The book is based on a certification program that Mr. Cole participated in that taught students about computer networking.

Cole, a Burien resident, spent over 30 years in the computing field, with experience on mainframe computers as well as PCs and servers. “Flashmath for Windows 95″ is a flash card program that Cole wrote many years ago which is still in use today.

The idea for “Colt O’brien Sees the Light” came from personal experience working with high school students over a two-year period.

Here’s the publisher description of the novel:

Colt O’brien sees himself as the most savvy computer technician at Highline High. The energetic senior, with his bright, colorful attire and cocky attitude, knows that he is the best. Colt is cruising through senior year, but his life is about to be turned upside down. A new computer program will challenge his credibility and his psychic powers will emerge when he least expects. Hang on Colt!

Cole lives in Burien with his wife and dog, and this is his first novel.

To download your FREE Ebook, available in 10 different formats, click here.

Normandy Park 'Geek' Don R. Crawley.

Normandy Park resident ‘Geek’ Don R. Crawley has co-written a new book, called ‘The Compassionate Geek: Mastering Customer Service for IT Professionals,’ aimed at helping IT professionals learn all-important customer service skills.

Crawley is quite accomplished as an author, speaker, musician and actor. He also is president/chief technologist of IT training firm soundtraining.net, has spoken before audiences in all 50 states, plus Canada, the U.K. and Australia, has appeared in numerous local films and plays (most recently in Burien Little Theatre’s production of ‘Unfound Fossils’), is an ensemble cast member in Seattle Theatre Readers, and plays the pipe organ at Southminster Presbyterian Church in Des Moines.

“In his spare time, he laughs with his family, howls with his dogs, and watches the ships on Puget Sound from his home in Normandy Park,” reads his bio.

He also wrote the ‘Accidental Administrator’ series of books for IT pros, and adds this about his ‘Geek’ role:

As a longtime IT author and trainer, I get phone calls and emails every week from C-level execs, business owners, and HR managers who are frustrated with their IT staff.  They tell me that their IT staff members are technically competent, but lack the necessary customer service skills to help end-users with their jobs.  That’s why my co-author Paul Senness and I wrote ‘The Compassionate Geek: Mastering Customer Service for I.T. Professionals.’  In this short (164 pages) book, you’ll find:

• The four intrinsic qualities of great customer service providers
• How to use emotional intelligence skills to deliver great tech support
• How to say “no” without alienating the end-user
• How to listen so you understand
• Ways to maintain your calm and manage job stress

Here are some links to info on Don:

• Don’s business website: www.soundtraining.net
• The Compassionate Geek book page on Amazon: http://amzn.com/145371278X
• Don’s Amazon author’s page: http://amazon.doncrawley.com

[EDITOR'S NOTE: We love to profile authors, artists, filmmakers, musicians, 'geeks' and other talented local folk, so if you know someone who lives in the general area you think is worthy of a story, please email us!]

After suffering from being bullied at a young age, Burien Author Jacquie Ream has recently launched a “Don’t Be a Bully Dog” program to help create awareness, educate and offer productive dialogue for schools, churches, and youth focused organizations.

“We see it in the news every day—bullying on the playground, in the classroom, on the internet, and even through text messaging,” reads a press release. “Sadly, even the youngest of children can be targets of the devastating effects of bullying.”

The program developed by Ms. Ream, who herself was bullied at a young age, is the author’s effort to utilize fictional characters and stories to encourage children to openly discuss a topic that many shy away from out of fear of retaliation.

“When I was growing up, bullying occurred mostly in the school yard,” says Ream.  “It was something that wasn’t discussed much and we sure didn’t tell our teachers in fear of being called ‘tattletales.’  But now, with cell phones and the internet, bullying can happen anytime and everywhere and children have to understand why it is happening to them and what they can do about it, or the consequences, as we see on the news every day, can be detrimental.”

Ream’s efforts to help children grasp the complexities of bullying started with the first book in her new Bully Dogs series written for children from kindergarten through middle school. Her first book, and series namesake, Bully Dogs, and her second book, YNK (You Never Know), are gaining popularity with children and adults alike. Although the series is based on fictional characters, the events and challenges the characters face are very real.  In the first book (Bully Dogs), the main character, Fran, is victimized by not only the bullies in her school, but those of the canine persuasion in the neighborhood.  When the bullies at school are intent on destroying her beloved volleyball team, Fran must decide whether to “stand up” or “sit out” the tough times.  In Ream’s second book (YNK), Fran is exposed to the drama of cyber bullying and bullying by text.  But this time it is Fran who must decide whether it is easier to become a bully than fight the technology world.

As a former educator herself, Ream knew that if she could create stories and characters that children would enjoy reading and talking about, she could create a vehicle for greater discussion about bullying in an open and safe environment.

In addition to writing the books for children to read, Ream also created class discussion talking points, activities, and a “Don’t be a Bully Dog Pledge.”  All are utilized during her in-person presentations to educators, schools, youth groups, and parents’ groups across the state of Washington.  To ensure that children and teachers have access to her program and her books prior to her visit, she also included a free travelling lending library.

Jacquie Ream’s “Don’t Be a Bully Dog” program is available at no charge.  More information about the program, and author visits, is available at www.jacquieream.com.

“I truly believe that I can use my experience as a victim of bullying, and my stories, to make a difference,” says Ream.  “If children can be empowered to say “No” to bullying, the media reports and stories will start to dwindle.  I may have come to a place of peace around my childhood, but fighting against the horror of bullying is one fight I’m not willing to give up on–ever!”

ABOUT JACQUIE:
Jacquie Ream was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.  She attended college by way of writing scholarships, and received her Master’s degree in creative writing from the University of Washington.  She has written three children’s books, including the first two books of the Bully Dog Series, and KISS – Keep It Short and Simple – A reference book for school children, teachers and parents that shows “simply” the Easy Steps for Better Writing.

