Tid Bits
by Gina La Monica, Ed.D.

Tid Bits is an easy to read picture book of 26 healthy snacks for children. Parents can prepare these snacks in less than 5 minutes. There is even a grocery list at the back of the book to make shopping for these snacks that much easier. The author, a health professor and exercise physiologist, provides parents with educational information along with useful websites. With the childhood obesity epidemic on the rise, this is a must read for all parents.

For a sample reading from Tid Bits, please click here!

Price: $16.95
ISBN: 978-0-9824870-4-4

A Journey of Remembering: While Seeking the Ultimate Love
by Nathan Whiting

This is a story of the author’s self-induced journey into and through hell on his way to finding and remembering a way “home” while stumbling upon the ultimate love which is unconditional in form. While preparing for this journey of remembering, he found himself conscience enough at times to realize and save the “gold nuggets” of spirituality he stumbled upon, hoping one day to share these with others. While the gold nuggets are spiritual in nature, it’s a raw variety or a “street spirituality.” Being a non-conformist and rebel at heart, he had to find some type of spirituality that would work for him and get him back on the path of re-membering what he is here for in the human form. This is a brutally honest (and sometimes graphic) retelling of that journey of recovery.

Price: $18.95
ISBN: 978-0-9824870-3-7

Angel on my Handlebars
by
Patricia Starr

Patricia Starr, a woman of seemingly indefatigable energy and enthusiasm for life, wanted to give something back to her community and pursue a dream to bicycle across America. In 2004, at age 67, she accomplished both by pedaling to raise $22,000 to establish a perpetual $1,000 yearly music scholarship at Santa Barbara City College.

The story of her arduous 50 day, 3,622 mile odyssey across America is told in a compelling way that is an inspiration to all. She proves that chronologic age can be overcome by enthusiasm, determination and perspiration.

She describes the interesting people she met along the way and the trials and tribulations she endured while crossing four major mountain ranges and the long, lonely, barren stretches of highway in America’s vast Midwest. Dusty detours, sharing the interstate with 18-wheelers and a bear scare enhance the daily excitement of this unforgettable journey by an incredible senior citizen.

And lastly, it’s a love story about Patricia and Gabriel, her 20-year younger handsome, charismatic, Hispanic husband who initially refuses to support her on this crazy adventure, but then becomes totally entwined to become her personal “angel.” As the challenges across this expansive country develop, so does an alcohol problem. “Angel” is full of hope and heartbreak from the exhilaration of pedaling over the Rockies at almost 10,000 feet, to having their beloved van, “The Love Machine” stolen in Canada as they were anticipating the next day’s stop at Niagara Falls.

Through it all, they both knew a Heavenly angel was watching over her so she wasn’t out there alone.

Price: $19.95; Special 10% Discounted Price: $17.95
ISBN: 978-0-9795444-8-4

Message from the Author:

PATRICIA STARR–THE BICYCLING BEAUTY QUEEN

Real People—Hello, that’s me—from the Vaseline and Neutrogena Sunscreen on my face down to the Hanes Panty Hose I always wear.

What makes “my look”? Not being afraid to be a little unique. Yes, I do wear “eyes and lips” but the skin you see is not pancake and powder—it’s me!–(ditto for the long, loose hairstyle). And, then there’s the long slim legs in short shorts looking smooth and slightly tan because of those wonderful “Alive” pantyhose that would never let you down (or bag or creep)!

Add a bicycle and a helmet with a tiara taped on it and you have now met Patricia Starr, the Bicycling Beauty Queen, officially proclaimed by the Mayor of Atlantic City. Flash-back to the year 2004 and my “senior citizen” life changed forever. I have no idea what I should have been doing at age 67 but there I was– an untrained bicyclist pedaling a $600 bicycle with a fuzzy seat cover and a kick stand across America from Astoria, Oregon to Portsmouth, New Hampshire to raise money for music scholarships for students.

