From My Shelf Books Vs. The Evil Empire Season One, Episode One "Shades ...

8TH ANNUAL BOOKFEST IS THIS SATURDAY, NOV. 5, 2016:

8TH ANNUAL BOOKFEST IS THIS SATURDAY, NOV. 5, 2016 PRESS RELEASE:
WELLSBORO—The Eighth Annual Wellsboro BookFest, will be from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. this Saturday, Nov. 5 at the Deane Center for the Performing Arts at 104 Main Street in Wellsboro.

The focus of BookFest is to encourage community interest in literacy, reading, writing and critical thinking. It is organized by teachers from the Wellsboro Area School District under the direction of Tammy Knowlton, high school librarian, and by From My Shelf Books & Gifts, Wellsboro's local bookstore.

The local and regional authors attending this year's BookFest will have copies of their books for sale and be available to talk to anyone interested in learning more about the writing and publishing process. They represent a huge variety of genres and publishing venues. Among them are writers of Christian and children's books, local history, poetry and mysteries.

Ken Cobb, Mansfield University art professor, is bringing his new coloring books. Baiba Kreger of Liberty who wrote a memoir of her family's escape from World War II Latvia, is the only author to have attended all eight BookFests.

Also at BookFest this Saturday will be Wellsboro residents Kevin Coolidge, Bob Cox, Jr., Frank Deter, Lilace Guignard, Judith Sornberger, and Linda Stager; Cheryl Edgcomb and Margaret Kroeck, both of Knoxville; Michelle Lazurek of Coudersport; Leslie Jensen of Galeton; Dawn Lubertowicz of Tunkhannock; Dan Nestlerode of State College; Shirley Brosius of Millersburg; and Chris McClean of Philadelphia. From nearby New York State communities will be Don Darrin, Patrick Thomas, John Speziani, and Susan Williams Beckhorn. Other BookFest authors are Noelle Mustari of New Egypt, N.J. who used to live in the area and Ann Brucklacher Perramond of Denver, Colorado, a Wellsboro class of '89 graduate whose family still lives here.

Admission to the author event is FREE to the public. Admission to the used book sale is $5 per person..... however, people who wish to attend the used book sale may get a "passport" from any of the authors to obtain author signatures. For every author signature a person obtains, they can knock $1 off the entry fee to the used book sale (up to $5 off, obviously, so that admission would then be free).

All used books are $5 per bag. Bags will be provided.

For information about the used book sale, contact Tammy Knowlton at Wellsboro Area Senior High School by calling 570-724-3547 or emailing tknowlton@wellsborosd.org.

BookFest author: Lilace Mellin Guignard

Lilace Mellin Guignard lives with her husband and two children in Wellsboro, Pennsylvania, where she teaches poetry and creative nonfiction writing, women's studies, and rock climbing at Mansfield University. Her work has appeared in the journals Calyx, poemmemoirstory, Louisiana Literature, Paterson Literary Review, Ecotone, and Poetry Magazine. Her chapbook, Young at the Time of Letting Go, was a co- winner of the Evening Street Press Helen Kay Chapbook 2015 contest, and she is writing a creative nonfiction book about women outdoors for Texas A&M Press. She enjoys climbing and biking with her husband, eavesdropping on her children, and shaking things up in adult Sunday school. Her blog, A Tent of One's Own, is on-line. You may have seen Lilace in the last year or so, performing with Hamilton-Gibson community theater -- sometimes alongside her children, but often not. She exudes energy and vulnerability, strength and humor, which allows her to engage well with students, community members, and her intended audience.



" 'Without beauty, death seems so close', writes Lilace Mellin Guignard in her chapbook, Young At the Time of Letting Go. Having let go of both her mother, who was diagnosed with breast cancer while the poet was in her teens, and her father, who died shortly before the death of his wife, Guignard has witnessed, and given powerful voice to, the gradual diminishment that cancer, not to mention death itself, brings. And yet, these losses continue to re-awaken her poet's passion for beauty, the sheer, utter necessity of it. 'Now twice that age, I'm over the horror of being sixteen/and seeing my mother lose her hair', she begins, in one of her most memorable poems, her language deftly threading its way through the sorrows that could have left her tongue frozen to the cold latch of grief. We follow her words, their urgency and precision, as she navigates her journey through grief, coming at last to the realization that 'What matters is ... sun that seeps past hurt. Only through living can we begin to save another.' " Kathryn Stripling Byer, author of Wildwood Flower and Descent

BookFest author: Margaret Kroeck

Margaret Kroeck calls herself a survivor, and she is. Many times over, she has suffered through and risen up stronger from some of the worst situations life can throw our way. She only calls herself a survivor in her author bio notes, though, and rarely elaborates on that.... until you read her books. Margaret is NOT looking for pity, which is one reason she doesn't often elaborate that she survived growing up with an alcoholic mother, who treated her children with the perplexing mix of blame, guilt, abuse, and neglect that so often is a part of families who are suffering from severe alcoholism. Margaret's dad was neglectful and often absent, until he left for good. In her twenties, Margaret married an abusive husband, because, as she herself explains, we often steer toward what is familiar, even if it is harmful for us.

In her thirties, Margaret began to find her own strength, independence, and self-worth, and she continues to build on that base. By first becoming a nurse's aide -- a job she loved and took pride in -- then by becoming a nurse, she found a job where she could empower herself and the people she worked with. She remarried a man she feels is the love of her life, who has supported her through these growing years, and through a bout with cancer. In her author bio, on the back of her books, in interviews for the press, and on websites for her publishing career, Margaret always says, "I am a survivor. I want people to know that you do matter and you do have value. Life is about choice, and my choice today is to be thankful. Throughout my life I have met a few people who inspire me, and who believe in me. My husband Larry, thank you for being my most best friend. My friends Lori, Jill, Natalie, Amanda, Charla, thank you for knowing I am worth it. My three children and grandchildren, I love you all. I am a nurse, and I am constantly humbled by my job and the people who I get to touch and learn from."



