Windham author publishes second children’s book

By Masha Yurkevich

Jeanine Faietta Eastman is not your typical children’s book author. Along with her books being entertaining, fascinating, and captivating to young eyes, they also add a historical element for young minds.

Windham author Janine Faietta Eastman will be
available to meet the public and sign copies of
her new children's book called 
'Blizzard the Ice-Harvesting Horse' at Sherman's  
Maine Coast Book Shop in Windham on June 8.
COURTESY PHOTO

She was born and raised in Maine and currently resides with her family on Highland Lake in Windham, where generations of her family have spent summers together.

“I have fond memories of my grandfather’s stories of ice harvesting that took place on the lake during the early 1900s,” says Eastman. “I wanted to share the story to the younger generation of today so that they would have an idea of what life was like during that time. And, how the frozen lake garden provided such an important commodity to so many families. Everyone worked together; life certainly was very different then compared to our lives today. After all, walking two miles to school, every day, uphill both ways during a snowstorm was a thing!”

Prior to writing a book, Eastman says that she does research to make sure that her books are not only interesting, but also factually correct. When writing her most recent book, “Blizzard the Ice-Harvesting Horse,” Eastman researched the history of ice harvesting in Maine, the process used, and the tools involved.

“And of course, I had all the stories told to me about the harvest,” she says.

Her motivation for writing her most recent book “Blizzard the Ice-Harvesting Horse” was all about the importance of history to be shared.

“I hope that children will learn about the past in an informative and fun way,” she said. “With Blizzard the horse telling his story straight from the mouth of the horse, I also hope that it will also be a fun read for adults as well.”

Although there are so many wonderful children’s books and authors, Eastman says that she wanted to add to the genre with a story about ice harvesting in Maine. She also wanted to present children with something new to learn about and have lots of smiles while doing so.

“I love when the story comes together, how a story flows when writing it, along with the perfect illustrations that help tell the story and move it along,” says Eastman.

She prefers to write pen to paper and then type her manuscripts when the pen to paper process is complete and the manuscript is ready to be submitted to her publisher.

So far, Eastman has written two children’s novels and plans to write more books in the future.

Her first children’s book, “The Very Same Moon” was published in 2023 by Page Publishing, Inc. Her second book, “Blizzard the Ice-Harvesting Horse” was published just last month.

“When you read ‘The Very Same Moon,’ you will know that every boy loon sings a different tune,” reads the summary from the back of the book. “It’s true! They even have their own boy band and perform for the very same moon. So come hang out for a while, as the very same moon leads the way with a glowing light. Just like it has since the very first night. Meet all the animal friends and neighbors that have been guided through the lake waters and forest trees. Then, you will surely know why Maine is the way that life should be.”

All of Eastman’s books are available online at Amazon and from Barnes & Noble Booksellers. They can also be purchased at Sherman’s Maine Coast Bookstore in Windham.

“I encourage everyone to support local, small Maine business and purchase my book there,” says Eastman.

Here’s a sneak peek into the summary of her most recent book, “Blizzard the Ice-Harvesting Horse.”

“Blizzard is the ice harvesting horse. Isn’t it so cool that ice was harvested from the frozen waters of Highland Lake? That’s how it was done during the early 1900s, so many years ago! Saddle up as Blizzard shares his adventures while he and his neighbors work together during the frigid Maine weather. With the cold wind blowing, it messes up his long mane. Oh well, lake hair, he doesn’t care. After all, Blizzard’s mane keeps him warm. He can make it through any storm! Neighbors helping neighbors, you will surely see why Maine has always been the way that life should be!”

Eastman will have a book signing for Blizzard the Ice-Harvesting Horse at Sherman’s Maine Coast Bookstore in Windham, scheduled for Saturday, June 8, with the time of that event yet to be determined. <

Windham author publishes first detective thriller

By Kaysa Jalbert

Imagine if the well-known and beloved city of Portland, Maine was suddenly struck with a series of murders left for the local detective, his associates and an underaged bartender at Sully’s Tap to solve. Newly published author Philip C. Baker of Windham paints this macabre imagery in his first Maine-based thriller called “Hunger Hill.”