I’ve never placed myself in the category of being “normal”; but, on the other hand, I am and have lived a life as a professional musician performing on the pipe organ, piano, trombone and as a vocalist. I’ve taught public and parochial school and been Director of Music and organist at many churches and synagogues in the Santa Barbara area. I started teaching piano at age 13 while growing up in a small town in Nebraska named Wahoo. This would look like the profile of someone who would glide along in life doing what they had always done.

But, that wasn’t to be—the real “me” somehow emerged at retirement age and away I went. The past five years have contained more fun and experiences than most people could dream of to fill a lifetime. The book about the first bicycle ride across America premiered on January 2010 as the first 200 copies were dropped at our doorstep in Santa Barbara. “Angel on My Handlebars” had arrived!  I ripped open the first box to actually “see” the finished product; scooped up the top book and ran my hands over the gorgeous cover with the gold embossed “Angel” lettering lingering over a soft, ethereal white cloud. That really was me standing there in my red shorts somewhere in Minnesota by my Felt bike with the fuzzy seat cover and “Patricia Starr” in big letters underneath. I was now an author, an unbelievable moment!

I couldn’t keep my hands off of “Angel” and carried the book around like a baby for the entire day. The cover was smooth and silky and the inner pages let my fingers slip over them with no rough edges. The entire book was printed on recycled paper as it is vital for all of us to be thinking ahead to save this fabulous place we call earth so our children can enjoy it too. Until the book was actually in my hands, I didn’t know what it would feel like. The exhilaration of that moment will be with me forever. I truly felt like I had given birth to a beautiful baby—except the gestation period for this baby was four years instead of nine months.

After dunking my front tire in the Atlantic Ocean and returning to Santa Barbara with body intact (well, almost—I was still in serious pain from a bicycle accident five days before the end of the ride)-what was I going to do with all of the memories of 50 days on the road. Wind, rain, heat, hail, some 120 mile days, angel experiences, heartbreak of our van stolen and burned, the unbelievable euphoria of bicycling over the Rockies at almost 10,000 feet, all the encounters  my earthly angel, Gabriel, engaged in along the way—what was going to happen to all of those adventures stuffed in my brain?

I remembered hating the weekly deadline of English Comp in college even though I managed to pull down an “A”. Writing family correspondence and necessary legal briefs surely wouldn’t qualify me for becoming an author. After several unsuccessful attempts to engage a ghost writer, I realized no one else could feel what I was feeling and get it down on paper because no one else had lived those experiences but me. I couldn’t let those memories disappear so I enrolled in a writing class. My teacher, Anne Lowenkopf, encouraged me to attend the prestigious Santa Barbara Writer’s Conference where I was astounded to be the recipient of the “First Place Excellence Award in Memoir” for material I had started working on for “Angel.” That was a catalyst to propel me forward to three more years of writing classes with Cork Millner, an excellent teacher and prolific author himself.

My mantra, DREAM*BELIEVE*ACHIEVE* slowly started to come into focus. I realized I could have a significant effect inspiring others to accomplish dreams of their own; physically help them learn to take care of the incredible bodies we are blessed with, and mentally to encourage all to keep dreaming. Don’t stop living because of the age number on your driver’s license!

The dream continued—the tremendous accomplishment of pedaling America was not the ending, it was only the beginning.

The senior pageant system was intriguing as the competition was like Miss America but without the bathing suits. My piano prowess and previous modeling experience proved to be a good combo. Much to almost everyone’s chagrin, I won the first step into the Ms.Sr.California Pageant as Ms.Sr.Orange County in my favorite dress that turned out to be a serious “no-no”—it was a long gown with a bare midriff.  It supposedly wasn’t elegant even though it looked great on me because I don’t have any doughnuts or other serious transgressions hanging around my middle!

I soon realized there were two opinions in the crowd—“bravo” and/or that I was just “too sexy” for the pageant. The judges must have fallen into the first category. They didn’t seem to mind that the hem on my performance dress was a little high and the cleavage a little low. Gabriel had built a special “lazy-susan” turntable to hold my grand piano that slowly rotated around one time as I performed my adaptation of Chopin’s famous “Polonaise in A Flat.” Everyone in the audience could see my flying fingers from all angles and were enthralled by Gabriel’s ingenious concept. There hadn’t been enough time between pageants to get his contraption motorized.