Her constant message to those she touches is that they matter. She wants to reinforce the messages that she did not get as a child. Through her work in the medical field, and now, through her writing, she constantly tells people that they are important, that their lives matter, that they are beautiful. She encourages them to find their own strength, to be grateful for what they have, and to tell their stories.

In her first book, a true memoir, published by Authorhouse in 2008, Me: The First of Many Sides of Myself...., Margaret tells her own story in a much more direct manner, and uses her hard-won wisdom to encourage other people. Her next two books, Her and Him and ...on their way... are parts one and two of a three-part fictional story, but readers who know something of Margaret's background can read between the lines to see more of her story, as well as reading a touching and gripping story of two children who begin life in two completely opposite worlds but become friends.

Bookfest Author: Ann Myers (AKA Annie Brucklacher!)

We're excited about all our Bookfest authors, but especially about our chance to host Ann Myers. Ann Myers is the pen name for Ann Perramond, but if you grew up in Wellsboro you know her as Annie Brucklacher. I grew up with Ann, and she's a close friend of my sister. From My Shelf Books is thrilled to be selling her book series and to have her at Wellsboro Bookfest.

Ann just happens to be visiting her parents during Bookfest and will be one of the attending authors for Bookfest 2016 on November 5th from 9AM to 3PM. The is her first mystery series, but she's published with William Morrow & Company, and it's a great publisher to be beginning a writing career. We hope for some more great things for Ann.

Ann writes the Santa Fe Café Mysteries. The first book in the series, Bread of the Dead (2015), introduced café chef and reluctant amateur sleuth, Rita Lafitte. Rita and her friends stir up more trouble in Cinco de Mayhem (March 2016) and Feliz Navidead (October 25, 2016). Ann is native of Wellsboro, now lives in southern Colorado, where she enjoys cooking, crafts, and cozy mysteries.

The Totally Ninja Raccoons and the Catmas Caper

In The Totally Ninja Raccoons & The Catmas Caper, the Ninja Raccoons continue their ninja training, learn the true meaning of Christmas and meet a creature of Germanic myth, Krampus!

In this super-special Christmas edition, the infamous Cat Board is once again plotting against the Totally Ninja Raccoons and plans to eliminate Christmas! Will the Totally Ninja Raccoons be able to stop the Cat Board and save Christmas?

There are more things in heaven and earth than these three brothers ever dreamed. Cats are trying to take over the world; monsters are real; and Chinese food really will make you hungry soon after you eat it. It's up to the Ninja Raccoons to do something about it.

Bookfest Author: Shirley Brosius

Shirley Brosius lives in Millersburg with her husband Bill. She is the author of Sisterhood of Faith: 365 Life-Changing Stories About Women Who Made a Difference and coauthor of Turning Guilt Trips into Joy Rides. Both are daily devotional books. As a member of Friends of the Heart, three women who share God’s love through skits, messages and music (by one of them), she speaks at women’s retreats and events throughout the East. She and her husband have two married sons, five grandchildren and a daughter waiting in heaven. Shirley enjoys reading and embroidering.


Sisterhood of Faith: 365 Life-Changing Stories about Women Who Made a Difference shows how a unique bond of faith inspires women to live their lives in service to God. The book tells the stories of ordinary and famous women from all walks of life—teachers, missionaries, singers, homemakers, volunteers, hymn writers and more. Each reading offers a message drawn from the lives of these women and challenges the reader to respond. Besides showcasing what women have done for Christ down through the ages, the book offers countless ideas for today’s women of faith. Published by Howard Books, a division of Simon & Schuster, the book’s retail price is $24.99.

Turning Guilt Trips into Joy Rides offers inspirational thoughts based on scripture, brief enough to be read during a television commercial yet insightful enough to open your eyes to the grace of God on days you change diapers and/or lead corporate meetings. Each reading suggests a “Guilt Trip to Avoid” and ends with a way to “Take the Joy Ride.” The book includes six months of daily readings listed under the acronym G-R-A-C-E, representing God, Relationships, Acceptance, Challenges and Emotions. The book was coauthored by Shirley Brosius, Janine Boyer and Kim Messinger who share in a speaking ministry called Friends of the Heart. Published by WestBow Press, the book’s retail price is $17.99.

Shirley will accept cash or checks in payment.

Bookfest Author: Frank Deter

Many people agree that dogs are "Man's best friend," and when Frank Deter acquires a new hunting dog, he is excited to find the truth in this common expression. He and his family call the dog "Judy," and Frank takes his son on many unforgettable hunts with her. Frank's relationship with his son improves, and many friends and family members are astounded by Judy's impeccable performance in the fields.

Throughout the story, Frank recollects some of his most memorable hunts, including one with a preacher, a colonel, and his aging father whom Frank accompanies on his last hunt. He also amuses readers with some of the challenges he had to face with a feisty, yet lovable dog. A true story of achievement, love, and, loss, "A Dog Named Judy" will forever stay in reader's hearts as they learn the importance of close family ties, and significance of forming an eternal bond.

A Dog Named Judy by Frank Deter, Jr. is available at From My Shelf Books & Gifts. This is a true life story of an exceptional gun dog, companion and beloved family member, from the advent of her birth to her last hunt and beyond. It's a story of close family ties, achievements, love and loss and treasured experiences. Frank will be available to autograph copies of his book at Wellsboro Bookfest November 5th at the Deanne Center!

