific storms and witnessed love in a frontier village; met gold prospectors, hermits and one-of-a-kind characters.

They also experienced dramatic incidents of both potential and very real danger – some due to the untamed environment, others thanks to thoughtless visitors or to shadowy villains.

Plant photography was among the author’s interests, only partially stymied by wind-blown sand fouling his camera lens. Photography enthusiasts will be thrilled to know the book offers a treasure trove of previously unreleased photographs of the area.

One reviewer called the book, ". . . a beautifully written, fabulous tale of an incredibly brave and daring journey." In their 5-star review, ReaderViews said, "A Finger of Land on an Old Man’s Hand by Earl Vincent de Berge is the stark, witty, and profound memoir of four college students testing their limits on the Baja Peninsula in the summer of 1962. One could think of this as the classic literary assignment, 'How I Spent My Summer Vacation.' Only to do so would be to grossly underestimate this narrative."

'A Finger Of Land On An Old Man's Hand, Adventures In Mexico's Baja Wilderness' is now available at Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/stores/Earl-Vincent-de-Berge/author/B09R6M1G4Y? in both paperback and e-book format.

All of de Berge's books are available at Amazon and other online book retailers. More information, including an excerpt from the “Baja book” and a pdf of selected photos with insider details revealing Baja in the 1960s is available on his website, https://www.earldeberge.com.

About Earl Vincent de Berge:

Author Earl Vincent de Berge is an Arizona native, writer, photographer, and poet. With a master’s degree in political science from the University of Arizona, he founded Behavior Research Center, Inc., and created the respected and widely published Rocky Mountain Poll (RMP), of which he was Editor for 35 years. Earl’s photographs, logbooks, and essays reflecting on life experiences serve as foundations for his prose and poetry. He has recently published three collections of his poems, “Allegro to Life,” “Swans to Carry Me,” and “Wind in the Elephant Tree,” which touch on nature, human nature, love, desert silence, and life in Guatemala.

He has just published a delightful book of young reader stories in which the main characters are animals and birds of the Sonoran Desert and coastal regions of Baja, and is currently assembling “The Man Who Ate His Dreams,” a biography of a rags-to-riches businessman, artist, and poet.

Earl and his wife Suzanne split their time between Arizona and Guatemala where they founded the nonprofit Seeds for a Future to help impoverished rural women improve their families’ access to adequate food and nutrition (https://seedsforafuture.org).

Contact:

Earl Vincent de Berge
https://www.earldeberge.com/
edb1326@hotmail.com
 

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Award Winning Author Bobbie Bennett Announces Bestseller Status For Her Latest Book, Widowhood, The Next Chapter: I'm Still Here - Now What?

Bennett’s ability to balance moments of humor with profound observations can keep readers oscillating between tears and laughter, creating an emotional rollercoaster that captivates from start to finish.

Bobbie Bennett has announced that the ebook version of her latest book has achieved bestseller status.

In 'Widowhood: The Next Chapter, I'm Still Here - Now What?' Bobbie Bennett embarks on a transformative journey that resonates deeply with anyone who has faced the complexities of loss. This poignant memoir is not just a personal account of widowhood, but a powerful exploration of resilience, renewal, and the profound changes that follow the death of a partner.

Her narrative is beautifully crafted, drawing readers into the author's emotional landscape with honesty and vulnerability. Every chapter feels like a heart-to-heart conversation. What sets this book apart is its unwavering focus on growth and renewal. Instead of dwelling solely on loss, the author illustrates how widowhood can be a catalyst for self-discovery, change, and fulfillment. She offers practical wisdom and step-by-step guidance, inviting readers to reflect on their own lives and encouraging them to embrace change. She provides a fresh and utterly unique perspective, making it clear that endings can lead to new beginnings.

Bennett’s ability to balance moments of humor with profound observations can keep readers oscillating between tears and laughter, creating an emotional rollercoaster that captivates from start to finish. In short, it’s an inspiring guidebook for anyone grappling with the uncertainties that come with loss, making it a meaningful read for those facing similar challenges. It serves as a reminder that we are never truly finished and that new chapters are always possible.

The personal narrative begins in the dark world of organized crime, where the author’s first husband brings a sense of danger into their lives. Dinner guests are asked to check their firearms at the door. She then stepped into an unexpected relationship with a younger man whose charm proved timeless, even if his ID was still getting double-checked.

Through three marriages, two funerals, and one divorce, she discovers that love comes in the most unexpected forms, including a methodical engineer who fell head-over-heels for a free-spirited former go-go dancer.

Bobbie has rebooted her life from places most people wouldn’t dare enter, making her perspective not just credible, but hard-earned. More than a love story, it’s a survival guide for life’s most unpredictable chapters. She believes if you can’t be a good example, you might as well be a colorful one. Her stories offer humor, heart, and the kind of wisdom you only earn the hard way.

"You're still here. That means your story isn't over, it's just taking a turn you didn't plan for. And that's okay," Bobbie said.

Bobbie Bennett is available for media interviews and can be reached at bobbie@bobbiebennett.com. 'Widowhood, The Next Chapter: I'm Still Here - Now What?' is available on Amazon in softcover and e-book at https://www.amazon.com/Widowhood-Next-Chapter-Still-Here/dp/B0FLVTB7FM. More information is available at her website at https://bobbiebennett.com.

About Bobbie Bennett:

Born in 1946 in Chicago, Bobbie's formative years were shaped by the rural landscape of West Union, Illinois, where she and her younger brother were raised by their grandparents following their parents' divorce. This humble upbringing instilled in her a deep sense of resilience and a keen appreciation for the simple pleasures of life.

In her teenage years, Bobbie returned to Chicago. Her passion for dancing led her to become a GoGo dancer, a role that allowed her to express her creativity and talent. By 1971, she had moved to Scottsdale, Arizona, with her first husband, marking the beginning of a series of life experiences that would shape her into a resilient and colorful individual. Over the years, she has navigated through three marriages, two deaths, and one divorce, each experience contributing to her philosophy of perseverance and humor.

Bobbie's diverse talents and interests have led her to various endeavors, including writing, acting, and comedy. She is the editor of the monthly newsletter for Beaver Valley Estates, a position that earned her national recognition from the National Federation of Press Women in 2024. Her performances in community theater and appearances in local television commercials have showcased her versatility and charm. However, her most cherished role is that of a grandmother, where she creates memorable "Grandma's Day" outings for each grandchild, capturing these moments in annual yearbooks. Through her journey, Bobbie has mastered the art of transforming everyday moments into unforgettable stories, living by her philosophy of collecting experiences over regrets and finding humor in life's challenges.