Windham resident Philip C. Baker has written
and published his first novel, a detective thriller
set in Maine called 'Hunger Hill." It is
available for purchase on Amazon and through
the Maine Authors Publishing Cooperative.
SUBMITTED PHOTO 

The novel’s setting is Munjoy Hill, an east end area in Portland popular for walks and panoramic views for real-life Mainers, but it is no place for relaxing and unwinding if you are a character in Baker’s crime thriller novel.

“The idea for a book in my experience is a collection of a million ideas,” Baker said. “They don’t all come at once. They start to seep into the imagination; before you know it, they are the inspiration for a story or your novel.”

Baker is one of many individuals who have become writers by creating novels out of the inspiration of their hometowns or states. The dear state of Maine can be thanked for its abundance of hypnotic landscapes and panoramas that animates one’s imagination, including that of Stephen King.

“I start writing in the morning and on an inspired day, I forget about lunch and work until the sun blinds me through my west-facing window in my office,” said Baker. “I carry a notebook to harvest ideas and inspirations, as they come to me during my non-writing times, so in essence, I’m always working on the book.”

The novel took two-plus years to complete, as Baker was limited to writing on weekends and around his customary life consisting of his profession as a sales manager, traveling with family, and caring for their rescued dogs.

“Now that I have Hunger Hill to sell, I find myself at events and on Facebook spending less time writing and more time running the business of peddling the book, a necessary evil.”

The new author says he didn’t have many expectations for this book, just hopes and dreams.

“I dreamed I’d finish Hunger Hill in a publishable format and therefore be able to share my ideas with people,” he said. “I’ve hoped I would leave something behind, a legacy of sorts. The expectation that I did not have was that I’d make money doing this. It’s a hobby that I plan to continue.”

Bill Bushnell of “Bushnell on Books” in the Kennebec Journal and the Morning Sentinel said about Hunger Hill, "This is a well-crafted crime thriller with loads of action, police procedures, plot surprises and a dramatic conclusion."

Baker says his family and friends are all very supportive of his writing, but not as ardent as his wife, Cynthia, who he says, has read the book more than any one person should be expected to. In addition, he has received support and help navigating social media from other fellow authors.

“Not only that, but I have fans,” said Baker. “A bartender at a restaurant I frequent grabbed her phone when she saw me. She had taken a picture of a page she loved and read back to me things that I had written. It was pretty cool.”

The front cover of “Hunger Hill” is a painting of a white car turning down a lit-up city street, the details may be familiar to Portland residents. The illustration was done by the authors niece, Elisie Bolduc.

Hunger Hill is the start of a series consisting of four books that Baker is progressively bringing to life, maintaining the same characters in each but dragging them to new settings such as Western Maine, Down East and “The County.”

Baker says his method for writing is unconventional.

“I get many questions about how I prepare; Do I outline? Do I write linearly? I do neither. I jump around and might even write the ending before much of the rest,” he said. “In all this jumping around, I have to keep track by outlining as I write, not as a predecessor to the writing process. It’s more like a Table of Contents and I’ll highlight it with colors to track changes to a specific thread for example.”

Philip Baker grew up in Falmouth, as the youngest brother of two older sisters on 14 acres of woods and fields. The Baker family owned a sailboat and went on vacation leaving little room for dull moments.

By the age of 10, Philip would ride his bike to the Portland Country Club where he would caddy for the members or “swells” as his father would say.

As an author, Baker is also a busy reader from a Dennis LeHane mystery to an Elmore Leonard psychological thriller. If it came down to being stuck on an island with just one book, Baker says he would choose “Catch 22.”