Bookfest Author: Patrick Thomas

Patrick Thomas has had stories published in over three dozen magazines and more than fifty anthologies. He’s written 30+ books including 8 books in the fantasy humor series Murphy’s Lore, urban fantasy spin offs Fairy With A Gun, Fairy Rides The Lightning, Dead To Rites, Rites of Passage, Lore & Dysorder and two more - Startenders and Constellation Prize in the Startenders series.

He co-writes the Mystic Investigators paranormal mystery series and The Assassins’ Ball, a traditional mystery, co-authored with John L. French. His latest books include the steampunk As The Gears Turn and the graphic novel Case of the Moon Maniac with Blair Webb.

His darkly humorous advice column Dear Cthulhu includes the collections Have A Dark Day, Good Advice For Bad People, Cthulhu Knows Best and What Would Cthulhu Do?

A number of his books were part of the props department of the CSI television show and one was even thrown at a suspect. Fairy With A Gun was optioned by Laurence Fishburne’s Cinema Gypsy Productions. Act of Contrition, a story featuring his Soul For Hire hitman is in development for a short film by Top Men Productions. Drop by www.patthomas.net to learn more.


Patrick takes cash and credit cards as payment.

Bookfest Author: John Spaziani

John Spaziani is a retired teacher living in Pine City, NY. His first book, The Amazing Journey of Johnny Thumbnail, was published by Mascot Books. John is the author and illustrator. It is an imaginary tale yet based in the true realm of nature and it’s plight in our modern environment. The first part of the story involves black and white cartoon illustrations which allow the reader to color them, if they choose. The second part involves the main written body, about 8000 words featuring full watercolor illustrations. The reading is middle school level but the story is for readers of all ages. The book is hardcover and retails for $16.95. Cash or check accepted.

Bookfest Author: Cheryl Edgcomb

STAMP CAMP USA FOUNDER AUTHORS NEW BOOK

Retired Postmaster and Stamp Camp USA Founder/ CEO, Cheryl B. Edgcomb has just completed a book of memoirs about her life experiences, which includes many of the “behind the scenes” happenings that launched a 30 year postal career and the establishment of Stamp Camp USA, a one-of-a-kind national non-profit philatelic youth education program she founded that touched the lives of thousands, both nationally and internationally.

In her book, entitled Stamped For Deliverance, author Edgcomb references her life experiences as a child and how many of those helped her develop the necessary determination her life’s work required as she followed the path God had planned for her life. From her humble beginnings as a country girl raised in the hills of Potter County, Pennsylvania, who enjoyed collecting stamps with one of her step fathers, Cheryl came to realize there were numerous defining moments God used that took her down a career path she had not anticipated, nor expected.
Growing up in a dysfunctional household after the tragic death of her biological father, Cheryl experienced the devastating family effects of alcoholism first-hand. Even though her circumstances created difficult challenges throughout, Cheryl came to understand that God had a perfect plan for her life, and as her relationship with Jesus Christ developed and grew, she came to accept that plan, helping her realize that being in God’s will truly is the best place to be.

Since God loves His creation perfectly and knows each one of His children intimately, He has ordained each of our days in a way that we will be drawn to Him as we commit our lives and our wills over to His care. We experience God’s love, forgiveness, strength, provision, and grace as we step out in faith into the plan He has for each one of us. This does not mean that things will necessarily be easy, but it does mean that as we seek Him, through prayer, fellowship, and His Word, He will be right there walking along side of us as we live out our days.

“I never expected that I would become a Postmaster, and follow that career path when I graduated from high school. Becoming a wife, mother, and postal employee brought with it many challenges, but I could always sense God’s loving presence whenever I called upon Him. Many of life’s challenges helped propel me forward as I continued along this philatelic career path, unaware at the time of the vast experiences that were awaiting me as I walked out God’s plan.

We frequently find ourselves at a crossroads where we will either be following His lead wholeheartedly, or where we may begin to question whether or not He is even aware of our circumstances or difficulties. There were so many times I had to rely upon His Holy Spirit to guide me. There was no manual to reference in the development of Stamp Camp USA, since we were the ones formulating it. I had to trust God’s leading, not only with my family situations and relationships, but also through the creation of a program that had the potential to impact many young people and their families in the course of its mission.”

In hindsight, looking back collectively over a 30 year career, author Edgcomb said it became much more evident to see where God was leading and guiding. “Preparing for the manuscript, I referenced a series of journals I had been keeping since 1988, which frequently revealed my dependence upon prayer and the power of God to intercede on our behalf, since I certainly had no idea, at times how to proceed.” It was not always clear as to what my next steps were in order to move the non-profit organization forward, or even my own life, at times, in a positive direction. I frequently had to step out in faith, not knowing the outcome, but trusting that as I followed His leading to the best of my ability, He would make all things right. He knew I truly wanted to hear from Him clearly so that I could follow His perfect plan for my life, and somehow He always managed to make me aware, especially when I would deliberately and willingly seek Him for guidance.”

In Stamped For Deliverance, author Edgcomb details some of the incredible life experiences God allowed her to be a part of, as she taught thousands of children and beginning adult philatelists, using world-wide postage stamps. “I think my story shows that God can take anyone or anything and use it to bring about what He wants accomplished in a person’s life. I never would have believed God would use tiny squares of colorful paper that reflected His awesome creation as the tool to help me reach out to others, while experiencing some life-changing moments.”
Published by Christian Book Publisher, Xulon Press in Maitland, Florida, a division of Salem Communications, Stamped For Deliverance is being released at the upcoming World Stamp Show, NY2016. This exclusive event, held in the United States once every ten years, is hosted at the Javits Convention Center in New York City from May 28th through June 4th, 2016. A premiere book signing event is scheduled for Monday, May 30, 2016 from 10 a.m. to noon at this dynamic philatelic exhibition. Author Edgcomb will be present, accompanied by her family, and looks forward to sharing her story with others.