Contact:

Bobbie Bennett
bobbie@bobbiebennett.com
https://bobbiebennett.com

 

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John Drake's Memoir, Stories From The Big Apple And Beyond, Is A Masterpiece Of Storytelling About Trekking The Globe In The '70s And '80s

Drake's fluid and uncontrived style of writing, always with a sense of humor and wit, isn’t nostalgia for nostalgia’s sake; it’s a vivid reminder that life’s richest moments often happen when we step, boldly, beyond the map.

John Drake is a painter, a poet, and a hopeless romantic - and a restless soul who has roamed the far corners of the earth, gathering tales as rich and varied as the landscapes he’s traversed. While anyone who came of age in the 1970s or 80s could fill a night with stories, Drake’s recollections shimmer with a rare intensity, standing apart in their color, candor, and sheer unpredictability.

For decades, Drake lived at the intersection of art and adventure. His memoirs are not just chronicles of personal history—they are exuberant journeys through the golden years of rock and roll, brimming with raucous escapades and unforgettable characters. From the bustling streets of 1960s London to the charged energy of America in 2001, his work invites readers to step into a world both intimate and expansive. His first memoir, 'The Laughing Man' offers the opening act, while 'Stories From The Big Apple and Beyond' picks up the rhythm in 1976, carrying readers through the next chapter of a life lived without hesitation.

The stories take us from the Bi-Centennial of 1976 in New York up till the tragic event of 9/11. Drake captures the nitty - gritty feel of the “Big Apple” of the “downtown life”- remnants of Bob Dylan’s days and left over’s from the Beat Generation, which has now disappeared forever. Working in the film business for this period in time, Drake’s book gives us a look into the world of film. Starting as an electrician he works later as a gaffer, then a cinematographer and eventually finds himself directing commercials for a living. As in his other book, his wanderlust takes the reader back to India, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Bali and many other places - some for work and other times for the sheer adventure of travel, still trying to keep the freewheeling, fun - loving abandonment of the sixties and seventies alive.The photographs and poems all help to capture the feel of over two and a half decades of the seventies and eighties when the world seemed a saner and more hospitable place to live.

"People ask me why I decided to write a book and like a lot of authors, I say the book wrote itself," Drake stated. "For me it was a time for reflection and introspection as time was getting on and I was not getting any younger, so I decided that I already had a book written from diaries and logs, words that I had scribbled down in notebooks over the years from my travels and experiences. I had a box of notebooks, so one day I decided that I should gather all these pieces of prose and poetry and harvest them into a book. In that respect all I had to do was to assemble the pieces into a coherent story, a story about my life. It became a history book of my life which we call a memoir, an appreciation of life itself."

Readers and reviewers have praised Stories From The Big Apple. One said, "A fascinating read in which the author John Drake takes us from the mundane normality of suburban Britain to the ridiculous, dizzy days of 70’s and 80’s New York and beyond. Starting out as a junior in the movie business and progressing to Cinematographer, the author leads us through the thrills and spills of those times with yarns overflowing with his personal flavour of charm and wit. His loves, travels and irony (interspersed with poignant poetry), left me yearning for those times once again. Hard to believe so much could be crammed into a single lifetime! It made me ponder just how hollow our lives have become and what great adventures pass us by. John, certainly took life by the horns and went for it."

John Drake is available for media interviews and can be reached using the information below or by email at artfuldrake51@gmail.com. Stories From The Big Apple is available in e-book and print formats at Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/Stories-Big-Apple-John-Drake-ebook/dp/B09JTQJVGT/ref=sr_1_1?. More information is available at his website at http://www.johndrakegallery.com.

About John Drake:

John Drake was born in London in the 1950s. He started his career in a photographic darkroom and went on to become a photographer in London. After much traveling throughout Europe and India he found himself in New York, after taking a freighter from England to Jamaica (these adventures can be found in his first memoir called THE LAUGHING MAN).

After settling in Manhattan (The Big Apple) he began a new career in the film business, and after a few years was working as a Director of Photography on feature films and commercials. In 1987 John moved to California where he worked as a director/cameraman for various companies in the United States and Europe.

Around 1998 he found a new love in painting, and after a couple of gallery openings of his work now has over 600 paintings to his name. In the same year he had a photo exhibit of his still photographs on Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles.

In 1999 John moved to Vancouver to continue working in film, but still keeps a place in Santa Monica. In 2004, he went to India to shoot a Bollywood film called 'My Faraway Bride'.

He still continues his nomadic gypsy lifestyle and lives in Mexico for half of the year, coming and going between Mexico, California and Vancouver.

In 2016, he compiled this memoir, “Stories From The Big Apple And Beyond” from writings and diaries from his life in Manhattan and Woodstock during the Seventies and Eighties and also stories of his adventures traveling once again through India and South-East Asia. The story ends on 9/11 when there, in New York for a job, John witnesses the attack on the World Trade Towers.

Contact:

John Drake
artfuldrake51@gmail.com
http://www.johndrakegallery.com 

Leia Mais…

Award Winning Author Bobbie Bennett Announces No Charge Giveaway Of Her Latest Book, Widowhood, The Next Chapter: I'm Still Here - Now What?

The e-book version of her candid memoir will be available at no charge September 8 through September 9, 2025.

Many books on widowhood focus on the depths of pain, loss, and regret, exploring the emotional turmoil that follows losing a loved one. Bobbie Bennett takes a different approach. In her latest book, she infuses the subject with humor, heart, and hard-earned wisdom that goes beyond the ordinary. Bennett's unique perspective provides readers a fresh and uplifting view on a challenging life experience, proving that even in the face of profound loss, there is room for laughter, love, and personal growth. The e-book version of 'Widowhood: The Next Chapter' will be available at no charge September 8 and September 9, 2025, at Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/Widowhood-Next-Chapter-Still-Here/dp/B0FLVTB7FM.

The personal narrative begins in the dark world of organized crime, where the author’s first husband brings a sense of danger into their lives. Dinner guests are asked to check their firearms at the door. She then stepped into an unexpected relationship with a younger man whose charm proved timeless, even if his ID was still getting doublechecked.

Through three marriages, two funerals, and one divorce, she discovers that love comes in the most unexpected forms, including a methodical engineer who fell head-over-heels for a free-spirited former go-go dancer.

