To be truly captivating, a personal memoir needs to have at least these three things: an interesting baseline story, meaningful insight, and a strong voice conveyed well in quality writing. In all those ways, Andrea Kirby’s new memoir, The Athlete Whisperer: An Improbable Voice in Sports (FriesenPress 2025), excels. The baseline story tells readers how […]
“The Athlete Whisperer: An Improbable Voice in Sports” by Andrea Kirby
February 1, 2026 by Leave a Comment
Donna Meredith interviews Andy Crocker, author of “The Unconditionals”
February 1, 2026 by Leave a Comment
Book Summary: The Unconditionals: Five Timeless Values to Live Without Limits and Ignite Your Superpower introduces five core values—love, gratitude, integrity, accountability, and endeavor—as essential for personal fulfillment and growth. Combining timeless wisdom, scientific findings, and inspiring real-life examples, it illustrates how embracing these values unconditionally can transform our lives. More than a collection of […]
Charlotte Olson
February 1, 2026 by Leave a Comment
Charlotte Olson, originally from Burlington, NC, lives in Chattanooga TN, where she works at the Chattanooga Public Library. She wears many hats there, but one of her favorites is as the coordinator of a creative writing group called Write & Chatt. She also enjoys travel, reading, baking, and exploring the many cute little towns of […]
“The Coaches’ Wives” by W. Scott Jones
February 1, 2026 by Leave a Comment
High school football is a world unto itself, especially in the South, especially in a small town. The Coaches’ Wives, by W. Scott Jones, draws the reader into that world, where everything revolves around the Friday night games, and where love and heartbreak, winning and losing, and success and tragedy all play a part in […]
Writing opportunities from Julie Cantrell
January 13, 2026 by Leave a Comment
THREE big opportunities for YOU to write, publish, and create in 2026. ——————- LAST CALL FOR WOMEN’S WRITING RETREAT IN FRANCE ——————– ONLY 2 spots left! Here’s your last chance to join fellow NYT bestselling author Sadeqa Johnson and me for a week of writing, relaxing, and exploring in beautiful Arcachon, France. If you’ve been needing […]
January 2026 Books of Note
January 11, 2026 by Leave a Comment
“Cinnamon Beach” by Suzanne Kamata “Multicultural family” does not adequately describe the relationships among the characters in Suzanne Kamata’s Cinnamon Beach (Wyatt-MacKenzie, 2024). Characters who are Indian American, Black, Japanese, American Japanese, white, hearing impaired, and gender fluid people this novel. Add in family members with chronic illnesses related to aging, and the character who […]