Jacquie has taught classes in creative writing for ages five through 65 years of age and is a passionate advocate for the importance of learning proper writing skills. She has been interviewed numerous times, around the issues of bullying, cyber bullying, and writing.  Jacquie currently lives in Burien with her husband.

More information about Jacquie and the books she has written is available at www.jacquieream.com.

Burien resident Jack Burke, 89, a retired pilot, recently wrote a memoir about his exploits, called “A Life Aloft: From Montana Roots to Pan Am Wings.“

A native of Montana, Jack began his aviation career at a young age. His new book spans his nearly eight-decade career, which he calls a “hobby.” He flew nearly every new plane to “fly the line,” and crossed paths with dozens of memorable characters who became close friends who shaped his career. From the majestic Big Sky country of Montana to the remote, unrelenting wilds of Alaska, from wartime Europe to war torn Southeast Asia, from the boundless South Pacific to the eerily desolate north Pole – and nearly all points in between – Jack Burke shares a lot of stories from his 75-years of flying.

“Ride along with him, share first-hand the thrills, chills and occasional near-spills of a unique and remarkable life aloft,” reads a press release.

Here’s more info on his book:

Burke transferred to New York to fly the majestic flying boats across wartime North Atlantic, finished his service in World War Two in the Aleutians, and would return to serve in both the Air Force and Navy in the Korean and Vietnam Wars. Amazingly, Jack’s ? “best day ever” with Pan Am was January 31, 1968, the first day of the gruesome Tet Offensive, when he made a daring landing with his 707 into besieged Saigon Airport and delivered more than 200 trapped civilians—many of them children—to safety. “All those little kids,” he recalls with a smile. And surely they have never forgotten him.

Retired from Pan Am in 1982, Jack had a 40-year career as an instructor, check pilot and even Chief Pilot—although he always preferred to ?fly the line.? But it was never a job to him. “I got paid for my hobby,” he says. Everyone should be so lucky.

Home base was in Seattle, where he remains today and still logs air time. In the book, he regales readers with some of his fondest memories including the chance to meet with many interesting people up in the air, such as the time he flew the Beatles at the height of their career, and forgetting to get their autographs for his daughter. She forgave him.

Sadly, the love of Jack’s life and his wife of 65 years, “Scotty,” succumbed to cancer in 2007. But her bright memory lives on, in many of the stories and photographs represented in this historical and loving tale of his journey in the air. A Life Aloft is a love story of many dimensions.

Listen to a recent interview with Jack produced by KUOW here.

Jack’s book can be purchased online here:

A Life Aloft (From Montana Roots to Pan Am Wings)

Twenty-five ginormous book covers have suddenly appeared on and around various Burien businesses, seemingly turning sleepy little B-Town into a giant library.

Actually, they’re all part of the King County Library System’s “Book Cover Walking Tour,” a display of over 100 framed book jacket covers turned into outdoor art pieces placed in eight cities around the county and on display through the end of March. Other participating  communities include Bellevue, Issaquah, Kent, Kirkland, Mercer Island, Renton and Vashon.

“The inspiration for the tour is to provide an opportunity for the public to interact and engage with books in a fun and unique way,” reads a statement on the KCLS website.

All of the book covers on the Tour are reprinted with permission of the publisher, so if you’re some hungry, greedy lawyer looking for trouble, just fuggetaboutit.

Here are a couple of pics of some oversized book covers we found:

Outside the Tin Theater is Robert B. Parker's "Appaloosa": When Virgil Cole and Everett Hitch arrive in Appaloosa, they find a small, dusty town suffering at the hands of Randall Bragg, a renegade rancher with so little regard for the law that he has killed the city marshal and one of his deputies.

Just west of 909 Coffee & Wine is Dave Eggers' "What the What," a biographical novel that traces the story of Valentino Achak Deng, who as a boy was separated from his family when his village in southern Sudan was attacked, and he became one of the estimated 17,000 “lost boys of Sudan” before relocating from a Kenyan refugee camp to Atlanta in 2001.

Here’s a full list of where you can find all 25 around B-Town, along with Audio Tour explanations of each – looks like a great walking tour:

909 Coffee & Wine 909 SW 152nd Street 98166	What is the What Dave Eggers Vintage (Random House)  This biographical novel traces the story of Valentino Achak Deng, who as a boy was separated from his family when his village in southern Sudan was attacked, and he became one of the estimated 17,000 “lost boys of Sudan” before relocating from a Kenyan refugee camp to Atlanta in 2001.
Burien Library 400 SW 152nd Street 98166	Blood Hina Naomi Hirahara Minotaur Books (Macmillan  Mas Arai is all set to be the best man at his friend Haruo’s wedding, until an ancient Japanese doll display owned by Haruo’s fiance goes missing, prompting Mas to take the case to clear his friend’s name, in an investigation that uncovers a world of deception and murder.
	Framed Gordon Korman Scholastic Press  In this sequel to Swindle and Zoobreak, Griffin Bing is in trouble again! When a Super Bowl ring disappears from the school’s display case he is framed for the crime. Will he be able to solve the mystery in time?
Burien Town Square 455 SW 152nd Street 98166	Gulf Music Robert Pinsky Farrar, Straus and Giroux (Macmillan)  These poems by the former Poet Laureate of the United States span a wide range of topics, including love and war, the architecture of small towns, and objects on top of a desk.
	Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cat T. S. Eliot Harcourt Brace Jovanovich  This famous collection of nonsense verse about feline characters was the inspiration for the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical, Cats. Cover from OLD POSSUM’S BOOK OF PRACTICAL CATS by T.S. Eliot drawings by Edward Gorey. Jacket Design © 1982 by Edward Gorey. Used by permission of Harcourt Books, an imprint of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
CC’s Lounge 635 SW 152nd Street 98166	Black Mirror Nancy Werlin Dial Books for Young People (Penguin Group)  Sixteen-year-old Frances begins an investigation to prove her brother’s death was murder rather than suicide after suspicious student activities at her boarding school.
Danish Bakery 825 SW 152nd Street 98166	The Sneetches and Other Stories Dr. Seuss Random House  In this collection, the famous doctor of rhyme serves up four wild stories that are not only entertaining but also teach valuable lessons about human nature: The Sneetches, The Zax, The Many Daves, and What was I Scared Of?
Elliott Bay Brewhouse 255 SW 152nd Street 98166	Robot Dreams Sara Varon First Second (Macmillan)  In this poignant and wordless graphic novel about friendship, Dog orders a mail-order robot kit and builds himself a best buddy. They are happy together until a trip to the beach results in their separation. Will Dog and Robot ever find each other again?
Glass Expressions 648 SW 152nd Street 98166	The Affinity Bridge George Mann Tor (Macmillan)  In an alternate-universe London marked by airships, robots, and a Queen Victoria who is kept alive by a primitive life-support system, agents Newbury and Hobbes investigate the wreckage of a crashed airship while attempting to solve a string of murders.
Goodie Gumdrops 816 SW 152nd Street 98166	No, David! David Shannon Blue Sky Press (Scholastic)  In this autobiographical picture book, a mischievous boy is depicted doing a variety of things which he should not. But don’t worry, in the end he gets a hug. From NO, DAVID! by David Shannon. Scholastic Inc./The Blue Sky Press. Copyright © 1998 by David Shannon. Used by permission.
Grand Central Bakery 626 SW 152nd Street 98166	Annie and the Wild Animals Jan Brett Houghton Mifflin Cover from ANNIE AND THE WILD ANIMALS by Jan Brett.  When Annie’s cat disappears, she attempts friendship with a variety of unsuitable woodland animals. Will Annie find a new animal friend? The beautiful illustrations foretell the emergence of spring and the birth of kittens. Copyright © 1985 by Jan Brett. Used by permission of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Howard & Marge 901 SW 152nd Street 98166	Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People’s Ears Verna Aardema Dial Press (Penguin Books)  This retelling of a West African folktale reveals how the mosquito developed its annoying habit while imparting a lesson about how one’s actions affect others.
John L. Scott 930 SW 152nd Street 98166	The Enormous Room E. E. Cummings Penguin Books (Penguin Group  In 1917 Cummings served in a Red Cross ambulance unit on the Western Front. His free-spirited, combative ways got him tagged as a possible enemy of La Patrie, and he was sent to a French concentration camp. Unexpectedly, under the vilest conditions, he discovers what it means to become free.
Karuna Arts Studio 819 SW 152nd Street 98166	Ca Dao Vietnam (Vietnamese Folk Poetry) John Balaban Copper Canyon Press  During the Vietnam war, John Balaban traveled the Vietnamese countryside alone, taping, transcribing, and translating oral folk poems known as “ca dao.” He walked up to farmers, fishermen, seamstresses, and monks and said, “Sing me your favorite poem,” and they did. Jacket art copyright ©2010 by Jennifer Taylor from FRAMED by Gordon Korman. Scholastic Inc./Scholastic Press. Used by permission.
Law Offices of Doug Moreland 417 SW 152nd Street 98166	Charlotte’s Web E. B. White HarperCollins Publishers  In a story beloved by generations, Wilbur the pig is desolate when he discovers that he is destined to be the farmer’s Christmas dinner until his spider friend, Charlotte, decides to help him.
Mark Restaurant & Bar 918 SW 152nd Street 98166	Shark’s Fin and Sichuan Pepper Fuchsia Dunlop W. W. Norton  This food writer creates a memoir that combines her love of travel with her respect for Chinese cuisine.  After obtaining a study scholarship in China, she enrolls in a professional chef’s program then researches the cuisine for her cookbooks.
Miller Paint 636 SW 152nd Street 98166	Bookseller of Kabul Åsne Seierstad Little Brown (Hachette)  The Norwegian journalist provides a portrait of a committed Muslim man and his family living in post-Taliban Kabul, Afghanistan.
Natural Pet Pantry 830 SW 152nd Street 98166	Windy City Scott Simon Random House  A widower transplanted from India with two Americanized daughters, Sonny Roopini is an alderman in Chicago’s city government and finds himself thrust into the limelight thanks to the sudden death of the mayor.
Photography by Steven 243 SW 152nd Street 98166	Avielle of Rhia 219 Dia Calhoun Marshall Cavendish  Taught to hate and fear the heritage that sets her apart from most people of the kingdom, fifteen-year-old Princess Avielle of Rhia must finally embrace the magic of her Dredonian ancestors to save the very people who scorn her.
Sal’s Deli 15212 6th SW 98166	The Calligrapher’s Daughter Eugenia Kim Henry Holt (Macmillan) Reprinted courtesy of Henry Holt and Company  In early twentieth-century Korea, the privileged daughter of a calligrapher, is sent to serve as a companion to the princess, only to see the monarchy crumble after the king’s assassination and be sent on her own journey through increasing oppression.
Sterling Bank 244 SW 152nd Street 98166	Nuns Having Fun Maureen Kelly Workman  Hallelujah, it’s a book! The 125 photos of nuns in full habit, cutting loose – are vintage 1950’s and 60’s images with retro charm. The former parochial school students who compiled the book explore the lore and legends surrounding nuns, with good humor and respect.
Tin Room Bar & Theatre 923 SW 152nd Street 98166	Appaloosa Robert B. Parker G.P. Putnam’s Sons (Penguin Group)  When Virgil Cole and Everett Hitch arrive in Appaloosa, they find a small, dusty town suffering at the hands of Randall Bragg, a renegade rancher with so little regard for the law that he has killed the city marshal and one of his deputies.
Town Square Dentistry 610 SW 152nd Street 98166	The Consequences of Love Sulaiman Addonia Random House  A Romeo and Juliet story set against the strict Muslim laws of Saudi Arabia, a sensuous and intensely wrought story of a young immigrant and a girl behind the veil who defy law and risk their lives to be together.
Vino Bello Wine Bar 636 SW 152nd Street 98166	Hungry Woman in Paris Josefina López Grand Central Publishing (Hachette)  From the celebrated author of Real Women Have Curves, a young woman, disillusioned with life, runs away to Paris and enrolls in cooking school to reawaken her senses and mend her broken heart.
Windermere Real Estate 401 SW 152nd Street 98166	Antiques to Die For Jane K. Cleland St. Martin’s Minotaur (Macmillan)  When Josie Prescott leaves a high-paying job in New York to set up shop as an antiques appraiser on the rugged New Hampshire coast, her life does not go exactly according to plan: dead bodies keep crossing her path.