This raw, candid memoir transforms heartbreak into hope, offering both laughter and practical wisdom for anyone rebuilding after loss. But make no mistake, these aren’t your typical fresh starts. Bobbie has rebooted her life from places most people wouldn’t dare enter, making her perspective not just credible, but hard-earned. More than a love story, it’s a survival guide for life’s most unpredictable chapters. She believes if you can’t be a good example, you might as well be a colorful one. Her stories offer humor, heart, and the kind of wisdom you only earn the hard way.

"I wrote this book because I believe that life's most devastating losses can transform into powerful new beginnings, and starting over isn't just surviving; it's where your best chapter begins," Bennett stated. "Readers will discover how to collect meaningful experiences rather than dwelling on regrets, find laughter even when everything seems to go wrong, and navigate the practical realities of rebuilding with both wisdom and humor. This book offers hope and guidance for anyone ready to embrace the truth that widowhood, while challenging, can be the start of an unexpectedly fulfilling new adventure.”

Bobbie Bennett is available for media interviews and can be reached at bobbie@bobbiebennett.com. 'Widowhood, The Next Chapter: I'm Still Here, Now What?' is available on Amazon in softcover and e-book at https://www.amazon.com/Widowhood-Next-Chapter-Still-Here/dp/B0FLVTB7FM. More information is available at her website at https://bobbiebennett.com.

About Bobbie Bennett:

Born in 1946 in Chicago, Bobbie's formative years were shaped by the rural landscape of West Union, Illinois, where she and her younger brother were raised by their grandparents following their parents' divorce. This humble upbringing instilled in her a deep sense of resilience and a keen appreciation for the simple pleasures of life.

In her teenage years, Bobbie returned to Chicago. Her passion for dancing led her to become a GoGo dancer, a role that allowed her to express her creativity and talent. By 1971, she had moved to Scottsdale, Arizona, with her first husband, marking the beginning of a series of life experiences that would shape her into a resilient and colorful individual. Over the years, she has navigated through three marriages, two deaths, and one divorce, each experience contributing to her philosophy of perseverance and humor.

Bobbie's diverse talents and interests have led her to various endeavors, including writing, acting, and comedy. She is the editor of the monthly newsletter for Beaver Valley Estates, a position that earned her national recognition from the National Federation of Press Women in 2024. Her performances in community theater and appearances in local television commercials have showcased her versatility and charm. However, her most cherished role is that of a grandmother, where she creates memorable "Grandma's Day" outings for each grandchild, capturing these moments in annual yearbooks. Through her journey, Bobbie has mastered the art of transforming everyday moments into unforgettable stories, living by her philosophy of collecting experiences over regrets and finding humor in life's challenges.

Contact:

Bobbie Bennett
bobbie@bobbiebennett.com
https://bobbiebennett.com 

Leia Mais…

Big Ears Jack And Friends By Bestselling Earl Vincent de Berge Brings The Magic Of The Sonoran Desert To Life

'Big Ears Jack and Friends' is a collection of tall tales featuring extraordinary animals and plants from the Sonoran Desert of Baja California that can bring young people's love for nature to life.

Earl Vincent de Berge's 'Big Ears Jack and Friends' is a bestselling YA book that has received a 5-star review from Readers Favorite. It is one of those rare books that transport young readers into the heart of a world seldom seen by most, where they will enjoy learning about the extraordinary animals and plants found in the Sonoran Desert.

Earl's adventures in Baja California ignited a lifelong passion for the Sonoran Desert's unique plants and animals, fueling his inspiration to create this enchanting collection of tales for young readers.

The main character in these delightful stories is Big Ears Jack: a very big jackrabbit with huge ears -- and magical powers to use for good! Jack is the king of desert kindness, a good friend to all desert critters.

Among Jack’s friends readers will meet Nosey and Wag, mischievous coyote brothers; Blue Dasher, a racing dragonfly; the Kangaroo Rat Chorus; tree-lizard Boris; Giro the dust devil; Hawk Conchita and the red ants; Lady Treble Clef, a watchful cactus; Paulina, the puma poet; Diana the musical tarantula; Lady Chrona, a sea lion who dreams of flying; a scheming sea gull named Swindler; the beautiful bobcat Miss Mucha Purrs; Mr. Shellie the chatterbox tortoise; and Young Red Fox and his sweet love, the beautiful rabbit Adorna -- along with many others.

Reviewer Essien Asian said, "The author presents educational information in detail while using the dialogue between the characters to stimulate young readers' imaginations. The mix of strategically placed pictures, an engaging narrative style, and thought-provoking subplots regarding these animals ensures that young readers will learn vital lessons in diplomacy and survival from 'Big Ears Jack and Friends' while enjoying a captivating adventure.

In his review on Amazon Mark Winheld stated, "If you're up for more fantasy fun, you'll be tempted by chapter titles like 'Sheriff Diamondback and the Egg-Thieving Coyotes,' or 'Dianna the Musical Tarantula,' or 'Swindler (a thieving seagull) and Big Umpo the Sea Lion,' or 'Lady Treble Clef and Dust Devils Rescue a Javelina Family,' and many more."

An AWA reviewer said, "One of the book’s greatest strengths is its world-building. De Berge weaves the flora and fauna of Baja California into the narrative, making the setting feel like a character itself. Talking cacti, dust devils playing tag, and wise desert tortoises enrich the stories, placing readers in an enchanting ecosystem where the line between reality and fantasy blurs.

"The themes of community, creativity, and environmental respect run throughout the collection. Young readers will enjoy the magical adventures and witty dialogue, while adults will appreciate the underlying messages about cooperation, individuality, and harmony with nature."

‘Big Ears Jack and Friends' is available in print and ebook form on Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/stores/Earl-Vincent-de-Berge/author/B09R6M1G4Y?.

De Berge is also the author of a dramatic and exciting travel memoir, 'A Finger Of Land On An Old Man's Hand'. In this book, readers are immersed with four explorers in a transformative journey through Baja California in 1962 and 1964, inspired by 'The Forgotten Peninsula' by Joseph Wood Krutch. The book received a 5-star review from ReaderViews, and another reviewer called the book, ". . . a beautifully written, fabulous tale of an incredibly brave and daring journey."

Earl has published three collections of his poems, “Allegro to Life,” “Swans to Carry Me,” and “Wind in the Elephant Tree,” which touch on nature, human nature, love, desert silence, and life in Guatemala.

All of de Berge's books are available at Amazon and other online book retailers. More information, including an excerpt from the “Baja book” and a pdf of selected photos with insider details revealing Baja in the 1960s, is available at https://www.earldeberge.com.