BookFest author: Linda Stager

Linda’s book, The Pine Creek Rail Trail Guidebook, published in 2015, is a 206-page narrated tour of the exceptional 62-mile long rail trail that starts just north of Wellsboro and ends in Jersey Shore, PA. It follows the old Jersey Shore, Buffalo, and Pine Creek railroad bed through the Marsh Creek wetlands, the Pine Creek Gorge, and the lower Pine Creek Valley. The trail has been chosen one of the top ten trails in the country and was just highlighted as the Rails to Trails Conservancy’s Trail of the Month.



After Linda retired from social work in 2013, she started riding her bicycle in the only area she knew was flat, well-groomed, and safe. That was our local trail. As she rode, she noted the things she wanted to know about the trail and the area. Over a two year period, the guidebook was conceived and born.



In the book, Linda shows you landmarks, tells stories about the history of the region, imparts practical advice for a successful ride or walk along the trail and illustrates the book with multiple photos of the trail as it looks today as well as historical photos from old rail collections. The book is engaging and an easy read.

BookFest author: Michelle Lazurek

Michelle Lazurek is an award-winning author, speaker, pastors wife, and a mother. She is a member of the Advanced Writers and Speakers Association and has had over 120 articles published in places such as Gifted for Leadership and Incourage. She gives a biblical perspective on current events on pastorsresources.com and writes reviews for the family friendly streaming service Pure Flix. She has a masters in Counseling from Liberty University. Please visit her website at michellelazurek.com. She and her family live in Coudersport, PA.



Michelle is the author of several books, including The Ripple Effect: Influencing Others Through Intentional Community, Becoming the Disciple Whom Jesus Loved: Discover Your Character in God's Story, and An Invitation to the Table: Embracing the Gift of Hospitality.

Michelle's latest projects are two lovely children's books, published by Pauline Press. With one geared towards boys and one towards girls, Daddy, Am I Beautiful? and Mommy, Am I Strong? help young children realize what true beauty and true strength look like, as well as reinforcing the message that God, like our earthly parents, loves us for who we are.

Dan Nestlerode is dual-licensed as an investment advisor and a broker with over 50 years experience in the filed. He has been shaping investment portfolios for people from all walks of life and all income brackets throughout his entire career. In his new book, Get Rich or Get Out of My Way: The Savvy Investor’s Guide to an Unstable Economy, he offers a simple, essential, step-by-step process to help the reader become a successful investor.



Beginning right now, the reader can eliminate chance as a major player in their investment future by learning the language, statistics and strategy necessary to tilt the odds of successful investing vastly in their favor. If you want to make your money grow, discard your old, comfortable assumptions and get ready for a fast, fun and deeply insightful adult education course in investment strategies.

"Dan Nestlerode will provide any investor with the confidence to build a successful retirement and have fun along the way." ~ Paul Bedard (Columnist, Washington Examiner)



Dan Nestlerode began investing in the early 1950s and became registered stock broker in April 15th 1965. In 1983 he became the second president of the family investment firm, Nestlerode & Co., Inc. that later became Nestlerode & Loy, Inc. In 1991 he began the shift in the company’s business from investment brokerage to investment management moving from $3 million under management to just short of $90 million upon his retirement on April 15th 2015. In 2008, he completed his succession plan by resigning as president of the family firm in favor of Judy L. Loy who continues on as CEO of the company and moves the company to its third generation. In addition to his career in money management, Dan was the treasurer of the Presbyterian Church Camp at Krislund for nearly 15 years, treasurer of Centre Life Link in State College for 14 years, treasurer of the Outdoor Sportmans Club in State College for 15 years and now treasurer of the Waterville Volunteer Fire Company and the treasurer of the Pine Creek Preservation Association in Waterville, Pa. Dan the president of Pine Village a family retreat and vacation property in Waterville, Pa and the advisor to and treasurer of the Metric Investment Club since 1994. Dan was one of the founders and past president of the TIPS Club in State College, a business referral organization.

BookFest author: Don Darrin

Don Darrin was born in Bath, New York and grew up in the small town of Pulteney, New York. He currently lives in South Pulteney. He loves nature and spends a good amount of time in the local forests and creeks. Don’s family is very important to him. He spends as much time with them as he can. Sports also play a big part in Don’s life. He often attends local high school sporting events including basketball, tennis, and soccer.

When Don published his first book, The Enchanted Planet, in the fall of 2006, he was one of the very first author events at our newly-open bookstore, in From My Shelf's first incarnation in the basement at 87 Main St. We've both accomplished a lot since then! Don has written two more books since -- The Quest of Arrianne and Harmonyville, both published with Xlibris.



Harmonyville, Don's newest book, opens in the summer of 1986. In the rural town of Harmonyville, six adolescents battle for their town, first with an older group of kids, then with their growing nightmares. The younger Rebels’ summers had always consisted of being attacked and picked on by the older boys (the Regulators) but a strange bicyclist disguising his motives sets forth an oncoming event that the Rebels have to prepare for. Promising to make the Rebels’ nightmares end the cyclist recites a chant that the Rebels worry will actually bring their worst fears to life. Using clues from their continuing nightmares, the Rebels prepare themselves the best they can for their upcoming battle, all while dealing with the Regulators constant hostility. Will their preparations be enough to save them and their town from the nightmares that are about to become real?