The audience didn’t know he was the Great Oz working his magic behind the curtain with a deep sea heavy duty fishing rod and reel turning the crank. The invisible fishing line connected to golden 6 inch high knobs around the perimeter of the platform so he could slowly rotate the disc and time it by watching me through a tiny slit in the curtain. Gabriel was a nervous wreck as it could have been a disaster but it made a perfect 360 degree turn and the crowd went wild.

I did win the California banner in 2006 and proudly represented them in Las Vegas and finished in the top five. The innovative “rotating grand piano” could not make the trip with us to Vegas. The Pageant hierarchy was hesitant as stage storage space was limited. The red, 1-ton truck I drove when Gabriel and I were working on our “extreme makeovers” on properties in Southern California probably couldn’t have made it across the desert anyway to deliver the seven foot wooden and tiled disc.

The Las Vegas Pageant, however, wasn’t without physical adversity. There is a saying, “It’s not how successful you are, but what you have overcome.” The adversity part was me! A few weeks prior to the Ms.Sr.America pageant, I crashed our van into a guard rail on the way home from a San Diego performance. Unfortunately, I had fallen asleep at the wheel due to cigarette smoke in a non-smoking motel room. Hoping to get a few winks, I had gone out to our van but had to share that space with my piano. Trying to snooze on two bucket seats with piano legs stuffed between them was not successful. I performed admirably that day on adrenaline but after driving home for four hours, it suddenly dropped out of my body only 15 miles from Santa Barbara. My eyes brim with tears remembering the panic of screeching metal and the van teetering on two wheels. If I had gone out three seconds later I would have smashed into the concrete overpass support at 70 mph. Thankfully, my angel spared us from certain death.

The crash resulted in a severe lateral whiplash that pulled my head forward and down into my neck—not exactly “Queen” posture. Two chiropractors and a physical therapist tried everything they could to remedy the problem and then a grapefruit-sized mass appeared at the point of injury on my neck as my fever shot upward. A previous brown recluse spider bite had left some nasty venom in me that localized in a weak spot—my neck. Gabriel dumped me in the van and took over my driving duties. I somehow survived the welcome dinner. There wasn’t much left of me to compete for the top crown in America for women over 60. I knew from experience of riding America that I would not let adversity win and it didn’t! Each day I became stronger!

When the judging got down to the top five, the points were extremely close. A lighting glitz caused by the show’s technician cost me some points that had nothing to do with my performance. I was playing a Boogie Medley that ended with the famous Jack Fina “Bumble Boogie” that had the audience cheering and clapping before I even finished! The 30 minutes it took the judges to decide the winner seemed like an eternity. We finalists stood “at attention” on the apron of the stage in our high heels with aching feet that had lived in those heels for the entire week of competition. Being judged on every item of your being and talent was an unknown experience. I’ve been a performer since I was 13 but being examined under a “magnifying glass” was entirely different.

Aside from that, meeting the other 33 contestants was an awesome experience. There was an entire group of women who felt like I did—we’re still here on this earth—let’s make the most of it and give it our best shot! The camaraderie of the group was electric.

For the next few years, a whirlwind of activity ensued as I joined The Sizzling Seniors of Southern California and thereafter enjoyed performing in Laughlin, Hollywood, Branson, the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville and numerous places in between that I had previously only dreamed about.

Because I was 2^nd Runner-Up and had not won the Ms.Sr.America crown in 2006, another door was still open that I had never even considered. I was eligible to compete again.

At a Sizzler’s birthday party in Huntington Beach, Bill Kohler, husband of Marilyn, Director of the California Pageant said, “Patricia, why don’t you enter the pageant this year as Ms.Sr.Nebraska as they do not have a current representative.” Gabriel’s and my first response was, “NO WAY. The pressure and work was too much to handle again–we don’t even want to consider it.” However, on the two-hour drive back to Santa Barbara from the Los Angeles area, we started discussing “what if” and it soon turned into “why not.”  Nebraska has always been in my heart even after leaving at age 21 to move to California and consequently live the major part of my life there.