His first novel “Hunger Hill” is now available on Amazon and through the Maine Authors Publishing Cooperative. <

 

Windham attorney wins crown in 2024 USOA Mrs. Maine Pageant

By Ed Pierce

Competing in the United States of America’s Mrs. Maine 2024 Pageant on Oct. 21 in Augusta was the realization of a dream for Windham attorney Katie Winchenbach. Her confidence and enthusiasm were on full display as she won the state crown and now advances to compete in 2024 USOA Mrs. America Pageant next July in San Antonio, Texas.

Windham attorney Katie Winchenbach was
crowned as the winner of the 2024 USOA
Mrs. Maine Pageant in Augusta on Oct. 22.
She will represent Maine in the 2024 USOA
Mrs. America Pageant in Texas next July.
SUBMITTED PHOTO  

As a corporate attorney and a champion for women’s rights, Winchenbach was a first-time pageant participant in the USOA Pageant, which was created to encourage women to strive to achieve their hopes, dreams, goals, and aspirations, while making them feel confident and beautiful inside and out.

“I have never done a pageant before,” she said. “When the USOA Pageant Director, Christie Hines, reached out to me to see if I would be interested in competing, I really thought she had the wrong woman. Once I learned how much of the pageant was focused on community involvement and championing causes close to your heart, I knew I had to say yes.”

Winchenbach currently serves as the Program Director for Ms. JD, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to the success of aspiring and early career women attorneys. She has also served as the Vice-President of The Maine Women's Conference, where she contributed to the strategic direction and planning of an influential one-day conference to empower and uplift Maine’s women.

Recently Winchenbach joined Women Standing Together, an organization that supports women leaders in various professional fields. Her role with that group will allow her to better advocate for emerging women leaders in Maine's business community. She’s also a published writer with her articles appearing in publications such as Fashion Republic, Gladys Magazine, Marie Claire, Long Island Bride and Groom, and Chicago Style Weddings.

She says that she intends to use her title as USOA Mrs. Maine 2024 to advocate for women’s empowerment, provide critical leadership opportunities, and to break down barriers to women’s success.

"It’s important for me to empower and inspire women to dream bigger and boldly pursue these dreams,” Winchenbach said. “This passion is at the heart of everything I do. I’m honored to be representing Maine as USOA’s Mrs. Maine 2024 and to be able to positively impact Maine’s young women leaders. I believe in empowering and inspiring women to dream bigger and boldly pursue these dreams. As the Program Director for Ms. JD, a national nonprofit dedicated to the success of aspiring and early-career female attorneys, I am able to impact over 800 women per year. More locally, I am partnering with the Compassionate Leadership Project to create a one-day conference for Maine’s emerging female leaders. The conference will provide attendees with access to prominent female leaders from Maine, practical training on key leadership skills, and the opportunity to build their networks. The conference will be live streamed, to provide this critical resource to women from all over the State of Maine, and eventually, across the United States.”

Along with her husband, Jared, Winchenbach moved to Windham two years ago and grew up in Milford, near the University of Maine Orono. She earned a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Maine, a Juris Doctorate law degree from Quinnipiac University School of Law, and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Hofstra University. In her free time, she enjoys paddleboarding, and spending time with her husband and their rescue dog.

She hopes her pageant experience will help her to grow both personally and professionally.

“Upon starting this journey, I was surprised by how much it pushed me outside of my comfort zone and how many opportunities there were for me to grow as a person,” Winchenbach said. “Already, I've been able to become more confident in the way I carry myself and in the way I speak publicly. I work as a corporate attorney and a non-profit program director, so these are skills that are going to help me immensely even once the pageant is over.”

Winchenbach said that competing in the USOA Pageant also helped her to honor the memory of her late mother.

“My mom competed in a Mrs. Pageant when she and my dad were just married,” she said. “She passed away from cancer last November, so this is a really nice way for my family to be able to come together again.” <

Windham author publishes new children’s book about lobsters

By Ed Pierce

Mary-Ann Coppersmith of Windham knows a thing or two about lobsters from being part of a lobstering family. The crustaceans have fascinated her so much that she’s written a new children’s book, “The Three Little Lobsters,” drawn from the seafaring experiences of her husband of 46 years and the curiosity of her three grandchildren.