About Earl Vincent de Berge:

Author Earl Vincent de Berge is an Arizona native, writer, photographer, and poet. With a master’s degree in political science from the University of Arizona, he founded Behavior Research Center, Inc., and created the respected and widely published Rocky Mountain Poll (RMP), of which he was Editor for 35 years. Earl’s photographs, logbooks, and essays reflecting on life experiences serve as foundations for his prose and poetry. He has recently published three collections of his poems, “Allegro to Life,” “Swans to Carry Me,” and “Wind in the Elephant Tree,” which touch on nature, human nature, love, desert silence, and life in Guatemala. He is currently assembling “The Man Who Ate His Dreams,” a biography of a rags-to-riches businessman, artist, and poet.

Earl and his wife Suzanne split their time between Arizona and Guatemala where they founded the nonprofit Seeds for a Future to help impoverished rural women improve their families’ access to adequate food and nutrition (www.seedsforafuture.org).

Contact:

Earl Vincent de Berge
https://www.earldeberge.com/
edb1326@hotmail.com 

Leia Mais…

Bestselling Author Earl Vincent de Berge Announces Readers Favorite Five Star Review For Teen And YA Bestseller, Big Ears Jack And Friends

'Big Ears Jack and Friends' is a collection of tall tales featuring extraordinary animals and plants from the Sonoran Desert of Baja California.

Earl Vincent de Berge has announced that 'Big Ears Jack And Friends' has received a 5-star review from Readers Favorite.

Reviewer Essien Asian said, "The author presents educational information in detail while using the dialogue between the characters to stimulate young readers' imaginations. The mix of strategically placed pictures, an engaging narrative style, and thought-provoking subplots regarding these animals ensures that young readers will learn vital lessons in diplomacy and survival from 'Big Ears Jack and Friends' while enjoying a captivating adventure.

Earl’s adventures in Baja deepened his youthful fascination with the Sonoran Desert and its plants and animals, and inspired him to write this collection of charming stories for young readers. The main characters are Big Ears Jack – a huge magician jackrabbit – and other animals, birds and plants of the Sonoran Desert and its coastal regions. “Big Ears Jack and Friends,” received a best-seller rating on Amazon, where it is available in both print and e-book formats.

On Amazon, reviewer Mark Winheld stated, "If you're up for more fantasy fun, you'll be tempted by chapter titles like 'Sheriff Diamondback and the Egg-Thieving Coyotes,' or 'Dianna the Musical Tarantula,' or 'Swindler (a thieving seagull) and Big Umpo the Sea Lion,' or 'Lady Treble Clef and Dust Devils Rescue a Javelina Family,' and many more."

An AWA reviewer said, "One of the book’s greatest strengths is its world-building. De Berge weaves the flora and fauna of Baja California into the narrative, making the setting feel like a character itself. Talking cacti, dust devils playing tag, and wise desert tortoises enrich the stories, placing readers in an enchanting ecosystem where the line between reality and fantasy blurs.

"The themes of community, creativity, and environmental respect run throughout the collection. Young readers will enjoy the magical adventures and witty dialogue, while adults will appreciate the underlying messages about cooperation, individuality, and harmony with nature."

Big Ears Jack and Friends' is available in print and ebook form at Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/stores/Earl-Vincent-de-Berge/author/B09R6M1G4Y?.

De Berge is also the author of a travel memoir, 'A Finger Of Land On An Old Man's Hand'. In this book, readers are immersed with four explorers in a transformative journey through Baja California in 1962 and 1964, inspired by 'The Forgotten Peninsula' by Joseph Wood Krutch. Baja proved a formidable challenge to men and equipment within its mountainous, sometimes lush, sometimes barren, desert environments; spectacular geology and complex ecologies bracketed by oceans. They enjoyed encounters with wild animals; found bountiful places to hunt and fish; met frontier families of the kindest sort; experienced Pacific storms, and love in a frontier village; met gold prospectors, hermits and one-of-a-kind characters.

One reviewer called the book, ". . . a beautifully written, fabulous tale of an incredibly brave and daring journey." ReaderViews, in their 5-star review said, "A Finger of Land on an Old Man’s Hand by Earl Vincent de Berge is the stark, witty, and profound memoir of four college students testing their limits on the Baja Peninsula in the summer of 1962. One could think of this as the classic literary assignment, 'How I Spent My Summer Vacation.' Only to do so would be to grossly underestimate this narrative."

Earl has published three collections of his poems, “Allegro to Life,” “Swans to Carry Me,” and “Wind in the Elephant Tree,” which touch on nature, human nature, love, desert silence, and life in Guatemala.

All of de Berge's books are available at Amazon and other online book retailers. More information, including an excerpt from the “Baja book” and a pdf of selected photos with insider details revealing Baja in the 1960s, is available on his website, https://www.earldeberge.com.

About Earl Vincent de Berge:

Author Earl Vincent de Berge is an Arizona native, writer, photographer, and poet. With a master’s degree in political science from the University of Arizona, he founded Behavior Research Center, Inc., and created the respected and widely published Rocky Mountain Poll (RMP), of which he was Editor for 35 years. Earl’s photographs, logbooks, and essays reflecting on life experiences serve as foundations for his prose and poetry. He has recently published three collections of his poems, “Allegro to Life,” “Swans to Carry Me,” and “Wind in the Elephant Tree,” which touch on nature, human nature, love, desert silence, and life in Guatemala.

He is currently assembling “The Man Who Ate His Dreams,” a biography of a rags-to-riches businessman, artist, and poet.

Earl and his wife Suzanne split their time between Arizona and Guatemala where they founded the nonprofit Seeds for a Future to help impoverished rural women improve their families’ access to adequate food and nutrition.

Contact:

Earl Vincent de Berge
https://www.earldeberge.com/
edb1326@hotmail.com

Leia Mais…

Award-Winning Memoir, Love In Any Language By Evelyn Kohl LaTorre, Is An Eye-Opening Book Detailing A Cross-Cultural Marriage

‘Love in Any Language’ was a 2022 Book Excellence Award Winner in Multicultural Non-Fiction and a Readers Choice five-star awardee. She will be appearing on The Authors Show® on July 10, 2025

'Love in Any Language, a Memoir of a Cross-Cultural Marriage', offers readers a refreshing counterpoint to the grim narratives dominating today's immigration headlines. In her book, LaTorre invites us to explore the vibrant, hopeful side of marrying someone from another country. She offers a compelling story of a journey that transcends borders and languages and crafts a story that presents the beauty that can emerge from the complexities of cross-cultural love and marriage.

