July 30, 2024 – M.C.V. EGAN ❧Defining Ways❧

Wrinkled Rebels

Published on July 30, 2024July 21, 2024 by mariacatalinaeganLeave a comment

by Laura Katz Olson

Literary Novel / Historical Fiction

Date Published: 07-23-2024

Publisher: Vine Leaves Press

Now 80 years old, retirement and advanced age have dissipated the spirit of six college radicals of the 1960s, who jointly had participated in civil rights campaigns and anti-war protests. Having engaged in only periodic communication over the decades, they suddenly receive an invitation to reunite for an extended weekend. Struggling with whether to go, each of them has divergent qualms and expectations for the proposed gathering.

During their three days together, they confront their inner demons, each other, and their future. Does Rebecca, the prime mover of the event, find solace after losing her wife and career? Can Malaika regain her sense of self after stepping down from her successful law practice? Mourning the loss of her youthful athletic prowess and attractiveness, what happens when Deanna faces her old friends?

Struggling with two divorces and a failing marriage, can Russell attain peace of mind? How will Max, an expat living in Canada, manage with his incipient dementia? Will the demoralized Keith recover his idealism?

Wrinkled Rebels is a story of how six people achieve meaningful lives through the struggle for social justice. It is also a tale of love, the bonds of friendship, and growing old positively.

About the Author

Laura Katz Olson, AGF Distinguished Professor of Political Science, has taught at Lehigh University since 1974. To date, she has published nine nonfiction books, focusing on aging and healthcare. Her latest, Ethically Challenged: Private Equity Storms U.S. Health Care has been awarded several gold medals, including from the Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) and the Benjamin Franklin Awards. Elder Care Journey: A View from the Front Lines, which relates her personal experiences as a caregiver for her mother, won a Gold Medal in the Ninth Annual Living Now Book Awards. Wrinkled Rebels is her second novel.

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Twitter @lauralee111

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Oldest Mom on the Playground

Published on July 30, 2024July 28, 2024 by mariacatalinaeganLeave a comment

by Judy Haveson

Essays & Collections, Parenting Humor,

Women’s Non-fiction

Date Published: 09-24-2024

Judy Haveson always believed she would one day “have it all.” Then she turned forty and wondered if she had waited too long. After countless failed first dates and fewer second ones, she finally found love, married, and became a mother at forty-three.

Oldest Mom on the Playground is a collection of relatable, heartwarming, and humorous essays. Written in her signature conversational style and with a touch of sarcasm, Judy takes readers on her journey of getting pregnant after forty (and delivering the baby during a full moon), raising a child in New York City (including the time she lost him in a grocery store and found him standing on Broadway), leaving the career she spent decades building to volunteer as a preschool class rep, to becoming a card-carrying member of the sandwich generation.

Judy offers no parenting advice, only personal reflection. And she takes nothing in her life for granted. Her message to other midlife mamas is this: trust your gut, let your life experience guide you, and pray no one ever mistakes you for the grandmother.

About the Author

Judy Haveson is the award-winning author of Laugh Cry Rewind—A Memoir. She is known for her sarcastic humor and enjoys sharing stories about her life experiences and observations. Her fascination with storytelling comes from her decades-long career in public relations. Judy once had a boss tell her that there are two types of people: those who know and those who want to know. That boss fired her, but his words became a valuable lesson to always aim to be the one who knows. Judy lives in Hampton Bays, NY, with her husband, Adam, son, Jack, and adorable Yorkie, Toby.

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Off Edge

Published on July 30, 2024July 28, 2024 by mariacatalinaeganLeave a comment

by Addison Brae

Cover by: John Harrell, Harrell Creative

Young Adult Contemporary

Date Published: 09-26-2024

Publisher: Black Rose Writing

Do you know what it’s like to win an Olympic gold, then have it stripped away? I do.

Gold is every figure skater’s life dream. At fifteen, I experienced the thrill of wearing the medal for a few minutes until judges accuse me of being too young to be eligible. That’s when I realize my father’s ultimate lie could cost more than my title.

During our daring escape from Russia, I pressure my coach to tell the truth about my adoption. But the quad combination and two world titles aren’t enough to keep the scandal from erasing my career and identity. Disgraced, disqualified, and devastated, I can’t face a rink, fans, or daily life. My controlling dad’s betrayal lights a fire to break free from his bad decisions. My best friend and a journalist who will tell my story step in to stop the downward spiral and help me uncover my past.

The story of Docia’s fierce determination to discover her true identity, unerase her career, and find the passion to skate again will engage teen readers, figure skating fans, and anyone who’s ever experience betrayal from someone close.

About the Author

Addison Brae lives in Dallas, Texas on the edge of downtown. As a child, she was constantly in trouble for hiding under the bed to read when she was supposed to be napping. She has been writing since childhood starting with diaries, letters, and short stories. She now writes new adult and adult speculative and romantic suspense, and young adult contemporary fiction. Addison’s still addicted to reading and enjoys jogging in her neighborhood park, binge-watching TV series, vintage clothing, and hanging out with her artistic other half and their geriatric kitten Lucy.

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