I am a Cornhusker who literally grew up in a cornfield. We had purchased a beautiful old 1888 house the year before in Wahoo, where I was born and attended high school and junior college. What an opportunity to represent them in Atlantic City where the 2008 pageant was going to be held! They had no current Nebraska Queen but I could submit my application to be sanctioned to enter the pageant. The qualifications were birthplace, attending school, working or owning Nebraska real estate and I met all four requirements. By the time the official sanction was received from Pageant headquarters, it was the end of April, six months before the October pageant date in Atlantic City.

Now came the crazy part—participating in the pageant would be an undertaking but something we at least were familiar with so we figured we could handle it. We knew we couldn’t get our rotating piano disc to Atlantic City but nothing could stop my flying fingers. As Gabriel was talking to a friend about his “crazy wife” who was willing to try this again, the friend nonchalantly suggested, “Wouldn’t it be funny if she rode her bicycle there?” They laughed as Gabriel thought I would say ABSOLUTELY NOT.  He knew my $600 bicycle had been sitting in our kitchen for four years since the ride across America. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to be on that beautiful red Felt bicycle, our lives as real estate owners of rental properties kept gobbling up all my time. When they approached me with the idea, I said, “Sure, I’ll do it.”

Bingo! That started the biggest scramble of our lives. By now, we had only four months to prepare for a 1,400 mile ride, decide who was to benefit from it, and oh yes, also get ready for another competition under the “magnifying glass.”

Gabriel was aghast and knew the bicycle could be polished up and repaired but worried “what about my wife who is now 71. Although she still looks great, she hasn’t ridden or trained for over four years!”

Did that fact stop us? No, and there ensued an unforgettable odyssey.

My next book, Journey of a Lifetime will fill in the ironic details that one of the judges slammed me for getting all the publicity and the other contestants didn’t—consequently costing me the crown. Let me share two exciting tidbits though. As we approached the Eastern seaboard, the Atlantic City media were getting nervous as they couldn’t believe a 71-year-old woman could do the ride and also I didn’t look old enough to be competing. They thought the whole thing was a hoax so demanded I send my birth certificate so they didn’t have egg on their faces! After all, in 30 years of Pageant history, no Queen had ever arrived on a bicycle.

Secondly, they had planned a fabulous entrance into Atlantic City. The five coastal cities in a row all had police escorts waiting for me, and the officers handed me over from one city to the next. As we approached Atlantic City, four motorcycle patrolmen escorted me down the entire length of the famous Boardwalk with lights flashing and sirens wailing as necessary. What a memory!

What’s next? Another bicycle ride next year for music education and scholarships is now in the planning stage. Stay tuned!

Gabriel and I recently returned from Lincoln, NE where I was presented the 2010 Nebraska Ambassadorship for Girls and Women in Sports and Fitness. What an unforgettable evening to receive this award at half-time of  the Women’s Huskers Basketball Game (undefeated at 26-0) with 10,400 fans cheering and clapping as I waved at the crowd from Center Court.

My current life is focused on promoting “Angel”. Yes, it is a feeling of pride that I have a 50,000 word book published and I am an author! Hooray! It’s awesome to be able to share my words and feelings with my readers. I can encourage others to go for their dreams; take control of their bodies—put down that greasy fried chicken and those dripping, frosted cinnamon rolls and look for healthier alternatives; and stimulate your minds to try something new and maybe a bit crazy.

Don’t be afraid to dream*believe*achieve.

And remember, “Life has no limitations except the ones you make.”

The Big Game
by
Wayne Soares
Illustrated by: Stacey Houghton

“The Big Game” is a wonderful book about how a young boy’s dream turns into reality as he readies himself for his team’s championship game. Tommy’s ability to perform well is highlighted by the important key steps of concentration, preparation and good sportsmanship.

Wayne Soares is a radio and television host as well as a stand-up comic and motivational speaker. His show, “A Walk Down Memory Lane” currently airs on ESPN Radio-Boston and features former professional athletes from around the country. Wayne is also in the midst of pitching his newest project “Summer Boat Safari” to major networks and will begin work on his new TV pilot, “The Die-Hard” in the next couple of months.