Love is tested when Evelyn falls in love with Antonio, a handsome university student. At the end of her two-year Peace Corps commitment in Peru, Evelyn finds herself pregnant and the 23-year-olds marry in Cusco and move to Northern California. Evelyn expects her husband to support their family, and Antonio tries to take his place as head of the household. But he must first learn English, complete college, and find a job.

Parenthood, financial stress, the pull of both countries, and long visits from Antonio’s mother threaten to destroy the bonds that brought them together. Readers will delight in witnessing Evelyn come into her own — as a woman, as a wife and as a mother — in this moving depiction of partnership and all the intricacies that encompass marriage and love.

"Today's increasingly multicultural world can benefit from reading this book to learn about the growth experienced from the mixing of cultures," LaTorre stated. "Love in Any Language presents a study of the challenges and joys of a cross-cultural marriage. The serendipity of life is fascinating."

'Love in Any Language' has received rave reviews from readers and reviewers alike. One Amazon reviewer said, "Every new couple heading to the altar should read this." Another stated, "This is a book I could not put down. Every page in LaTorre’s candid and insightful memoir is full of surprises as she leads the reader through the ups and downs of her cross-cultural marriage on her journey through life with her Peruvian husband." Another said, " . . . this is really as good as it gets. Thank you Evelyn for your honesty and your ability to dig deep and tell a story that everyone should hear!"

LaTorre's first memoir, 'Between Inca Walls: A Peace Corps Memoir', follows Evelyn as she joins the Peace Corps and is sent to perform community development work in a small mountain town in the Andes of Perú. There, she and her roommate, Marie, search for meaningful projects and adjust to living with few amenities. Over the course of eighteen months, the two young women work in a hospital, start 4-H clubs, attend campesino meetings, and teach PE in a school with dirt floors. Evelyn is chosen queen of the local boys’ high school and—despite her resolve to resist such temptations—falls in love with a university student.

Evelyn LaTorre will appear on The Authors Show® on July 10 with an interview about 'Love in Any Language'. Both of her memoirs are available at Amazon. Readers can find more information and buy signed copies directly from Evelyn at her website at https://evelynlatorre.com.

About Evelyn LaTorre:

Evelyn LaTorre joined the Peace Corps upon graduation from Holy Names University and was assigned to Peru where she taught PE, English and organized 4-H clubs. She married her husband, a Peruvian university student in Cusco, Peru, in June 1966. Two sons were born, Tony, in 1967, and Tim, in 1971, during the years Evelyn worked for the Alameda County Welfare Dept. and completed a Masters degree in Social Welfare at UC Berkeley. She worked for San Francisco Schools as a Bilingual School Social Worker until she obtained a Psychology Credential at Cal State, Hayward, in 1973. Walter worked as a Computer Program Analyst.

Evelyn worked twenty years as a School Psychologist for the Fremont and San Jose Unified School Districts. In 1983 she completed a doctoral degree at the University of San Francisco. She taught part-time at various universities between 1984 and 1990, including classes in bilingual assessment for the National Hispanic University in Guadalajara, Mexico. She was named Director of Special Education for San Jose Unified in 1990. She concluded 32 years’ work in education in 2002 after eight years as a Special Education Administrator for the Contra Costa County Office of Education.

Contact:

Evelyn LaTorre
elatorre@aol.com
https://EvelynLatorre.com

 

Leia Mais…

Baja Before The Baja 1000: Earl Vincent de Berge's A Finger Of Land On An Old Man's Hand Details A Life Changing Adventure In Baja In The 1960s

'A Finger of Land' by Earl Vincent de Berge is not just a memoir; it is instead a masterful retelling of a journey that unravels the depths of self-discovery and the intricate tapestry of human connection with nature and God.

What was Baja like before the grueling Baja 1000 race?

Beyond the small border towns and a few coastal villages, days could pass with scarcely a sign of human activity. Maybe a small pioneer house for a goatherder family, or a distant windmill. “Roads” were mostly goat trails, precariously narrow and variously of deep sand or strewn with boulders, often bordered by a steep drop-off to open desert below. And the desert! Dense with an amazing variety of plants and animals, and most unexpected and impressive -- profound and powerful SILENCE.

Sounds a lot like a paradise, does it not?

In the eyes of bestselling author Earl Vincent de Berge, it was. His journey through Baja resulted in 'A Finger of Land on an Old Man's Hand', de Berge’s compelling coming of age story detailing his life-changing adventure through the Baja wilderness in the 1960's. It is an exploration of growth, identity, and self-discovery that is both inspirational and transformative. It is a masterful blend of adventure, introspection, and cultural discovery.

'A Finger of Land on an Old Man’s Hand, Adventures In Mexico's Baja Wilderness' is more than just another adventure story; it’s a meditation on resilience, friendship, and the inescapable pull of self-discovery. Each challenge, physical or emotional, becomes a steppingstone in the explorers’ evolution, perhaps reminding readers of their own capacity for growth. It offers a compelling testament to the human spirit's capacity for transformation.

Lovers of the Baja region will find much to explore, as the Baja Peninsula serves as both a backdrop and a mirror. Readers are immersed with the four explorers in a transformative journey through Baja California in 1962 and 1964, inspired by 'The Forgotten Peninsula' by Joseph Wood Krutch.

Baja proved a formidable challenge to men and equipment within its mountainous, sometimes lush, sometimes barren, desert environments; spectacular geology and complex ecologies bracketed by oceans. They enjoyed encounters with wild animals; found bountiful places to hunt and fish; met frontier families of the kindest sort; experienced Pacific storms, and love in a frontier village; met gold prospectors, hermits and one-of-a-kind characters.

They also experienced dramatic incidents of both potential and very real danger – some due to the untamed environment, others thanks to thoughtless visitors or to shadowy villains.

Plant photography was among the author’s interests, only partially foiled by wind-blown sand fouling his camera lens. Photography enthusiasts will be thrilled to know the book offers a treasure trove of previously unreleased photographs of the area.

Most important, they learned about themselves and their relations with nature and religion -- finding their own answers or clarifying what they hoped to better understand.

One reviewer called the book, ". . . a beautifully written, fabulous tale of an incredibly brave and daring journey." ReaderViews, in their 5-star review said, "A Finger of Land on an Old Man’s Hand by Earl Vincent de Berge is the stark, witty, and profound memoir of four college students testing their limits on the Baja Peninsula in the summer of 1962. One could think of this as the classic literary assignment, 'How I Spent My Summer Vacation.' Only to do so would be to grossly underestimate this narrative."