Windham's Mary-Ann Coppersmith has written a new
children's book called 'The Three Little Lobsters' that
is drawn upon the seafaring experiences of her husband
and the curiosity of her grandchildren.
SUBMITTED PHOTO

She says she was inspired to write the book after she experienced the fascination that rare crustaceans inspire around the world. Her husband, Capt. Bill Coppermith, sparked a media frenzy when he caught a rare bright orange lobster in 2015 and then discovered an equally rare cotton candy lobster in 2021 while lobstering in Casco Bay Inlet.

“My grandchildren are what finally motivated me to follow my dream of publishing this book,” Mary-Ann Coppersmith said. “I hope this story will be a favorite of many, young and old, as you follow Captain Bill’s adventures of finding this trio.”

The manuscript for the new book took her about a year to complete, from start to finish, and is published by Page Publishing.

“The hardest part of the book was describing the first rare lobsters namesake. The other two were named after my grandchildren,” she said.

Coppersmith, a 60-year resident of Windham, said that she did a lot of her best writing for the book early in the day.

“I found my inspiration for writing was best in the morning,” she said. “I kept a notebook with me and when an idea or memory surfaced about the rare crustaceans I would write it down.”

Her husband has been lobstering for more than 43 years and some of that time out on the ocean included the Coppersmith’s young sons when they were growing up.

“Our two boys' Bill Jr. and Andrew worked on his boat, the fishing vessel "Billy and Andy,” since the age of 10,” Coppersmith said. “We owned and operated a seafood market, the "Fishermen's Net," which had two locations, one in Portland, and the second one in Raymond, where my husband would supply his fresh daily catch of lobsters.”

Coppersmith says that she and her husband attribute the strong work ethic and entrepreneurial

accomplishments of her sons to working on their father’s boat at a young age.

Now adults, Bill Jr. together with his wife own and operate the "Fisherman's Catch" in Raymond and Andrew together with his business partner, Andy, own and operate "A PLUS" Trucks in Windham.

“The Three Little Lobsters” book itself is an entertaining and colorfully illustrated picture book with lilting rhymes and charming characters and sure to become a favorite with young readers and a delightful addition to any children’s library.

The book was published in January and seems to have caught on quickly. It’s being purchased by libraries across America and sold nationally at Barnes & Noble Booksellers, Walmart and many other regional U.S. bookstore chains, including at Sherman’s Maine Coast Book Store in Windham.

For readers who wish to purchase Coppersmith’s work “The Three Little Lobsters” online, it is also available at the Apple iTunes Store, Amazon, or on Google Play.

And while the new book was being finished, the lobstering family received some great news that will lead to a sequel soon.

“During the process of publishing the book, our family received exciting news about another grandchild which would be the inspiration for my second book,” Coppersmith said. “Our third grandchild, Liam, would be a big brother to baby Landen. The sequel to my book will be about ‘Liam The Lobster’ and how he guides his brother, baby lobster Landen, through the deep blue sea.” <

Windham author drawing national attention for her inspired storytelling

Windham resident Kristine Delano's unpublished short story
'Glimpse of Lace' has been chosen as a finalist for the 2021
Cascade Awards for literary work. Delano also has written
three novels since retiring from a high-powered Wall
Street career and moving with her family to Maine.
COURTESY PHOTO  

By Ed Pierce

A Windham author is about to make a splash nationally for her writing, but Kristine Delano’s own life story is nearly as compelling as the stories and novels she hopes to tell. 

Delano’s new short story, “Glimpse of Lace,” has just been selected as a finalist in the Short Story category for the Cascade Awards, a writing competition open to any author nationwide. She’s also working on three different novels she hopes to publish while appreciating family life at home on the shores of Highland Lake in Windham.

Life these days is vastly different and somewhat slower from the hectic 20-plus years she spent as working for Wall Street companies before retiring, giving up her panoramic view of New York City and moving north to Maine to pursue her passion for writing.     