Susan Beckhorn Williams: Wellsboro Bookfest Author

Kids, animals, the outdoors . . . Sue Beckhorn’s award-winning middle grade novels and picture books revolve around these things. Her stories sweep from the dawn of time to the present, from myth to adventure. When not at her desk, she is happiest sharing her love of reading and writing stories with young people in her dynamic school visits. This year she is thrilled to introduce her new middle grade novel, THE WOLF’S BOY, Disney*Hyperion June 2016, inspired by the finding of the fossilized footprints of a boy and a wolf/dog? walking side by side in Chauvet Cave in France.


In the Morning of the World, Six Woodland Why Stories, Down East Books 2000
The Kingfisher’s Gift, Philomel, 2002, Junior Library Guild selection
Sarey by Lantern Light, Down East Books 2003
Wind Rider, Laura Geringer, 2006, Booklist and Kliatt starred reviews, Amelia Bloomer List, Book Sense Pick, University of Rochester’s Andrew Eiseman Award, also published in Germany.
Moose Eggs, or Why Moose Have Flat Antlers, Down East Books 2008
Moose Power, Down East Books 2010
Faculty member, 2008 and2014 Highlights Foundation Chautauqua Conference 2012 Ranger Rick Magazine Writing Award



The Wolf’s Boy, Disney*Hyperion 2016, Kirkus and School Library Journal starred reviews

World of Warcraft: The Official Cookbook

Prepare a feast fit for a warchief with World of Warcraft: The Official Cookbook, a delicious compendium of recipes inspired by the hit online game from Blizzard Entertainment.

Prepare a feast fit for a warchief with World of Warcraft: The Official Cookbook, a compendium of sweet and savory recipes inspired by the hit game from Blizzard Entertainment. Presenting delicacies favored by the Horde and the Alliance alike, this authorized cookbook teaches apprentice chefs how to conjure up a menu of food and drink from across the realm of Azeroth.

Featuring food pairings for each dish, ideas for creating your own Azerothian feasts, and tips on adapting meals to specific diets, this otherworldly culinary guide offers something for everyone. The aromatic Spiced Blossom Soup is perfect for plant-loving druids, and orcs will go berserk for the fall-off-the-bone Beer-Basted Boar Ribs. With alternatives to the more obscure ingredients just in case you don t have Chimaerok Chops lying around this comprehensive cookbook will ensure that you have no trouble staying Well Fed.

Each chapter features dishes at a variety of skill levels for a total of more than one hundred easy-to-follow recipes for food and brews, including:
Ancient Pandaren Spices
Fel Eggs and Ham
Mulgore Spice Bread
Dragonbreath Chili
Graccu's Homemade Meat Pie
Bloodberry Tart
Greatfather's Winter Ale
Whether you re cooking for two or revitalizing your raid group for a late-night dungeon run, World of Warcraft: The Official Cookbook brings the flavors of Azeroth to life like never before.

About the Author

CHELSEA MONROE-CASSELis the co-author of the New York Times bestseller A Feast of Ice and Fire: The Official Game of Thrones Companion Cookbook. A lifelong artist and fan of fantasy, Chelsea discovered her love of interesting food during a year living abroad in Turkey. Like the literature and fictional settings she loves, Chelsea s work is a synthesis of imagination and historical research. Applying her multifaceted creativity to that passion has led her to a career of transforming imaginary foods into reality. She greatly enjoys foreign languages, treasure hunting, history, and all things related to honey. She and her husband currently live in an old Vermont house with a retired hound and a sturdy Manx cat."

Monsters and Heroes of the Realms: A Dungeons & Dragons Coloring Book

Go on a journey through the fabled Forgotten Realms and color in an array of monsters, rogues, heroes and villains

The Monsters and Heroes of the Realms A Dungeons & Dragons Coloring Book is a treasure trove of illustrations summoned from the pages of the official Dungeons & Dragons manuals. It features never-before-seen artwork and it includes 16 pages of inspirational full-color illustrations. In this book the pen IS mightier than the sword.

BookFest author: Dawn Lubertowicz

Dawn L. Lubertowicz spent most of her childhood traveling the world with her family, where she learned all of the different cultures. She was born in Denver, Colorado and never stopped moving until 1990 when the Persian Gulf War forced her, her mother and her older sister to move back to the States. She finally settled down in a small town, Tunkhannock, with her husband, Jason and their three “furry children”, Gremlin, Storm, and Ashes. She went to college and graduated with a bachelor degree in psychology, minor in criminal justice, and a certificate in forensic science. She finally settled in the medical field, working at a local family practice clinic.



In the meantime, she has always been writing. At BookFest 2016, Dawn will be selling 2 books in her paranormal romance/urban fantasy series featuring the characters Abby and Zero. Blood Moon: My Dark Angel and Awakening Moon: Evil Rises will be available for purchase, as well as a short collection of short stories, and a new stand-alone novella, Taming the Beast.

Bookfest Author: Kevin Coolidge

Kevin Coolidge is one of the owners of From My Shelf Books & Gifts and a children's author. He published a book about Hobo, the first bookstore cat at From My Shelf, and is bringing it back into print in time for Wellsboro's Bookfest this year.

Kevin is also the creator of "The Totally Ninja Raccoons." The Totally Ninja Raccoon series is great for the reluctant reader from second to fourth grade, though there are younger and older readers. Grandmothers love buying them for their grandchildren that live outside of Tioga County.

The Totally Ninja Raccoon series is set right here in Wellsboro Pennsylvania, and is specifically geared towards reluctant readers. It's your classic trio with a twist. Think the "Three Investigators meet the "Teenage Ninja Mutant Turtles" with a little "Ghost Busters" in the mix.What started as an idea to score free food soon ends up giving the raccoons a glimpse into another world, a world of shadows, mysteries, and plots.