Earl’s adventures in Baja deepened his youthful fascination with the Sonoran Desert and its plants and animals, and inspired him to write a collection of charming stories for young readers. The main characters are Big Ears Jack – a huge magician jackrabbit – and other animals, birds and plants of the Sonoran Desert and its coastal regions. “Big Ears Jack and Friends,” received a 5-star review from Readers’ Favorite, and a best-seller rating on Amazon, where it is available in both print and e-book formats.

Earl also published three collections of his poems, “Allegro to Life,” “Swans to Carry Me,” and “Wind in the Elephant Tree,” which touch on nature, human nature, love, desert silence, and life in Guatemala.

All of de Berge's books are available at Amazon and other online book retailers. More information, including an excerpt from the “Baja book” and a pdf of selected photos with insider details revealing Baja in the 1960s is available on his website, https://www.earldeberge.com.

About Earl Vincent de Berge:

Author Earl Vincent de Berge is an Arizona native, writer, photographer, and poet. With a master’s degree in political science from the University of Arizona, he founded Behavior Research Center, Inc., and created the respected and widely published Rocky Mountain Poll (RMP), of which he was Editor for 35 years. Earl’s photographs, logbooks, and essays reflecting on life experiences serve as foundations for his prose and poetry. He has recently published three collections of his poems, “Allegro to Life,” “Swans to Carry Me,” and “Wind in the Elephant Tree,” which touch on nature, human nature, love, desert silence, and life in Guatemala.

He has just published a delightful book of young reader stories in which the main characters are animals and birds of the Sonoran Desert and coastal regions of Baja, and is currently assembling “The Man Who Ate His Dreams,” a biography of a rags-to-riches businessman, artist, and poet.

Earl and his wife Suzanne split their time between Arizona and Guatemala where they founded the nonprofit Seeds for a Future to help impoverished rural women improve their families’ access to adequate food and nutrition.

Contact:

Earl Vincent de Berge
https://www.earldeberge.com/
edb1326@hotmail.com 

Leia Mais…

Trauterose: One Woman's Epic Journey Of Survival And Courage In Post-War Germany

Elisabeth Haggblade's eyewitness account, winner of the 2024 Indie Reader Discovery Award, will likely be regarded as one of the best accounts ever written about post-World War II Germany.

While there have been many WWII memoirs published, one stands out due to its unique insight: 'Trauterose: Growing Up in Postwar Munich' by Elisabeth Haggblade. It is an extraordinary memoir and a seminal work on post-Hitler Germany, distinguished not only by the author's intimate encounters with historical figures, but also by its expansive global perspective.

'Trauterose' garnered critical acclaim, winning the 2024 IndieReader Discovery Award in the Memoir category and securing First Place Non-Fiction in The Authors Show 2024 Book Cover Awards. It is a compelling story that transcends the ordinary and offers a fresh, profound look into a pivotal era in our history.

'Trauterose' is the compelling first-person account of Elisabeth Haggblade, who was orphaned at birth at the height of World War II and spent the first eleven years of her life under the care of a former S.S. officer and his family.

Like many she knew and met during her formative years, Elisabeth was marked both physically and psychologically by the traumatic events of the war and its aftermath, where negotiating daily life during the most tenuous time in Germany's history often felt like a balancing act. Yet through it all, faith and the help of others prevailed.

One person aiding and delivering faith was the late Pope Benedict XVI,  known then as Herr Joseph Ratzinger, teacher of catechism in our fourth-grade class in the 1950s.  After he left our school, his hand-written letter spelled out the proper path to follow in growing up :  “If one buttons one’s coat the wrong way, one would have to undo all of it and start over again to make it right.  So it is with life,” admonishing us “to choose the right beginning.”

In short, 'Trauterose' is the account of one person's search for humanity in existence—a cautionary tale on the inherited guilt created by rampant nationalism, and a painfully honest and often humorous view of the world through the eyes of a young woman who found her way to freedom and purpose.

Readers and reviewers have expressed praise for Trauterose. Craig Jones of IndieReader wrote, "TRAUTEROSE (Growing Up in Postwar Munich) by Elisabeth Haggblade offers an uncompromising, moving, and elegiac memoir of a deprived childhood in postwar Germany." Midwest Book Review said, "Libraries seeking powerful, personal memoirs that hold political and social lessons and insights will find Trauterose a study in adaptation, survival, and growth. It also deserves attention from young adult and adult book clubs seeking memoirs that reflect not just individual experience, but a sense of the culture and times."

One Amazon review stated, "The book is extremely well written, and I would recommend it highly." Another said, "I highly recommend this book. It will touch your heart." Another wrote, "It offers an unforgettable window into a time and place that few Americans know about."

Elisabeth Haggblade is available for media interviews and can be reached at don@freepublicitygroup.com. 'Trauterose' is available in both print and ebook forms at Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/stores/Elisabeth-Haggblade/author/B0CTRXLF9G?. More information is available at her website at https://www.trauteroseauthor.com.

About Elisabeth Haggblade:

Elisabeth Haggblade holds a B.A. in German, a B.A. in Russian, a Master's in Linguistics from California State University, Fresno, and a PhD in English Philology from the Freie Universität Berlin. She retired from teaching part-time English and Linguistics at California State Universities and the Freie Universität Berlin. Her publications began with academic articles and book reviews as well as book reviews of fiction in The Los Angeles Times. She resides in California.

Contact:

Elisabeth Haggblade
don@freepublicitygroup.com
https://www.trauteroseauthor.com

Leia Mais…

Trauterose, A Memoir Of Resilience And Redemption In Post-Hitler Germany, Receives 2024 IndieReader Discovery Award

Haggblade's eyewitness account will likely be regarded as one of the best accounts ever written about post-World War II Germany.

There have been many memoirs written about WWII and the Holocaust. Perhaps none are as interesting as 'Trauterose: Growing Up in Postwar Munich' by Elisabeth Haggblade. Her remarkable memoir is certain to become one of the definitive accounts of post-Hitler Germany, not only for its exquisite prose and the author's intimate encounters with notable figures but also for the sweeping global perspective that Haggblade brings to her narrative. ‘Trauterose' was awarded the IndieReader Discovery Award in the Memoir category. In addition, the cover was awarded First Place Non-Fiction in The Authors Show 2024 Book Cover Awards.