Growing up as a military dependent, Delano became a voracious reader as she frequently had to pack up and relocate as a child with her family and having to make new friends wherever the family moved to. It left her with many untold stories in her head she always wanted to tell, but as she progressed in her financial services career, finding the time to devote expressing herself creatively through her writing posed a problem.

“When I worked on Wall Street, I used my writing in more of a technical way,” Delano said. “When I retired, my family was surprised with what I wanted to do because they expected me to go into consulting or to open a small business.”

While working for financial companies, she often mentored young staff members about their careers, but paid attention to what they had to share with her about their lives. It became the inspiration for some of her future stories.

“They spoke to me about their fears and their lives,” Delano said. “They shared their experiences. It was a good genesis for me as a writer.”  

Married to an architect and the mother of three children with one in college, one starting college in the fall and the other a freshman in high school, Delano also continues to sit on the global board of a 6,000-member financial services organization focused on women’s empowerment. She also is active as a speaker, mentor, and strategic planner for many businesses, churches, and parachurch organizations, but writing and developing ideas for stories is now front and center for Delano.

“I typically get four or five ideas a day and then have to figure out which one can stand the test of time,” she said. “I kind of write it in my head and before putting pen to paper I’ve already kind of worked out the character’s voice.”

She says that she’s found that writing is a world away from her former Wall Street career.

“It’s surprising for me. I thought I had a thick skin. I worked on Wall Street and always succeeded,” Delano said. “Writing is very different. Sometimes you don’t know that you don’t like what you’ve done. It’s overly complicated or pedantic or subjective. I’ve found though that you can’t write to please everybody.”   

The ability to connect with readers though is what inspires and motivates Delano’s writing.

“The best impact I can have on one person is through their eyes or how they see themselves with what I write,” she said. “I’m trying to find an authentic voice that will speak to somebody.”

The plot of her short story selected as one of three finalists for the 2021 Cascade Awards is as genuine as it gets and Delano’s keeping her fingers crossed for when the award recipients are announced in August.

In “Glimpse of Lace,” Annabelle has a unique blessing, or perhaps it’s a curse. For almost five years, since 10th grade, she’s gotten glimpses of the end of her romantic relationships before they’ve even begun. This has made her weary of men. While sipping hot chocolates before their last runs on the mountain, Brian, a recent finance graduate from Bates, brushes up against Annabelle. She glimpses herself in lace and Brian next to her in a tux. Brian is exactly the kind of guy Tara, her best friend, would choose for her, so why can’t Annabelle believe this glimpse got it right?

According to Delano, the reactions she’s received so far about her storytelling keep her motivated to write more.

“In the beginning my goal was to get stories out of my head and onto paper,” she said. “Now I want feedback about my writing. I want to get better at my craft.”

Writing her first novel gave Delano great practice of the discipline, patience and time required for writing.

“I had a misconception that as soon as you finish a novel you should publish it,” she said. “To gain the attention of an agent is a long process and now I believe you shouldn’t publish anything until you know that it’s the best that you can do.”  

She’s just completed writing a second novel and a third one while she continues looking to get them published.   

Her writing regimen for a short story is a bit quicker.

“I can finish a first draft of a 2,000-word story in about three hours,” Delano said. “It can then take weeks and months though to work through the voice of the story and pieces of the plot.”

On any given day, Delano can be found finding ideas for stories or sitting down at her computer to write. Compared to the hustle and bustle of her Wall Street career, her new lifestyle evolves at a slower pace, but she’s able to derive a great amount of satisfaction from turning an idea into a literary expression and in much different surroundings.   

“We live in such an amazing place and Maine’s life is sometimes hard,” she said. “There are beautiful people and families here and great stories to tell. I’m available to listen.”

If you would like to follow her writing journey, like her on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/KristineDelano.Writer <

Author Anna Crowley Redding shares her wisdom with middle school students

By Matt Pascarella

Since elementary school, Anna Crowley Redding has always had an interest in writing and literature. She was naturally curious and liked asking lots of questions; this later served her very well when she became an investigative TV reporter.