Kevin has also written his first book for adults called "Operation Ragnarok" Operation Ragnarok is a fantastical adventure with comedic elements about a group of Dungeon & Dragons players that are going through the mid-life crisis. Instead of the stereotypical, little red corvette, they decide to steal a Viking longship from a museum, and accidentally unleash Ragnarok. It's a story of friendship, sacrifice, and unleashing Hel on Earth...

Operation Ragnarok, think Night at the Museum meets The Big Bang Theory with a touch of Stand by Me vibe. Great for those who love mythology, gaming, and geek culture, but not needed to enjoy this fast-paced tale.

BookFest author: Chris McClean

Chris McClean is an award-winning novelist and short-story writer. Along with writing suspenseful novels for mature audiences under the pen name C.L. Lowry, he also created the 'CrimeFighters: Defenders of Justice' series. The CrimeFighters are a diverse group of heroes that teach safety lessons to young readers. Chris spent over five years in law-enforcement and uses his experience and education to engage his readers’ attention with realistic scenarios throughout his stories.

The CrimeFighters are a group of super heroes that are also law-enforcement officers and first responders. The CrimeFighters are friends that work together to fight crime and make the streets safer. They are equipped with special armored suits that have features that are linked to each of their skills and professions. The CrimeFighters group consists of junior versions of a police officer, firefighter, fire marshal, state trooper, corrections officer, FBI Agent, paramedic, and Sheriff. The CrimeFighters develop plans on how to catch criminals and defend justice all over the world. Whether they are stopping a bully from being mean to people or preventing thieves from stealing, the CrimeFighters are here to “save the day.”



The CrimeFighters books are recommended for children, ages 6 and up. With the CrimeFighters books, children will:
•Be introduced to the CrimeFighters
•Learn about the diverse group of heroes
•Enjoy beautiful illustrations
•Love the creative stories
•Be taught safety lessons
•Understand the difference between “right” and “wrong”
•Expand their vocabulary
•Have fun reading

The CrimeFighters: An Introduction to the Heroes book introduces children to the heroes and gives instructions to activities that are in the following stories. The book also displays beautiful illustrations of the heroes, their gadgets, and vehicles. Children will grow to love THE CRIMEFIGHTERS: DEFENDERS OF JUSTICE.


Chris was born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In June of 2016, his debut novel The Black Badge: Confessions of Corruption ranked #4 on Amazon’s Top 100 Best Selling Crime Fiction books. The Black Badge also won an award for best book under the Anthologies/Compilation’s category at the 2016 New York Book Festival. Chris’ debut children’s storybook The CrimeFighters: The Heroes Fight a Fire ranked #50 on Amazon’s Top 100 Best Selling Children’s Books.

BookFest author: Michael Keene

Michael Keene is the author of six books about unusual but true episodes of 19th-century New York state history. The events that bubbled out of this period include the origins of the Erie Canal, the establishment of New York's insane asylums and orphanages, incredible stories of fifteen female serial killers from upstate New York, the influence of the Spiritualist movement, the dawn of women's rights activism in America. This area saw everything from saving souls from the evils of alcohol with the Temperance preachers to continued action with prominent abolitionists.





Michael has worked for twenty-five years in the financial services industry as a financial planner. He's an author and also is the award-winning producer of "Visions: True Stories of Spiritualism, Secret Societies & Murder", available on DVD. He lives in Pittsford, New York, with his wife, Diana, and their daughter, Michele, and grandson, Joshua. His website address is www.ad-hoc-productions.com

BookFest author: Bob Cox, Jr.

What started for Bob as a small retirement project -- a glance through some computer pages, looking into a little genealogy in one branch of his mom's family -- became a full-fledged book.



JAMES COCK, HIS LIFE AND TIMES, 1630-1699 is a history of early colonial Long Island told through the biography of a settler who helped found or establish three communities in that then-frontier land. James Cock was an English immigrant, who could neither read nor write his signature, but who became instrumental in each of the three towns--Southold, Setauket and Oyster Bay--where he lived. A devout Quaker, and founding father of nearly 400 years of a Quaker family on Long Island, he was a first-hand witness to religious prejudice and persecution at the hands of the Puritans and the Dutch. His life-long friend and neighbor in each of those settlements was Captain John Underhill, ruthless Indian fighter and charismatic civic leader--and later Quaker--who led the devastation of Natives in both the Pequot War and Kieft's War.

James actively joined in and helped lead efforts to oppose taxation without representation, to establish the freedoms of religion, speech and assembly, and democratic government, all of which we so take for granted today--over 100 years before the American Revolution. Filled with vivid accounts of early colonial times on Long Island and a careful critique of egregious laws enacted against the Quakers and enforced in Long Island first by the strict Puritan New Haven Colony then by the more lenient Connecticut Colony (Hartford), "James Cock, His Life and Times, 1630-1699" encourages the imagination and sends a message of significant lifetime accomplishments by an otherwise ordinary farmer and family man.




Bob Cox is truly a local boy: though he has enjoyed travel, he has lived his entire life, except his formal education years, in Wellsboro. After having practiced law here for forty years, he retired in 2011. He and his wife of nearly fifty years, Anne, are the parents of three (one of whom is Kasey, co-owner of your favorite local bookstore ;) and grandparents of four.

BookFest author: Judith Sornberger

Judith Sornberger is a recently-retired professor of English and of Women's Studies at Mansfield University. She continues to be active with her own writing and publishing career, and occasionally teaches a writing workshop in the community. At this year's BookFest, Judith will be selling several of her poetry collections, including Open Heart and Walmart Orchid, as well as her most recent work, a nonfiction book entitled Accidental Pilgrim.