We think the only thing that could’ve made this concept a little better would have been to include book jacket covers from local authors (like Ann Rule, Shawn Underwood or George Matthew Cole) or from books that use Burien in various scenes (Robert Dugoni).

by Ralph Nichols

“Through a terrifying experience, I became involved in a fight against a local airport expansion. What I learned about jet emissions caused me great alarm and pushed me deep into a battle with nearly every agency in my state. These local issues turned into national and international aviation watch organizations working to unravel what appears to me to be a cover-up by the industry. The outcome of many of these battles, some of which turned into major discovery processes is disturbing.”

– Debi Wagner

A married working mom who lives with her family close to Sea-Tac International Airport in Burien – and a local airport communities activist for the last 17 years – Debi Wagner is the Author of the recently released book Over My Head.

Her first book, released in January by Trafford Publishing, Over My Head chronicles Wagner’s personal involvement and research into commercial jets and airport flight operations, which she says “spray cancer-causing chemicals from jet exhaust over homes, schools and playgrounds.”

She will have a book signing on Saturday, March 5, from 1 to 3 p.m. at Burien Books in Olde Burien. Over My Head is also available as a Kindle book from Amazon and a Nook book from Barnes & Noble.

The genesis of Wagner’s book – the experience that got her involved – occurred one morning before sunrise in the early 1990s.

“A military jet passed very low over my house in a thick fog. Its low altitude in the fog intensified the sound, and because military jet engines have a different sound, I thought the plane was in trouble. It scared the living daylights out of me.”

In the wake of this incident, Wagner started asking questions. “I wanted to know why that happened, what it was. And it gradually opened my eyes. There were hundreds of planes going straight over my home in a takeoff pattern every day. I realized I was living in a war zone.”

This, she continued, was the result of an increased number of flights that followed federal airline deregulation in the 1980s, and a “four-post” flight-path pattern subsequently adopted by the Federal Aviation Administration to limit the number of neighborhoods affected by jet noise.

But Wagner “didn’t get good answers” to her questions about the military jet and increasing flights over her home, fueling her new-found airport activism.

She also got runarounds about the airport’s second runway noise mitigation program, which was “extremely intrusive as far as my property rights were concerned.”

As the decade-long fight against a third Sea-Tac runway, which became operational in 2008, revved up, she got involved with the Regional Commission on Airport Affairs (RCAA) and Citizens Against Sea-Tac Expansion (CASE).

One thing led to another, including a meeting Minnie Brasher, a long-time local activist “who wanted me to look into jet emissions.”

Debi Wagner

Wagner did, and said she eventually “found out the public is literally being crop dusted with cancer-causing chemicals from jet exhaust for 12 miles from each runway end … and we have higher cancer rates in the airport communities.”

“That’s what I want people to know,” she added. “That’s why I wrote the book. Not just for people here but everywhere because these same planes fly from their airports affecting millions of people.”

“One of the biggest ‘toxic emissions load’ in the state comes from Sea-Tac,” Wagner said. “People live within blocks of the runways. Kids are attending schools located almost next door to the airport near, where whole families have died from cancer.”

“It’s ridiculous that nobody is doing anything about this serious problem.”

You can purchase Over My Head from Amazon here:

Scott Schaefer's bro-in-law, Writer Kit Herring.

SYNOPSIS:
Kit Herring’s novel “Descending the Cairo Side” recounts the adventures of Danny White who, seeking to escape the complacent worlds of North American and Western Europe, joins the backpacker culture and travels to North Africa. His ultimate goal is to see the pyramids of Egypt, but during the journey he explores the intricacies of Muslim culture while trying to resolve his inner dilemmas, including the failure of his first great love affair and his inability to relate to his family and peers back home. He meets other travelers in northern Africa and their experiences exemplify the haphazard relations between Western tourists and the Arab world. In Egypt he reaches the epiphany he has been hoping for, but the event changes him in ways he could not have imagined.

Here’s a review that was “first published as A Hitchhiker on the Road on Technorati“:

Danny White is a young man who falls off the continent of Europe into Morocco, becoming a true vagabond. He begins his story in Descending the Cairo Side, “I didn’t know how long the journey would take, what exactly my route would be, or with whom I might share the adventure. I took no guide books; any expectations obtained from advance research would only hinder the spontaneous nature of the experience.” His meandering tour introduces him to culture and memorable places including campsites, sweaty bus rides, new lovers and new friends.

Kit Herring’s first novel inspired me to take a camel safari in Merzouga, Morocco and will inspire the reader to think about travel, to get out and travel and to read more about travel and political situations.

Herring’s work reminds the reader of Paul Theroux’s books where the traveler’s senses are inspired by lush surroundings. When he writes: “The shouts of children and touts, calls from the muzzeins in the mosques, throbbing antique motors, and a complete din of human activity all assaulted my ears. I was completely entranced…” I wanted to be in that scene. While reading, I had to remind myself the story was not yet a movie.

Herring skillfully shows us situations and travelers who make a large range of choices and have run-ins with locals, police and other nefarious characters. Danny White’s conclusion that “the law does not care to distinguish intentions from actions, and we are judged not by how we see ourselves, but rather by what effects our actions have on others,” could be about the law in any country and how we fit into our own society or another we are visiting in our travels.