However, she had always dreamed of becoming a writer for young readers. After her children were born, she used her knowledge as an investigative reporter to uncover stories for kids.

She brought her knowledge to Windham Middle School on Friday, September 27^th. Students had the opportunity to hear about her experiences, her writing process and participate in problem-solving activities as well as a mock press conference.

Crowley started out writing articles for her college newspaper, the Northeastern News. “Learning journalism in Boston was a fantastic experience,” stated Crowley Redding. “I felt that every day I was learning from the best in the business. I worked off-air as a field producer, intern, and associate producer for NECN.” Crowley Redding became a TV reporter in Utica, New York; then Syracuse; then Charlotte, North Carolina. “Every station taught me so much about writing, investigative reporting, and on-camera presentation,” she added.

Her reporting did not go unnoticed. She has won Edward R Murrow awards which honor outstanding achievements in broadcast and digital journalism. Crowley Redding has been recognized by the Associated Press and has an Emmy for an investigative piece she did about an ice storm.

“Investigative reporting allows you to make a meaningful difference in your community and in people’s lives. It’s hard work and often stressful. When you can produce results that matter to the people most affected...it’s a very fulfilling experience.”

Crowley Redding decided to switch career gears after becoming a mom. She was always reading books to her boys about following their dreams and writing for young readers had been a dream of hers since she was old enough to remember. Eventually she went for it. Her debut book, ‘Google It’ tells the story of Larry Page and Sergey Brin, two Stanford College students who created what today is the most used search engine. ‘Elon Musk: A Journey to Save the World’ is a biography of the struggles Musk has gone through and his big dreams for the future. ‘Rescuing the Declaration of Independence’ (out in 2020) is Crowley Redding’s first picture book. It tells the true story of a man who risked it all to save our founding documents.

Autumn Wood, Tiffanie Scott and Mia White
work together on the domino challenge

During Crowley Redding’s presentation she spoke about the power of problem solving and the role failure plays in accomplishing your goals. Although it may look like it, success isn’t something that just happens – people have to work at it. “Don’t give up, you are enough” she stressed.

To help illustrate problem solving and failure, students had to work together in groups to stack dominoes around a large table. The goal was to be able to set them off and have the oval go successfully around the table. The students were given three tries to do this and it is a much tougher challenge than it sounds.

Another class held a mock press conference about a pretend fire that had happened in Windham. Each group had to take and sort the information given and then write a news report for the station they worked for. Each station had a different spin to their stories, e.g. appeal to a young audience, sensationalistic journalism, or Big J journalism, which focuses more on the quality of the story.

“I hope that in talking to students today, they’ll feel inspired to follow their own dreams, to believe that they are enough, and that when problems and obstacles appear (and they will), that they are capable of finding a way to overcome setbacks.”

Seventh grader Fletcher Vopal observed, “It was interesting...it was cool how she started out small and it’s inspirational for people who want to start doing big stuff. I learned if something fails you have to keep getting back up...keep trying and trying until you succeed.”

Seventh Grader Mia White remarked, “I learned a lot because I am starting on a graphic novel and it was a lot of good feedback about what I need to be thinking of if I do want to publish it. I was really inspired by the fact that Crowley Redding had struggles and she got up and blew everyone away. Anyone can really do anything if they set their mind to it.”

Windham author illustrates what the power of yes can do for you by Lorraine Glowczak

Sayzie Koldys

The word “yes” might come easily to most people because saying no to others who expect a lot from us is one of the most difficult challenges to overcome. After all, we don’t want to disappoint those we love.

But seldom do we embrace a “heck yes!” when it comes to things for which we do not have any particular talent and might make us appear foolish. However, Windham author Sayzie Koldys did just that and, as a result, published an essay in the ever popular “Chicken Soup for the Soul” series with the theme, “The Power of Yes!”

You’ll find her story, “Six Years Before the Mast,” among other stories about adventure, change and positive thinking in the latest publication of the Soup series that came out on August 14th. This is her third published essay for the book series.