'Trauterose' is the compelling first-person account of Elisabeth Haggblade, who was orphaned at birth at the height of World War II and spent the first eleven years of her life under the care of a former S.S. officer and his family.

Like many she knew and met during her formative years, Elisabeth was marked both physically and psychologically by the traumatic events of the war and its aftermath, where negotiating daily life during the most tenuous time in Germany's history often felt like a balancing act. Yet through it all, faith and the help of others prevailed.

"The late Pope Benedict XVI, known then as Mr. Ratzinger, taught catechism in our fourth-grade elementary school in Munich for a short while," Haggblade stated. "I wrote to him after he left because we missed him. He wrote back a long letter admonishing us to start our lives right. Even as Pope in Rome, he always wrote back.

"Christine Kaufmann, the German actress, was a student for a little while in our elementary school, making a glamorous impression before leaving for more acting and later marrying Tony Curtis.

"My foster father was dismissed from the S.S. He wanted out, but one did not resign from the S.S. One was shot. As he told me, while serving as a door guard for a special S.S. officers' function, my foster father confronted a man trying to enter in civilian clothes who refused to show his ID. A futile exchange of words ended in my foster father grabbing him and tossing him onto the sidewalk. The man filed a complaint with the highest orders to which he belonged. It put the S.S. in a dilemma, so they decided to eject my much lower-ranking foster father from the party.

"He was incarcerated in Dachau by the American Allies, where the Jews had been before him. He stood trial, where Jewish people defended him, verifying that he let their mail pass without inspection. My foster father was freed.

"Today the jog of American athletes entering the stadium brings back seeing a newsreel showing participants in the Hitler assassination attempt in 1944. They entered a cellar in Berlin in a jog, wearing only warm-up pants (which were later pulled off), lining up below iron hooks before being strung up with piano wire to hang.

“My mother's house was in a village near Garmisch-Partenkirchen (the Winter Olympics took place there in 1936), where I spent some time helping her with her B&B business and came away with not very good memories.

"Mine is perhaps not so much a Holocaust book, as I describe the long reluctance of the public and businesses to confront past atrocities; e.g., the employment of slave laborers. I write about the present recovery of stolen art during the Hitler era and Germany’s efforts to educate the young about the Holocaust."

In short, 'Trauterose' is the account of one person's search for humanity in existence—a cautionary tale on the inherited guilt created by rampant nationalism, and a painfully honest and often humorous view of the world through the eyes of a young woman who found her way to freedom and purpose.

Readers and reviewers have expressed praise for Trauterose. Craig Jones of IndieReader wrote, "TRAUTEROSE (Growing Up in Postwar Munich) by Elisabeth Haggblade offers an uncompromising, moving, and elegiac memoir of a deprived childhood in postwar Germany." Midwest Book Review said, "Libraries seeking powerful, personal memoirs that hold political and social lessons and insights will find Trauterose a study in adaptation, survival, and growth. It also deserves attention from young adult and adult book clubs seeking memoirs that reflect not just individual experience, but a sense of the culture and times."

One Amazon review stated, "The book is extremely well written, and I would recommend it highly." Another said, "I highly recommend this book. It will touch your heart." Another wrote, "It offers an unforgettable window into a time and place that few Americans know about."

Elisabeth Haggblade is available for media interviews and can be reached at don@freepublicitygroup.com. 'Trauterose' is available in both print and ebook forms at Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/stores/Elisabeth-Haggblade/author/B0CTRXLF9G?. More information is available at her website at https://www.trauteroseauthor.com.

About Elisabeth Haggblade:

Elisabeth Haggblade holds a B.A. in German, a B.A. in Russian, a Master's in Linguistics from California State University, Fresno, and a PhD in English Philology from the Freie Universität Berlin. She retired from teaching part-time English and Linguistics at California State Universities and the Freie Universität Berlin. Her publications began with academic articles and book reviews as well as book reviews of fiction in The Los Angeles Times. She resides in California.

Contact:

Elisabeth Haggblade
don@freepublicitygroup.com
https://www.trauteroseauthor.com

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Exploring Baja in the 1960s: Earl Vincent de Berge’s Memoir, A Finger of Land on an Old Man’s Hand, Captivates and Inspires Readers Of All Ages

'A Finger of Land' by Earl Vincent de Berge is not just a memoir; it is instead a masterful retelling of a journey that unravels the depths of self-discovery and the intricate tapestry of human connection with nature and God.

Coming-of-age stories offer an exploration of growth, identity, and self-discovery. This is why they resonate so with readers. They describe a pivotal time in our lives when we seek purpose, growth, emotional connections, and perhaps even the meaning of life itself. Reading about the journey of others can also create a safe space to confront our own fears, dreams, and aspirations. They offer a look into how others navigate the universal challenges of growing up. They can be inspirational, and they can be transformative.

Some of these stories are in a class by themselves. They become touchstones for their unique ability to transport and transform. Earl Vincent de Berge’s memoir, 'A Finger of Land on an Old Man’s Hand', is one such story, offering a masterful blend of adventure, introspection, and cultural discovery.

'A Finger of Land on an Old Man’s Hand' is more than just another adventure story; it’s a meditation on resilience, friendship, and the inescapable pull of self-discovery. Each challenge—be it physical or emotional—becomes a steppingstone in the explorers’ evolution, perhaps reminding readers of their own capacity for growth. It offers a compelling testament to the human spirit's capacity for transformation.

The Baja Peninsula serves as both a backdrop and a mirror. It immerses readers in four explorers' transformative journey through Baja California in 1962 and 1964, inspired by 'The Forgotten Peninsula' by Joseph Wood Krutch.

Photography enthusiasts will be thrilled to know the book offers a treasure trove of previously unreleased photographs of the area.

One reviewer called the book, ". . . a beautifully written, fabulous tale of an incredibly brave and daring journey." ReaderViews, in their 5-star review said, "A Finger of Land on an Old Man’s Hand by Earl Vincent de Berge is the stark, witty, and profound memoir of four college students testing their limits on the Baja Peninsula in the summer of 1962. One could think of this as the classic literary assignment, 'How I Spent My Summer Vacation.' Only to do so would be to grossly underestimate this narrative."

Earl’s adventures in Baja deepened his youthful fascination with the Sonoran Desert and its plants and animals, and inspired him to write a collection of charming stories for young readers. The main characters are Big Ears Jack – a huge magician jackrabbit – and other animals, birds and plants of the Sonoran Desert and its coastal regions. 'Big Ears Jack and Friends,' is now available on Amazon in both print and ebook formats.