Descending the Cairo Side grapples with choices we all must make whether we stay at home or choose to travel. And whom we choose to love. What actions are worthy of our time and attention? As a society, we often feel constrained to make the correct choices without landmarks for what is right and wrong. At a time when so many people spend their time in online communities with no human contact, it is refreshing to read about characters boldly setting out to discover new territory in far away lands. In the end, Herring tells us more about who we are and where we started from, than about the new lines we draw on our map.

While traveling we learn about ourselves and while he says, “so never mind the insecurities and fear. Sometimes trusting strangers is the best option of all,” most travelers really learn to trust themselves. I relate so well when he says, “Who can say what happens when we interrupt our lives with new choices and take a sudden detour?” Travel allows us the opportunity not only to explore new places but new parts of ourselves, to fully become the person we are meant to be.

Descending the Cairo Side, published in October 2010, is available as an e-book on Amazon.com.

Lisa Niver Rajna is an accomplished travel agent, author, blogger and member of the Traveler’s Century Club, a unique travel club limited to travelers who have visited 100 hundred or more countries.

Click the book cover to buy the e-book on Amazon for just $3.99.

By
Suesulla -

This review is from: Descending the Cairo Side – a novel of the traveling life (Kindle Edition)
“I Just finished reading Kit Herring’s new book. Descending The Cairo Side. I really enjoyed it. It brought me back in time on an amazing journey. I couldn’t put it down. “

The book currently ranks #5 in sales of books about Algeria and #7 in sales for Tunisia.

“While the book is a work of fiction, the itinerary of the main character follows the exact route that I did in 1975,” Kit said. “I kept a journal and so remember all the place names, which I otherwise would have long forgotten – and where exactly is Burien, anyway, isn’t it somewhere way south of here?”

Here are various Editor’s responses to the manuscript:

HarperCollins:

Thanks so much for sending me Kit Herring’s DESCENDING THE CAIRO SIDE. I love travel narratives, especially when they attempt this sort of personal story cloaked in various cultural particulars, and Kit Herring certainly provides cultural particulars aplenty here.

Bantam Dell:

Thanks very much for sending me this project. The author, Kit, can certainly write, and I enjoyed the scenes of backpacking through Africa.

Random House:

I have had a chance to read DESCENDING THE CAIRO SIDE, and I think Herring has created a vivid, engaging novel here.

Broadway Books:

I really enjoyed the way this author brought me into the intriguing world of Cairo. But we’ve decided to stick with nonfiction for our travel program..

Thanks for the opportunity to consider it.

Crown:

Sorry for the delay in getting back to you. It’s been a very busy past few weeks! I have read and I think Kit is talented and definitely had a great adventure

Henry Holt:

Thank you so much for sending me DESCENDING THE CAIRO SIDE, and for your patience in awaiting a response. The descriptions of Danny White’s travels are carefully rendered, so much so that I felt at times that I was reading a non-fiction account, rather than a novel. In that regard, clearly, the author’s expertise and background shines.

Another editor from HarperCollins:

Thank you so much for the opportunity to see Descending the Cairo Side by Kit Herring. I was absolutely enchanted and thought that it was brilliantly written and such an extraordinary meditation so relevant for where we find ourselves at present. That said I am afraid that we have other competing titles on our backlist and under contract so I going to have to pass, with regrets.

Again, this e-book makes a great last-second cyber-stocking stuffer, especially considering the $3.99 pricetag – buy it on Amazon here.

For more information on Kit, check out his websites here:

• KitHerring.com
• Kits’ Trips & Photos
• The Backpacker’s Handbook

Oh, and Merry Christmas Kit!

The book posits a theory surrounding the identity and actions attributed to the “Hero of Avery.” An enigmatic man named Thaddeus Roe who is mentioned in early historic accounts of the wildfire but has been all but forgotten since.

“West of the Gospel” is the debut novel from Greg Wright, who until now has published several non-fiction books. In conjunction with the official release of the book on August 17, Greg will be using social networking tools to have characters from the story share events from the book in real time via Facebook, Twitter and a blog.

Greg will also be appearing at the grand re-opening of Burien Books at 824 SW 152nd St in Olde Burien on August 7 from 1-3PM to sign copies of his book.

I had the chance to conduct an online interview with Greg recently, using Facebook. Here’s a transcript of our conversation:

Mike: Let’s start with a little background, can you give us thumbnail of your literary journey up to this point?

Greg: Well, I was a voracious reader as a kid. In college, I majored in English Lit, but really didn’t focus on creative writing other than one poetry class. I always envisioned myself as a novelist, though… and was pretty surprised when my first several published books turned out to be pretty technical non-fiction. Of late, most of my reading has been biographies. So it’s not too surprising that my first novel has a very historical, factual feel to it.

Mike: I know your previously published books have focused, in part at least, on Lord of the Rings. So it seems interesting to me that your first non-fiction work is a sort of Western novel. How did that come to be?

Greg: I’ve always been a huge fan of the Western genre. John Ford and others have observed that, like fantasy, it’s a genre that’s largely based on archetypes, a level of abstraction that allows writers and filmmakers to talk about general principles of human behavior and the moral plane. The central theme of West of the Gospel fits into that realm, so the germ of that idea got attached to the Western motif some 25 years ago. When I ran across the historical accounts of The Big Blowup of 1910, a light bulb turned on. It was the perfect setting for my protagonist’s journey.

Mike: You just mentioned The Big Blowup of 1910, and that’s really central to the story in West of the Gospel. Despite this being a work of fiction, there is a fairly solid historical background you’re working against. How much of the story is historical?

Greg: Without giving too much away, I’ll say that whole sections of the book are taken verbatim from the historical record, such as it is. But readers are generally surprised to find out which sections are genuine, and which are fictional. Suffice to say that there are genuine historical mysteries that emerge from the accounts of what transpired on August 21 and 22 of 1910 in and around Avery, Idaho, and my novel proposes a fictional answer to the question: Who was Thaddeus Roe?

Mike: So in a sense, you could almost think of this as a historical mystery in a western setting then?