Ironically, she initially wrote her latest essay for another publication. “I wrote the first draft of ‘Six Years Before the Mast’ when the story was solicited by John Glassie for the ‘Lives’ section of the New York Times,” Koldys explained. “I’d pitched him something else, but he wanted to read about my life at sea. Ultimately, his superiors at the paper killed it, but I’ll be forever grateful for the opportunity to be edited by such a masterful craftsman. Eventually, I rewrote the piece for ‘The Power of Yes.’”

Koldys’ essay is about being willing to do something you’re not very good at and, in fact, might possibly fail miserably at doing. “We all gravitate toward the things we’re best at, and there are certainly benefits to honing the skills that come naturally to us. But we can also gain a lot by having the courage to persevere through our less easily mastered learning experiences.”

Koldys explained that she has always loved being at sea, spending days and weeks at a time out of sight of land. “But I didn’t have much sailing experience and I’m slow to transfer the concepts of physics and spatial relationships to the practicalities of maneuvering a ship,” she said.

“When I got a job as a deckhand aboard an educational tall ship, my failings were apparent to the entire crew with whom I shared an impossibly small living space. But if I hadn’t been willing to be a terrible sailor, I wouldn’t hold a U.S. Coast Guard license today. If I hadn’t been willing to fail over and over again, I wouldn’t have gotten better at something I love. Because I was able to find my self-worth internally rather than externally, I’ve sailed to some of the most remote places on earth, I’m able to sell with confidence my skills as a chef, I met and fell in love with the man who is now my partner, and I know that I can push myself, in full view of those who would see me fail, until I’m not so terrible anymore.”

Koldys has written many masterpieces before her “Chicken Soup for the Soul” fame. She stated she wrote her first book at the age of two. It was four pages long and was printed on construction paper. “It was about Snoopy,” Koldys explained. “It had a decent plot, if I recall, but only one copy was ever printed, and it was badly damaged in a flood, so I can’t be sure.”

Koldys admits she cannot recall a time when she was not writing, always producing a written form of fancy. But she explains, “It wasn’t until a short story of mine was listed as one of the distinguished 100 of the year in the 2009 issue of ‘Best American Short Stories’ that I felt I’d earned the title of a writer. Writing is such a part of who I am, and by its nature is rife with failure, so getting that affirmation from a well-respected source was an internal turning point for me,” Koldys said.

The “Chicken Soup for the Soul” series is not the only place one will find Koldys’s publications. She has also published in other literary and popular magazines and served as a staff member of the Idaho Review. She has also taught creative writing at Boise State University and Southern Maine Community College.

So, what exactly made Koldys say yes, accepting the role as an inexperienced deckhand? “Part of what drove me out to sea was a desire to get out of my own head, to be forced to stay focused in the present moment,” she explained. “Sailing requires all of your energy and attention, and in that way, it’s meditative.”

Being a writer for several decades already, she offers this advice for others who wish to become published authors. “The first [advice I have] is from Hank Moody, the screenwriter in “Californication.” He articulates it best when he says, ‘So, at the end of the day, if you can do anything else—telemarketing, pharmaceutical sales, or ditch digging, major league umpire—I would suggest that you do that, because being a writer…is like having homework every day for the rest of your life.

If you still think that sounds like fun, then learn to let rejection roll off your shoulders. If you’re pitching and writing articles, you can expect to have your ideas or your pieces rejected by editors more than 80% of the time.

F. Scott Fitzgerald, Stephen King, Louisa May Alcott, John Le Carré, H.G. Wells, Ernest Hemingway, and almost every other famous author you can think of experienced countless rejections before a publisher recognized their potential. Fitzgerald was even told, ‘You’d have a decent book if you’d get rid of that Gatsby character.’