A successful motivational speaker, Wayne’s inspirational message has been featured on the high school, and corporate levels, including distinguished collegiate institutions such as Harvard University, The University of Notre Dame and Williams College. His on stage talents range from stand-up comedy to hosting events as master of ceremonies for golf outings and special company outings. Wayne recently returned from Fort Lewis, WA where he presented a comedy show for the troops and an inspirational message to their families.

He is the author of “The Power of Your Words & Actions” and “Are You A Good Sport?“  Wayne continues to devote his charitable time to The Special Olympics, The Juvenile Diabetes Foundation, The American Cancer Society and Cape Cod Hospice.

Price: $14.95
ISBN: 9780982487020

Shop Your Soul at Christmas
by
Leanna Burns

Leanna Burns, author of many great SOULful books,* newest book is titled “Shop Your Soul at Christmas.” This book has twelve chapters that correspond to the verses of the “The Twelve Days Of Christmas.” And yet, the soul self-help lesson in each chapter is really something that should be heeded (no matter the occasion) throughout the year.

*Leanna’s other books include: “From A to Z: Feed Your Soul and Lose the Weight,” “Soul Beautiful, Naturally,” “Living the Soul Dolce Vita,” “Joyful Soul Cleaning,” and “Soul Wishes.”

Price: $16.95
ISBN: 9780982487013

Shoot for the Moon
by
Patti Brotherton

Many people who want to accomplish things too often lump goal setting in the same category as a New Year’s Eve resolution, complete with the same absence of seriousness and commitment that’s evolved into the butt of many jokes. But they’re not the same.

Consequently goal setting is something we’ve too often taken for granted. But, true goal setting is a challenging process that requires structure and planning complete with a beginning, middle and an end.

In “Shoot for the Moon”, Patti Brotherton not only provides the tools you need to accomplish any goal, large or small, she also provides a welcome inspiration by taking you on her own personal journey of successful goal setting that she first embraced as a child.

Each chapter of “Shoot for the Moon” gives you a step-by-step map of how to move closer to and insure the challenges of your own goal setting journeys.

Patti Brotherton’s insights in “Shoot for the Moon” may surprise you as well as reward you in that you may recognize the elements missing from past goal setting fantasies that failed, which you can rebuild with new foundations that work.

Best of all, it is easy to read and put into practice.

Price: $14.95
ISBN: 978-0-9824870-0-6

Lucky Me
by
Christi Dunlap

“Lucky Me”, narrated by a rescued dog named Rocky, provides a guide to children and parents looking to add an animal companion to their family. Illustrated with full color photographs by the author, Rocky and his friends walk us through what a humane society can offer to animals, and what every animal guardian should know about caring for and keeping their new family member safe.

“Lucky Me” is an important resource for elementary educators teaching compassion and responsibility skills to students or for those with children who are considering adding an animal to their family. Told in the voice of the adorable dog Rocky, this book teaches kids how to identify and react to animal feelings, what a pet needs to be a safe, happy part of a human family and the role of the humane society in helping animals find safe homes. It even has a pledge page so a child can formally agree to give food, water, shelter and love to their new animal friend! The crisp photos beautifully illustrate the book’s points and lovingly draw children into the world of joy that animals can bring to our families and lives.

Liliana Manzone, Elementary Educator and Learning Specialist

Price: $14.95
ISBN: 9780979544491

Gracie’s Orders is an emotional and inspiring story of one woman’s experience with infertility, miscarriage, fertility treatments, a sextuplet pregnancy, medical mistakes and the loss of three children, all in the time span of two years.
The book is written by Gracie Soldani, the namesake and proud mother of three surviving sextuplets, and Denise Huey Pang, a magazine and television journalist whose work has appeared in People, In Style, Marie Claire and “Dateline NBC”.

