NonFiction
Tent For Seven: A Camping Adventure Gone South Out West (Sandra Jonas Publishing 2023) by Marty Ohlhaut and Grace Ly manages to be humorous and horrifying and suspenseful all at once. Two brave (or foolhardy) parents take their five children on a tent-camping trip to the Canadian Rockies. The Griswold’s vacation stories are tame in comparison to the mishaps that befall the Ohlhaut family. From tales of bears to washed out roads to near-deadly accidents, this story entertains on every page. The authors weave stories of past camping misadventures into this almost-tragic camping adventure in the Rockies. Marty Ohlhaut has traveled to forty-four countries and visited all fifty states, making him an encyclopedia of amazing stories and anecdotes. He lives in Charlotte, North Carolina, with his wife, Joeline. His daughter Grace Ly co-authored the book. Ly worked for the White House and as an undercover officer for the Central Intelligence Agency. She has written numerous articles and feature stories for the US military, the American Red Cross, the White House, and the CIA. She also lives in Charlotte, North Carolina.
In Discovering Florida’s Coast (Pineapple Press 2023), Doug Alderson delves into what makes each section of the state’s coast different. From the emerald waters of Pensacola to the man-made islands and amazing skyline of Miami’s Biscayne Bay, readers interested in visiting different parts of the state’s beaches will not only see beautiful photos of the natural scenery but also learn key facts about the areas. Most of his 17 published books focus on the dynamic and quirky nature of his home state of Florida. They include America’s Alligator, Wild Florida Waters, Waters Less Traveled, New Dawn for the Kissimmee River, Encounters with Florida’s Endangered Wildlife and A New Guide to Old Florida Attractions, which the Florida Writers Association placed in the top five of published books for 2017. He has won five first place Royal Palm Literary awards for nonfiction books, two gold medals from the Florida Authors and Publishers Association, and several other state and national writing and photography awards. Besides writing the text, he took all of the photos for Discovering Florida’s Coast.
Funkiest Man Alive: Rufus Thomas and Memphis Soul (U of Miss Press 2023) by Matthew Ruddick, contains the lively story of the rise of R&B in Memphis through the eyes of one of its powerhouses. Rufus Thomas may not be a household name, but he is widely regarded as the patriarch of Memphis R&B, and his music influenced three generations. His first singles in the early 1950s were recorded as blues transitioned into R&B, and he was arguably one of the founding fathers of early rock ’n’ roll. In the early 1960s, his songs “The Dog” and “Walking the Dog” made a huge impact on the emerging British “mod” scene, influencing the likes of the Georgie Fame, the Rolling Stones, and the Who. And in the early 1970s, Thomas rebranded himself as the “funkiest man alive” and recorded funk classics that were later sampled by the likes of Public Enemy, Missy Elliot, and the Wu-Tang Clan.
Fiction
Love Like This by Cynthia Newberry Martin (Vine Leaves Press 2023): This novel is literary fiction at its most raw, an exploration of family and the past, of love and commitment and the indelible mark we leave on one another. It follows a couple in a long-term marriage trying to make a decision after many years together – should they stay or should they go? Martin’s first novel, Tidal Flats, won the Gold Medal in Literary Fiction at the 2020 Independent Publisher Book Awards and the 14th Annual National Indie Excellence Award for Fiction. She grew up in Atlanta and now lives in Columbus, Georgia, with her husband, and in Provincetown, Massachusetts, in a little house by the water.
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