Greg: Yes. It’s part of a four-novel arc called The Fewkes Legacy that spans from 1893 to 1910 in the Pacific Northwest frontier. Each is a mystery of sorts, and we start at the end with West of the Gospel, and work our way backward.

Mike: How did you get onto the trail of the story behind the Big Blowup of 1910? What was it about the story that pulled you in?

Greg: I’ve got to thank the Burien library for that. In 2001, I was using the public Internet at the library for Broadband connection, and on one of my visits, Stephen Pyne’s Year of the Fires was on the New Release shelf by the front door. I ate it alive… and then went out to track down every book I could find on the subject of what is variously called The Big Blowup or The Big Burn. So many of the stories that emerged from that catastrophe are literally unbelievable yet true — the perfect backdrop for a tale of legendary proportions. Each of the stories in The Fewkes Legacy capitalizes on the notion that every legend or myth is borne from some seed of truth. The onus is on the hearer of the tale, then, to discern where the line is crossed. When does a story become just that? How much is baby, and how much is bathwater?

Mike: So is it fair to say that you’re deliberately challenging your readers to decide for themselves the truth in West of the Gospel? From my reading of it, it seems like you leave plenty of room for the reader to draw their own conclusions.

Greg: Yes. I have found it fascinating how many different interpretations readers have had. And that’s an interesting thing even from a writer’s perspective. I wrote an extensive biography of my grandfather, who was a boy in that era, and Tad Montgomery is a lot like Irvine and his brothers: tight-lipped. They played their cards close to their chests and didn’t let many folks get very close to their true motives. So even though I had to get inside Tad’s head to write his words, and I ultimately “know” what he was about because I had to, even I am influenced by what other characters in the book have to say and find myself waffling, in my own mind as a subjective third party, about what he was up to.

Mike: I’ve heard it said that a person’s true character comes out under pressure, when they fall back on their habits and instincts. Given that the historical record is vague and cloudy on Tad Montgomery, alias Thaddeus Roe, alias “Three Card Monte” is that maybe part of the message you want readers to come away with?

Greg: In part, yes. There is one view of human behavior that says we can never know, in advance, what we will do under unpredictable circumstances. If you believe that, that not only affects your own behavior, it colors how you interpret the actions of others, too. There’s another school of thought that says we are the products of either evolution or environment, and our reactions are natural byproducts of our genetic makeup or societal conditioning. From that perspective, too, you can be pretty fatalistic about interpreting your own behavior and the behavior of others. The angle that fascinates me, though, is the notion of instinctual behavior and the ways in which instinct can be honed.

Does A-Rod think about each grounder that he fields? Or does he just react? How much were those reactions the result of evolutionary by-products or environmental conditioning? Were they honed and fine-tuned? Would he be able to sustain that level of instinctual reaction without regular practice? Certainly, getting thrown into the middle of literal firefight is not something you can practice and rehearse, nor is one’s response to the urge for revenge when a loved one is murdered. But I think the same principles apply. What do we think about instinctual responses? And what kind of instinctual responses has Tad Montgomery honed? Of what is he capable, and of what is he not capable?

Mike: So we haven’t really talked about Tad’s background much leading into West of the Gospel, but even a quick read of the book’s flyleaf reveals that there’s a genuine feud between Tad and the Fewkes Brothers that culminates just prior to the events in the book, if I’m understanding the timeline correctly. And it is these events that we know little about that bring Tad to where we find him in the new book?

Greg: Yes, that’s right. He’s gone through his life believing that his future is not determined by his past, though, so he’s brought up pretty short by folks who don’t much buy into that belief. It’s a conflict of philosophy dealt with through Colts and Winchesters.

Mike: Can we assume that the rest of the books in the series will eventually tell the rest of the story then?

Greg: There will be some insight into what happened between the Fewkes brothers and Ash Montgomery, Tad’s dad. But volumes 3 and 4 both take place in 1899, and Tad doesn’t enter into those stories. Who Tad is and what he was thinking when he walked into Libby on August 25, 1910, will remain something of a mystery, one only settled to any degree in each reader’s mind.

Mike: Like Tad, I see you’re playing your cards close to your vest! Even the title of the new book, West of the Gospel, is open to the reader’s interpretation. Would you share a few thoughts on how you selected the title for the book?

Greg: The starting place of Tad’s journey is the cattle country down around what’s now the Gospel-Hump wilderness in Idaho. In 1910, that was Gospel Mountain and Buffalo Hump. There’s an echo of Steinbeck’s East of Eden in West of the Gospel, given the generational issues and “the sins of the father.” So the title just leapt out at me. I’ve also studied period vernacular pretty extensively and the use of “west of the gospel” to mean “just shy of the truth” is a plausible invention. This is about the nature of truth, not about the Good News of Jesus in some back-door fashion. Though, of course, religion is much more a natural part of Tad’s life than it might be in yours or your neighbor’s. Times have changed.

Mike: Is there a message you’d like readers to take away from their time spent with the book? Or is it more about the experience of having to choose for themselves what the book is really trying to say?

Greg: There is one message in there that I’ve yet to have anyone comment about. So I’m still waiting for that one to be discovered. But that’s not really my objective! What I would like is for readers to be surprised and intrigued — maybe by themselves as much as by the story.

Mike: Like yourself, I’m a voracious reader though my selections may run to different genres, and that seems to be a philosophy not much embraced in most of the recent literature I’ve read. From my knothole, it seems like too often writers tend to go for wrapping everything up a neat little bow for the reader. Is there a particular set of authors or styles that inspired you in writing West of the Gospel?

Greg: Actually, not at all. I was conscious of breaking just about every rule of the form that I knew when writing the novel. I have never read a novel like West of the Gospel. The form just seemed right. I have had some readers call it “Rashomon-like,” but that’s not really the case, unless you consider Tad’s character to be the subject rather than a specific event. I agree, though. I think most pop fiction has gotten too formulaic and too intent on tidy denouements. Gladly, I was not having to write for the broader audience. An agent who is now at William Morris told me that he loved the book, but he couldn’t sell it. I’m actually glad that I could retreat into the protection of niche marketing. The story is what it is, and can’t be watered down or simplified.