Reviews:

Gracie s Orders takes us through the beautiful and tragic events of Gracie s experiences; through the guilt, fear, anger, and the courage to overcome. It speaks loudly to all to reach deep into our own souls and fight for what we believe in. She reminds us that life is too precious not to live each and every second in the grace of the moment. To never underestimate the true gift of life. It is an inspiration to all parents; it will help us discover the strength we never knew we had. –Marc Dyson, President and CEO of Well Being Group

There have been many books on the joys of pregnancy, delivery, and parenthood. Gracie’s Orders offers insight to the realities, both joyous and painful, of high risk pregnancies. Gracie and Brian Soldani love their children with all their hearts and you can feel the love for their children on each page. Gracie is also able to share her journey of grief, anger, and peace with the loss of her three angels. Those who read this story will find themselves joining Gracie in her joy, anger, grief, and love for her children. Gracie’s Orders puts a voice to the fears and joys and allows the reader to have a glimpse into the peace that was found by the Soldani family. –Michelle E. Oliver, Developmental Specialist, Early Start Program

This book should be read by all women, whether they are fertility challenged, pregnant or plan on having children because I think that at some level we can all relate to Gracie’s excitement, fear, anxiety and joy of motherhood. It takes you through an emotional roller coaster that is so touching and honest that you just want to reach out, give Gracie a hug and let her know that everything is going to be okay. Her story reminds us all that even in our darkest hours there is always hope. –Marina Ramon, Ph.D.

Price: $19.95

ISBN: 978-0-9795444-4-6

“A Message from St. Francis: An Ancient Mystic Speaks to the Modern World” by Cheri Harris. Who am I really and what is this life truly about? These are the questions that are being asked more and more everyday because of the growing amount of unhappiness and dissatisfaction that people are feeling in their lives.

In A Message from St. Francis: An Ancient Mystic Speaks to the Modern World, St. Francis helps to clarify these fundamental questions. He chooses the most pressing issues we are facing today, both personally and socially, and then examines and discusses each one. He shows us how our conditioning, upbringing, and societal beliefs have influenced and distorted our thoughts and ideas. This ongoing way of thinking has created negative patterns, destroyed our clarity on what is essential in our lives, and has caused us to strive for things that hurt rather than help us. He boldly and firmly asks us to deeply reflect upon and to question our motives and behavior, pushing us to move beyond our limitations and fears. From already having experienced a human body, knowing the feeling of despair, and now being able to see the bigger picture from the other side, his deep wisdom transforms and leads us on the true path of peace, love and integrity.

Price: $18.95

ISBN: 978-0-9794585-5-2

“Kid Ethics” by James “Bud” Bottoms. Much like learning the alphabet, children should be exposed to the formal education of ethics at a very early age to help them socialize in appropriate and respectful ways. Childhood is a time when these future citizens should acquire the skills and attitudes that result in respect and proper decorum.

This is also a workbook designed to incorporate basic skills such as reading, writing, and spelling into the child’s development of ethical principles. The whimsical cartoons and rhymes not only define the word but encourage the reader to think about that word. This is followed with a question which asks the student to think and to express the meaning and application of each word. The cartoons may be colored and enhanced by the child, serving as a reinforcing reminder of the ethics being described.

“Kid Ethics” will help develop thoughtful, respectful, and caring citizens. We use ethics every day, all of our lives. That’s why one of the best features of this book is that it encourages the whole family to participate in these essential values.

Endorsements:

At a time when all of us may doubt the value and ethics of our society, this book offers hope that a new generation of children will learn to live their lives by the rules of decency and civility. “Kid Ethics” is aimed at helping children develop character; but in a real way, it can help all of us be better human beings.

- Leon E. Panetta, Former Presidential Chief of Staff

I really like the unconventional, entertaining, educational approach taken. If all parents gave these books to their children, we would have a much more civilized society. Thank you for doing this for our species.

- Jean-Michel Cousteau, Ocean Futures Society

“Kid Ethics” brings together inspiring stories, great illustrations and thoughtful questions. The lessons in this book will help parents and educators integrate ethics education into daily activities. It’s a workbook designed to assist children in decision-making skills and in taking steps toward becoming successful citizens in today’s world.

- Congresswoman Lois Capps

Price: $12.95

ISBN: 978-0-9794863-0-2