In Accidental Pilgrim, once "nice pagan girl," acclaimed poet and scholar, Dr. Sornberger recounts her journey through faith in this beautiful personal memoir, highlighted by a trip to Italy. As a professor of English and Women's Studies, Sornberger had long been interested in the female role in scripture, iconography, and religious literature. When she began questioning her personal choices regarding Church and religion, Sornberger was drawn to art to find some answers. Her journey through the churches and museums of Italy, gazing upon powerful images of scriptural scenes, led her to insights into the place of Mary, along with other women, in a life of faith and service. Within this carefully told narrative and full-color images of many of the works of art that inspired Sornberger, the reader will find much to influence his or her own remarkable journey of faith.

Judith is fun, approachable, and kind. While she is a dynamic speaker, presenter, and teacher, she is at the same time very down-to-earth and personable. We're sure you'll love talking with her at BookFest, and we definitely encourage you to buy at least one of her books to enjoy her work!

BookFest author (and artist!): Ken Cobb!

Kenneth Cobb is an Instructor of Art at Mansfield University in Pennsylvania, teaching courses in Drawing, Painting, Graphic Design and Gallery Management. Ken was born in 1975 in Canandaigua, NY. He received his BFA in Painting and Computer Art from Bowling Green State University in Ohio and his MFA in Studio Art from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale.

Ken will be selling two of his most recent books, his first ventures into coloring books, featuring his own drawings!

Of An Easy Nature is a light-hearted book containing 30 fun illustrations of nature's creatures to color and enjoy. Content suitable to all ages and skill levels with single-sided pages for easy coloring. $10.99

Abstract Designs Coloring Book will challenge your color harmony skills with a variety of pattern and shape based arrangements. Single-sided pages for easy coloring. $10.99


Ken will also be available to talk with if you are in the market for an illustrator or graphic designer for a book you have been working on.

At BookFest, Ken will accept payment in cash or with credit cards (via Square).

Can't Decide Who to Vote For???

You may have already read that From My Shelf Books & Gifts has been nominated for the Indie Awards sponsored by independentwestand.org. Only twenty five businesses will make the next round and we can't do it without your votes.

Voting to advance us to round two starts now! You can vote once a day per IP address, that means some of you can vote from home, from work, AND when you are drinking your latte in the coffee shop. Voting continues until November 13th. Then the top twenty five businesses will proceed to Round 2.

Your votes helped get us to the top ten last year, but we lost to a bigger business who didn't need the prize money. They ultimately donated it. We sure could use it.

Your vote can make that happen for From My Shelf Books. You can go to our Facebook page where we will have a link pinned to the top to make voting easier. If you haven't already liked our Facebook page, please do. We have lots of great cartoons, word play, and geek culture. If you love our store, please leave a review. It helps keep us visible and in the ratings.

If you don't do the Facebook thing, you can still vote by visiting www.IndieBizAward.com

Thanks so much for helping us get this far.

The Staff at From My Shelf Books & Gifts




JUST CLICK ON THE PHOTO TO BE TAKEN DIRECTLY TO THE PAGE TO VOTE FOR FROM MY SHELF BOOKS & GIFTS

BookFest 2016 author: Baiba Kreger

Wellsboro's BookFest 2016: coming up soon! Join us Saturday, November 5th at the Deane Center, in welcoming 20+ local and regional authors, including Baiba Kreger, who was been with us for EVERY BookFest for the last 8 years! She is always engaging, approachable, and interesting to talk to, especially since she brings native folk costumes from Latvia for her own personal "show and tell", which is not usual since Baiba worked as an educator for the entire length of her career. She earned her Ph.D. in curriculum design from the University of Pittsburgh.



Baiba is the author of the memoir, My Heritage, My Destiny. As a young girl, Baiba and her family struggled to get out of war-torn Latvia, and to begin a new life as immigrants in America. She writes about her belief in hard work and education as the way to succeed in her new country. When she later had the chance to return to Latvia, she realized just how blessed she had been to leave, and how much the Latvians have suffered between WWII and the recent era.

She has three grown children and seven grandchildren. In her retirement, she lives in Liberty, PA, with her two cats, Cinnamon and Furby. She travels and writes regular columns for the local newspapers.

Wellsboro's BookFest will be held on Sat. Nov. 5th at the Deane Center!

Wellsboro's BookFest is coming up fast, as you probably know! On Sat. Nov. 5th at the Deane Center, we're thrilled to be hosting 20+ talented local & regional authors offering an exciting cross-section of genres! We've been highlighting each of our authors between now and BookFest, so stay go back through the blog post from the last two weeks to learn more!

I want to give another shout-out to one of the first on board: our friend Leslie Mitchell Jensen, known to everyone as "Rabbit". She is the editor and a contributor to the anthology, A Woman's Angle: Celebrating 20 Years of Women Fly-Fishing, published by the Delaware Valley Women's Fly-Fishing Association. The Mid-Atlantic Fly-Fishing Guide said of this collection, "The essays will remind you -- men and women alike -- as to why you took up fly-fishing in the first place. This is a worthwhile read, for those experienced in fly-fishing, as well as those just starting out."

Rabbit's byline appears frequently in geocaching and fly-fishing magazines.

I Lost Weight by Eating Bacon and Saying No to Jogging

I've lost over fifty pounds since May 1st, and I did it without jogging and not giving up bacon. I'm a writer, and I thought to myself, "I should write a book about it." Then I found out that someone already wrote a great book about it. It's called "Eat Bacon, Don't Jog"

This book tells you to forget about every assumption you might have about diet and exercise. In more than 100 short compelling essays, Eat Bacon, Don't Jog shows why eating fat makes us thing and cardio makes us stressed and hungry, and not all calories are equal--all with the latest science to back it up.