Mike: Given your experience, any words of wisdom you’d care to share with aspiring writers out there?

Greg: Well, your audience, many of whom I’ve known for decades, may be wondering why I’m writing this series of books under the name of W. John MacGregor. It’s a funny fact that, in the publishing industry, agents, producers, and publishers all love a good story, too — and sometimes, fiction is more attractive than nonfiction! It turns out that W. John MacGregor’s “story,” as a writer, is much more appealing to folks in the business than Greg Wright’s! Like Tad, I’ve had to overcome certain prejudices by claiming a new name and writing a new and vicarious ending to my own story. Go for it!

Mike: Aha, the story behind the story! And on that note, the book is officially coming out in August, right? Any public events or book signings scheduled as part of the launch?

Greg: What’s known as the “street date” is August 17, the 100th anniversary of the event that opens West of the Gospel. But the book is now available through HJ Books’ online storefront and all the online retailers. A book signing will be upcoming at Burien Books. W. John MacGregor will also be appearing at the Benewah County Fair in St. Marie’s, Idaho, from August 19-22, and at And Books Too in Lewiston September 3 and Placer Village Books in Wallace September 4.

Mike: Any last thoughts you’d like to share with our readers?

Greg: I’d love to hear feedback from readers! Look up West of the Gospel on Facebook and start a discussion. And find @FewkesLegacy on Twitter. We’ll be tweeting the story live from August 17-25!

Mike: Thank you very much for taking the time to talk to us Greg, greatly appreciated!

Greg: My distinct pleasure.

Photo of Greg Wright courtesy of Jenn Wright

I was more excited than nervous when I got the call about my first television gig. I personify calmness, almost zen-like. After all, it’s my book (Mommy Are We French Yet?). I mean if I can’t answer questions about a book I worked on for two freaking years then I may as well retire as an author diva (Tom’s name for me.)

Before my actual taping I received this email:

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE YOUR SEGMENT:

–Arrive camera-ready. We do not have hair or makeup personnel on-staff. Ladies, please wear blush and lipstick because our lights will wash you out.
Ok, so this wasn’t a problem except for the hair. I can’t fix my hair like Vicki from Salon VCM. She twists a flat iron like no other to produce the natural wave I’m lacking. Thank God, Vicki acquiesced to coming in to the salon at 7:00 a.m.!

–Please wear bright, solid colors. Do not wear white, stripes or busy prints.
BIG PROBLEM. I’ve chosen my outfit and while it may be true I resemble a prison inmate, it’s not right for New Day. RATS.  Fortunately, my friend Nicki remembers my closet better than I do. “Oh just wear that outfit you wore at the Tin Room, it’s perfect, and don’t forget the HD makeup.” Have no idea what HD makeup is and really don’t want to buy any, so I ignore that little piece of advice.

–Please remain in the green room or prep kitchen while getting ready for your segment.
I’m very excited to see ‘The Green Room.’ Everyone knows going to ‘The Green Room’ means well….I don’t know what it means, but it didn’t stop me from phoning and texting everyone I knew while I waited in the ‘The Green Room.’ However, I must say that while it’s fun to say ‘The Green Room’, the room isn’t actually green. I think the color palette is more ‘tense taupe’, which aptly describes my mood after sitting in the room for over an hour—by myself!

Thank you for being a part of “New Day Northwest”!

Here’s the interview:

Buy Shawn’s book online here.

We did a feature story on him June 2nd, and now he’s our latest Advertiser – please welcome local Author George Matthew Cole to The B-Town Blog!

Cole’s new novel “Colt O’Brien Sees the Light,” follows the trials and tribulations of a Highline High School senior, and is based on a certification program that Mr. Cole participated in, that taught students about computer networking.

Cole, a Burien resident, spent over 30 years in the computing field, with experience on mainframe computers as well as PCs and servers. “Flashmath for Windows 95″ is a flash card program that Cole wrote many years ago which is still in use today.

The idea for “Colt O’Brien Sees the Light” came from personal experience working with high school students over a two-year period.

Cole lives in Burien with his wife and dog, and this is his first novel.

Burien Author Goerge Matthew Cole wrote "Colt O’Brien Sees the Light" based on his experiences teaching at Highline High School.

Here’s Cole’s description of the book:

Colt O’brien doesn’t think that he has to prove anything. He is the most savvy computer technician at Highline High in Burien, Washington. When a PC needs fixing, Colt is called in to save the day. The short, energetic senior, with his bright, colorful attire and cocky attitude, knows that he is the best. He expects the respect that is showered upon him by peers and teachers. School will soon be over and freedom beckons. No more girl friend to tell him what to do. No more schoolwork to bore him to death. Colt is cruising through senior year, but his life is about to be turned upside down. Two freshman nerds start a computer class that will put Highline High on the map and challenge Colt’s credibility. Three women will show him the meaning of love. One will show him the meaning of hate. And, his hidden psychic powers will emerge when he least expects them to. Hang on Colt.

Here’s another excerpt from the book, which can be purchased online here:

Chapter XV

——Email——-
From: Strong, Amy[amystrong@aol.com]
To: Bower, Susan[sbower@hhs.edu]

Subject: I think he’s cute Sent: 12/07/1999

HI SUZY
I HEARD ABOUT THE FIGHT. I THINK COLT IS SO CUTE. I DON’T CARE IF HES SHORT. HE HELPS PEOPLE. HIS SISTER TALKED TO OUR SOCCER TEAM. WE ALL THINK SHES THE BEST. I WANT TO GET TO KNOW COLT BETTER

AMY

——Email——-

Colt and Bobbie had been working all afternoon fixing sick computers. The school day had ended two hours ago but they were only now walking toward the parking lot to leave for home. The young men felt a sense of satisfaction after helping many teachers and administrators become productive again. A virus had rampaged through Highline High’s computer network causing a variety of problems. The two young men had been up to the task and all of the infected devices were now working.