To date, Earl has also published three collections of his poems, 'Allegro to Life,' 'Swans to Carry Me,' and 'Wind in the Elephant Tree,' which touch on nature, human nature, love, desert silence, and life in Guatemala.

All of de Berge's books are available at Amazon and other online book retailers. More information, including an excerpt from the book and a PDF of selected photos with insider details revealing Baja in the 1960s is available at his website at https://www.earldeberge.com/.

About Earl Vincent de Berge:

Author Earl Vincent de Berge is an Arizona native, writer, photographer, and poet. With a master’s degree in political science from the University of Arizona, he founded Behavior Research Center, Inc., and created the respected and widely published Rocky Mountain Poll (RMP), of which he was Editor for 35 years. Earl’s photographs, logbooks, and essays reflecting on life experiences serve as foundations for his prose and poetry. He has recently published three collections of his poems, 'Allegro to Life,' 'Swans to Carry Me,' and 'Wind in the Elephant Tree,' which touch on nature, human nature, love, desert silence, and life in Guatemala.

Earl has just published “Big Ears Jack and Friends,” a book of young reader stories in which the main characters are animals and birds of the Sonoran Desert and coastal regions of Baja and he is currently assembling 'The Man Who Ate His Dreams,' a biography of a rags-to-riches businessman, artist, and poet.

Earl and his wife Suzanne split their time between Arizona and Guatemala where they founded the nonprofit Seeds for a Future to help impoverished rural women improve their families’ access to adequate food and nutrition.

Contact:

Earl Vincent de Berge

https://www.earldeberge.com/

edb1326@hotmail.com

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Coming Of Age In Baja In The 1960s - Earl Vincent de Berge's Bestselling Biography, A Finger Of Land On An Old Man's Hand, Is Both Compelling And Profound

 'A Finger of Land' by Earl Vincent de Berge is not just a memoir; it is instead a masterful retelling of a journey that unravels the depths of self-discovery and the intricate tapestry of human connection with nature and God.

Coming-of-age stories provide a unique perspective on growth and self-discovery. During that time in our lives, many of us are seeking an identity or our life's purpose—an emotional connection, the meaning of life perhaps. Readers enjoy these types of stories immensely, as they offer a safe space to explore their own fears, dreams, and aspirations. They can provide a roadmap or perhaps give us an insider's view regarding how others have approached those all-important life issues. The enduring appeal of coming-of-age stories offers inspiration to readers of all ages.

While every coming-of-age story is necessarily unique, some stand head and shoulders above the ever-growing crowd. One such book is Earl Vincent de Berge's memoir of exploring Baja during the 1960s. It is a story that is as enlightening as it is engaging.

'A Finger of Land on An Old Man's Hand' immerses readers in four explorers' transformative journey through Baja California in 1962 and 1964, inspired by 'The Forgotten Peninsula' by Joseph Wood Krutch. This riveting narrative transports readers into the untamed landscapes of 1960s Baja, where rugged mountains, lush oases, and harsh deserts collide with the vast ocean. It's a tale that resonates deeply, evoking the longing for youthful adventures many of us harbor.

Through evocative prose and striking, previously unreleased photographs, the book chronicles the explorers' encounters with Baja wildlife, the warmth of frontier families, and the relentless Pacific storms. Against this dramatic backdrop unfolds a saga of profound discovery, resilience, and personal evolution. From encounters with gold prospectors to meetings with reclusive hermits, each character's narrative weaves together thrilling challenges, adventurous escapades, and spiritual growth, offering a compelling testament to the human spirit's capacity for transformation.

“I wrote my “Finger of Land” narrative to record a life-changing adventure and to inspire young and not so young readers interested in learning what exploration of a wilderness desert can teach; about the challenges and rewards in store for those who would pit their brains, skills and physical stamina against an unforgiving wilderness. But more important,” notes de Berge, “the book relates how adventurers, each in their own way, learned to calmly overcome nature’s trials that seemed to await us around every bend in the trail -- if there was a trail. Every experience strengthened our self-confidence, polished our individual survivals skills and deepened our respect for people of a culture new to us. I found myself pausing every day to examine my worldviews relative to everything -- from the environment to the ways in which dirt-poor settlers opened their hearts to the ethic that they are their brother’s keeper."

One reviewer called the book, ". . . a beautifully written, fabulous tale of an incredibly brave and daring journey." ReaderViews, in their 5-star review said, "A Finger of Land on an Old Man’s Hand by Earl Vincent de Berge is the stark, witty, and profound memoir of four college students testing their limits on the Baja Peninsula in the summer of 1962. One could think of this as the classic literary assignment, 'How I Spent My Summer Vacation.' Only to do so would be to grossly underestimate this narrative."

Earl’s adventures in Baja deepened his youthful fascination with the Sonoran Desert and its plants and animals, and inspired him to write collection of charming stories for young readers. The main characters are Big Ears Jack – a huge magician jackrabbit – and other animals, birds and plants of the Sonoran Desert and its coastal regions. “Big Ears Jack and Friends,” will be published this summer.

Earl also published three collections of his poems, “Allegro to Life,” “Swans to Carry Me,” and “Wind in the Elephant Tree,” which touch on nature, human nature, love, desert silence, and life in Guatemala.

All of de Berge's books are available at Amazon and other online book retailers. More information, including an excerpt from the book and a pdf of selected photos with insider details revealing Baja in the 1960s is available at his website at https://www.earldeberge.com/.

About Earl Vincent de Berge:

Author Earl Vincent de Berge is an Arizona native, writer, photographer, and poet. With a master’s degree in political science from the University of Arizona, he founded Behavior Research Center, Inc., and created the respected and widely published Rocky Mountain Poll (RMP), of which he was Editor for 35 years. Earl’s photographs, logbooks, and essays reflecting on life experiences serve as foundations for his prose and poetry. He has recently published three collections of his poems, “Allegro to Life,” “Swans to Carry Me,” and “Wind in the Elephant Tree,” which touch on nature, human nature, love, desert silence, and life in Guatemala.

He is currently assembling “The Man Who Ate His Dreams,” a biography of a rags-to-riches businessman, artist, and poet, and a book of young reader stories in which the main characters are animals and birds of the Sonoran Desert and coastal regions of Baja.

Earl and his wife Suzanne split their time between Arizona and Guatemala where they founded the nonprofit Seeds for a Future to help impoverished rural women improve their families’ access to adequate food and nutrition.

Contact:

Earl Vincent de Berge
https://www.earldeberge.com/
edb1326@hotmail.com

 

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