Which brings me to my next piece of advice: It’s important to differentiate between the writing advice you should take and that which you should leave behind. Learning which is which takes years and will come only with refining your own editorial eye. Read, read, read, and then read some more. And finally, the craft of writing can be learned. You can’t learn to be Alice Munro or J.K. Rowling, because part of what makes an author great is her own unique style, but you can learn to refine your own voice and be the very best writer for your stories.”

But it’s the most important advice that Koldys forgot to mention. It is the courage and art of saying “yes.” Yes to the things that are important to you and fill your life with amazing experiences – whether you’ll appear a fool or otherwise.

If you say yes – you may just have your story published in the next edition of a “Chicken Soup for the Soul."

Local artist and author publishes fiction book - By Michelle Libby

Author Vincent Bruni is an eclectic mix of artist, author and animal lover. The 75-year-old penned his first book while he was losing Panda, his beloved dog. Combining the love of his dog and his love for carousel horses, he wrote a book “that offers hope to every man, woman, and child who share their life with a cherished animal.”


“The TearDrop Garden” is a labor of love for Bruni. “I’m not a writer, I’m a storyteller,” he said.

In January of 1992 he began carving StarDuster out of wood. The project was finished in 1999 at Christmas. The detail in the carousel horse makes one think he has been carving wood his whole life, but this is only his second horse project. The wing on the face of the horse took six months to carve, Bruni said. “[StarDuster] inspired the book. I always liked carousel horses. I wanted to do wall art. The head, neck and shoulders are the best part of the horse,” he said.  

“In The TearDrop Garden, “with the assistance of an old man, a carousel and a little boy and his dog, the angels are finally able to put a plan into motion - a plan by which man and his devoted animal friends will never again be separated, even by death.” The main character is modeled after his grandson and Panda, the dog.

In January of 1997, Bruni began writing the book. He worked Panda into the book to give him solace while Panda was getting close to his time. 

 “I want to awaken the child in every adult,”Bruni said. Although is book is geared toward adults, it would be a good story to share with children as well. “Children believe in fairy tales.” 

Bruni describes the story as fantasy based on reality. “The horse gives it more authenticity,” he said. “It brings solace to people who have lost their animals that they will see them again.” The book is approximately 100 pages with a few pictures that relate to the story. There is a picture of Panda in the first few pages and pictures of the whole body of StarDuster. 

 “It’s not just some book about hiking, it appeals to everyone who has an animal,” he said. “I’m trying to get people to get emotionally involved with it,” he said. 

The foreword of the book was written by Marilyn Goodreau and Meris Bickford from Maine State Society for the Protection of Animals. 

“The TearDrop Garden is an instant classic that generations of parents will share with their children and grandchildren. It will comfort those who have experienced the death of a loved one and intrigue those who do not fully appreciate the strength of the bond between human being and those they love,” they wrote. 

An animal rights activist, Bruni has seen how the movement has changed from the 1950s, when there were not a lot of veterinarians and if animals got sick, they died. Now, “people are more aware of animal rights,” he said. He has clipping of animal stories that go back decades.  

Bruni has always loved carousels. As a boy he used to go to Old Orchard Beach to listen to the carousel music. The structure burned down around 1968. “To me it was devastating,” he said. “As a kid I would sit and watch and listen to the organ music. It just took you somewhere else.” At one time there were 2,500 wooden carousels in the country, not only 100 are left, he said.  

Bruni carved another horse, an armored horse, before he attempted StarDuster. He had replicas made out of resin and he painted them to sell at various art galleries. He hopes to do the same with StarDuster, although for this horse, which takes a week to paint and do the gold and silver leaf, he expects there to be a limited number. He does plan to sell posters of the cover, and replicas of the bust of StarDuster, he said. The book will also be available as a hardcover and paperback book later in the year.  

“This is a book to read again and again. Kids will love it, too,” he said. 

Bruni has been a musician for 50 years. The High Ryder Golden Oldies Show plays a handful of gigs a year. Bruni started in the band in 1966 and is the drummer and lead vocalist. 

The TearDrop Garden is available from Cobble Hollow Publishing at www.cobblehollowpublishing.com, on Amazon and iBooks.