“Man that virus was bad. I am sure glad we had the right updates to fix them.” said Bobbie

“It’s great when it all goes right. I can sure remember a lot of times when we were drowning in tricky problems and we had no idea what was wrong. Maybe we have learned something over the years.”

As they walked around a corner near the baseball fields, they heard the rattling of a fence and someone yelling “No, no.” Bobbie could see that three teenagers had a much smaller boy surrounded against the fence. They were pushing him from side to side and slapping him up and down his thin, frail body. One of the assailants was yelling obscenities at the helpless victim. The boy had a look of utter terror on his reddened face.

Bobbie had only been watching for a few seconds but now saw someone running toward the group. At first he was so startled that he did not realize who it was. He turned to say something to his friend, but Colt was not there. Bobbie looked back just in time to see Colt hurtle into the three attackers with arms swinging. His loud shrieks sounded like battle cries to his friend. Colt hit one of the three attackers shoulder high and knocked him off of his feet. The other two were startled but soon recovered.

The tallest one said “He’s not that big Andy, we can get him.”

“You punks” yelled Colt, who was still swinging his arms like miniature pistons.

Colt looked at the victim and recognized him as a freshman that he had seen around campus. He motioned to him to get away. As he turned back to the fight, he felt his legs buckle as he we forced to the ground. He found himself being held down and beaten by numerous fists from above. Colt kicked one attacker between his legs and felt things ease up a little but his head was continued to taking a beating. Then he saw a large arm come between him and those cowering over him. One of his assailants was flung aside and slammed against the fence causing a high pitched rattling sound. Next, one large, strong arm clamped around the last attacker’s neck and he was thrown to the ground. As he hit the hard earth, air escaped from his chest with a whoosh. Colt was free and jumped up. For a moment, he felt like he would faint, as the pain of his injuries came pounding in. After a minute he regained his balance and managed to keep the pain at bay. All of three of the bullies were on the ground. One was curled up in a ball moaning and the other two were being held down in a choke hold by Bobbie Jones. Both bullies had panic in their bulging eyes. Colt kicked each of them in the side.

“You want more punks? You want more.” yelled Colt.

“No Colt, we didn’t know it was you.” whined one.

“Bobbie let them go before I kill one of them.”

Bobbie eased up a little and said “Just leave guys, don’t make me hurt you.”

The two de-fanged attackers got up and helped the boy who was curled up. All of them were hurting which brought a slight smile to Colt’s face.

They skulked away as fast as they could.

Bobbie looked at Colt who was sitting on a low wall now. His lower lip and nose were both bleeding and his right eye was beginning to swell.

“Hey, man, you should have waited for me. They pounded you pretty bad.” said Bobbie

“I just reacted. They pissed me off and all of a sudden I was going at them. Goddam punks! I hate guys like that.” yelled Colt

“That kid was about to be really messed up. You saved his ass.” said Bobbie

“Well, you saved me. Thanks Dude. I ended up taking the kid’s place. Do you know his name?”

“I think its Eddie Tate. I recognized him from the meeting at the Sweden’s house.“

“I’m glad we helped him, even if he is a freshman nerd. I hate guys that beat up weak kids.” said Colt

“Can you get home ok?”

“I can make it but I know I am going to be hurting soon.”

“Later man.” said Bobbie Jones

“I’ll save you next time.” smiled Colt through the pain.

Colt grimaced and slowly pulled himself out of the purple VW in front of his house. The pain was more noticeable now that the battle adrenaline had dissipated. Colt thought I must look like crap. I sure feel bad. He walked through the front door and tried to scurry by the kitchen so that he wouldn’t be seen. His condition slowed him down and it was obvious that he wasn’t himself as he dragged past his unsuspecting mother at the kitchen sink. She looked up with bright eyes knowing that her son had come home. A bright smile turned into horror when she saw the condition that Colt was in. Blood was still running from his lower lip and nose. His swollen eye was starting to turn blue and purple. Leona’s eyes glistened with tears at seeing her baby in pain.

“Oh no. Colt, what happened? Oh honey.” cried Leona

“I just had a little scuffle, Mom. I’ll be okay.”

“Go directly to the bathroom. I am going to clean you up.”

Colt moaned and angled toward the bathroom. He did not feel like explaining what happened. He knew his mother would try to be brave but that this would take an emotional toll on her.

Colt only said “I helped a kid that was getting beat up Mom.”

“You always did hate bullies.” Leona smiled behind the river of tears rolling down her cheeks.

After being nursed and taking some aspirin Colt hugged his mother and trudged to his bedroom. He opened his email to see if Bobbie had sent any notes about the fight. There were 23 emails in the in-box. All of the notes were about the incident at the school. Bobbie Jones sent a note with just a subject line, which said “News travels fast”. One email was from Mr. Sweden who thanked him for helping a fellow program member. Colt was surprised to see how fast word got around about an incident that had happened only a few hours ago. Some of the notes were from people he had never met. One was from a girl named Amy Strong. He remembered seeing her around school but had never talked to her. For some reason, when he saw her name, he forgot about his pain and felt a tingling sensation from head to toe. He sensed that there was something special, a mysterious quality, to that particular note. Rather than reading it, he lay down on his bed and wondered what a pretty girl might write to a boy who just got beat up. He only allowed himself to think wonderful, interesting and surprising thoughts through the haze of pain that was wracking his body. When his thoughts were wrapped in a pleasant package, Colt slipped into slumber. A peaceful smile illuminated his swollen face.

Support your local Writers (and B-Town Blog Advertisers) – buy George Matthew Cole’s “Colt O’Brien Sees the Light” by clicking here.

[Would you like to have a “Blogvertorial” story, Ad and/or Event Listing like this on a popular, fast-growing website seen by over 51,000 interested Local Readers every month? Email us for more info, or check out our Advertise page!]