If you are tired of long cardio sessions with little or no result, eating low fat and making little if any progress, it's time for a change. There are many books out there that talk about this, but this book sums it up nicely, and is a great place to start if you've been thinking about eating low carb, or if your present exercise routine is NOT getting you results.

For Gamers, Geeks and Goofballs Everywhere!

“We are all just killing time, until time eventually kills us. We go through life knowing death is waiting, but not knowing what comes next. I don't have to wonder anymore, because I died.”

Operation Ragnarok is a fantastical adventure with comedic elements about a group of gamers going through a mid-life crisis, instead of the little red corvette, they decide to steal a Viking longship from a museum and release an ancient evil. It's a story of friendship, sacrifice, and unleashing Hel on Earth...

Operation Ragnarok, think Night at the Museum meets The Big Bang Theory with a touch of Stand by Me vibe. Great for those who love mythology, gaming, and geek culture, but not needed to enjoy this fast-paced tale. If you've ever rolled the dice, you need this book.

Operation Ragnarok is available for just $7.99 in print version from www.wellsborobookstore.com, or wherever books are sold, as well as an ebook on Kindle, Nook, Kobo, or Apple products

Want to unleash Hel on Hollywood? Check out the Valhalla Project of Facebook

Advance Praise for Operation Ragnarok

Operation Ragnarok is a fast-paced, irreverent nerdfest with laugh out loud dialogue, like Big Bang Theory on steroids. Suspend your disbelief and enjoy! --Dana Fredsti, author of the Ashley Parker Plague Town series

"Hoist your geek flag with Operation Ragnarok, And remember to always bring your claymore with you when robbing a museum or trying to save the world!" --Patrick Thomas, author of the Murphy's Lore series and the Dear Cthulhu advice columns and books

"Let's face it; there's a little hell raising Norseman in all of us. So top off your drinking horn, shoulder your trusty Claymore, and board your very own Viking longship. Kevin J. Coolidge's "Operation Ragnarok" is about to set sail. Who says geeks and gamers can't save the world?" -- Max Hawthorne , author of the bestselling Kronos Rising series.

If you're a fan of Norse mythology, pop culture, action and humor this is the book for you! Operation Ragnarok is a wild romp of a read. --V.L. Locey, romance author and mythology aficionado

"A Dungeons and Dragons adventure comes alive with good friends and a hero who loves books!" -Ann Myers, mystery author of Bread of the Dead.


CLICK ON THE VIKING LONGBOAT FOR AN AUTOGRAPHED EDITION

Wood Hicks and Bark Peelers: A Visual History of Pennsylvania S Railroad Lumbering Communities

In Wood Hicks and Bark Peelers, Ronald E. Ostman and Harry Littell draw on the stunning documentary photography of William T. Clarke to tell the story of Pennsylvania's lumber heyday, a time when loggers serving the needs of a rapidly growing and globalizing country forever altered the dense forests of the state's northern tier.
Discovered in a shed in upstate New York and a barn in Pennsylvania after decades of obscurity, Clarke's photographs offer an unprecedented view of the logging, lumbering, and wood industries during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. They show the great forests in the process of coming down, and the trains that hauled away the felled trees and trimmed logs. And they show the workers cruisers, jobbers, skidders, teamsters, carpenters, swampers, wood hicks, and bark peelers their camps and workplaces, their families, their communities. The work was demanding and dangerous; the work sites and housing were unsanitary and unsavory. The changes the newly industrialized logging business wrought were immensely important to the nation's growth at the same time that they were fantastically and tragically transformative to the landscape.
An extraordinary look at a little-known photographer's work and the people and industry he documented, this book reveals, in sharp detail, the history of the third phase of lumber in America.

About the Author

Ronald E. Ostman and Harry Littell have collaborated on a number of books, most recently (with Mary Jordan) Dear Friend Amelia: The Civil War Letters of Private John Tidd and Great Possibilities: 150 Photographs by Verne Morton. Ostman is Graduate Professor of Communication Emeritus, Cornell University. Littell is Associate Professor and Chair of Photography, Tompkins Cortland Community College, Dryden, New York.

Table of Contents:
Contents
Acknowledgments
Prologue: Discovery and Procedures
Introduction: The Salvation of William T. Clarke
Linda A. Ries
1The Black Forest
2The Machine in the Garden
3Wood Hicks, Bark Peelers, and Other Woods Workers
4Camp Life
5Community Life
6The Pennsylvania Desert
7A Mighty Transformation
Appendix: Notes on the Photographs
Notes
Bibliography
Index

Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard, Book 2: The Hammer of Thor

Thor's hammer is missing again. The thunder god has a disturbing habit of misplacing his weapon--the mightiest force in the Nine Worlds. But this time the hammer isn't just lost, it has fallen into enemy hands. If Magnus Chase and his friends can't retrieve the hammer quickly, the mortal worlds will be defenseless against an onslaught of giants. Ragnarok will begin. The Nine Worlds will burn. Unfortunately, the only person who can broker a deal for the hammer's return is the gods' worst enemy, Loki--and the price he wants is very high.

Little Blue Truck's Halloween ( Little Blue Truck )

Beep Beep It's Halloween Little Blue Truck is picking up his animal friends for a costume party. Lift the flaps in this large, sturdy board book to find out who's dressed up in each costume Will Blue wear a costume too? With the delightful rhymes and signature illustration style that made Little Blue Truck a household name, Blue's new adventure is full of festive costumes, fall colors, and plenty of Halloween fun