Getting Home from Here offers forty-seven stunning, thought-provoking poems covering a woman’s life whose personal history reflects much of the ethnic complexity, familial joys/sorrows, social strains, and natural beauty of the U.S. Anne Ward-Masterson writes of her New Hampshire girlhood, Wading into cool water/sinking soft sediment of the river bed oozes/sucking at our toes. And of Alaska, her home now, Spring cries storms against/My window all through twilight/Sunrise brings damp calm. Anne also calls out the racist history of the U.S. which foisted shame and confusion upon her mixed-race childhood but is now a source of pride. An inspiring and compelling read.

—Kerry Dean Feldman, author of Alice’s Trading Post: A Novel of the West, and poems in The Woman Within: Memory as Muse

In Getting Home from Here, especially her poems about race, Ward-Masterson calls out schools, the military, and people who make assumptions about her. She questions how people perceive blackness (“why won’t I tone it down?”). She describes the cab of a pickup truck or a riverbed with equal clarity through sensory language. Her natural, occasional rhyme threads a consistent, melodic quality through several moments of soft, poignant sadness. Her devices hit their mark. An ecological element eases the pain: bees alight on her arms: “let nature heal the wounds it did not make.” A rewarding read.

—Cynthia Steele… Read More

Janice Rubin’s newest book of poems, Crossing the Burnside Bridge & Other Poems, ends with the lines: Loss is a hallmark of identity. We don’t have to reclaim everything. What comes before is a vivid collection of poems reclaiming memory, place, history, and love. This collection of poetry is an ode to growing up in Portland, living in Eugene and the Willamette Valley and a pandemic that’s survived. The poems reveal a rich tapestry of personal history, direct and clear, a sense of empowerment and the confidence to feel deeply. Crossing the Burnside Bridge & Other Poems is a reflection of a life fully lived.… Read More

Infinite Meditations: For Inspiration & Daily Practice offers techniques to:

Ground yourself in times of stress and change;
Discover or re-kindle your spiritual journey;
Tap into your intuition to maximize personal joy and effectiveness;
Create an unlimited number of unique meditation mantras based on your beliefs and goals

Words from Readers:

This surely is a work of art! I like that the meditations are given in a context that is useful and meaningful to the reader; in this book, the author holds a nice balance of being capable and informative, yet also humble. The first time I tried it I just “asked,” and the number 33 popped into my mind, so I read Meditation 33 and chuckled at how appropriate it was. Thank you for sharing Infinite Meditations with me – may it have a good journey out into the world.

— Jane English, PhD, Photographer, Author of A Rainbow of Tao, and co-creator with Gia-Fu Feng of an edition of Tao Te Ching. See eheart.com

Infinite Meditations invites the reader into a multi-faceted, ongoing conversation with the Tao Te Ching, that ancient Chinese classic of mystery and sensibility. Scott Hanson’s inspired reflections on the Tao and other rich founts offer compelling insights and possibilities for the reader to create a path of one’s own. Here you will find ageless wisdom, new perspectives, and bountiful nourishment for an enduring meditation practice. Drawing from an extensive range of sources as varied as multiple translations of the Tao Te Ching, including one by Gia-fu Feng and Jane English, to the discoveries of Isaac Newton, Albert Einstein and Stephen Hawking, Scott Hanson has created an accessible and compelling gateway to a meditation practice for a lifetime.

— Carol Ann Wilson, Author, Still Point of the Turning World: The Life of Gia-fu Feng, Foreword Magazine’s 2010 Book of the Year

In my years leading teams of people, I have consistently been an advocate for a holistic approach to work – meaning that it is important to be happy in life, and work is only one component of happiness. One strategy I use for personal happiness, and have recommended to others, is to begin every day with some form of positive reinforcement either through reading or meditation.

I was energized by Scott’s vision and approach to a subject that is dear to me. This book not only addresses the value of daily meditation but also acts as a guide for newcomers to the practice. I would recommend it to anyone who craves more peace and harmony in their life, and particularly as a tool to those who are faced with unanticipated challenges. I see Infinite Meditations serving as an inspirational conduit to people focused on improving themselves.

— Robert Ackerman, Author, Executive Coach and Former COO of a Fortune 500 Company

This is a unique interpretation of the Tao Te Ching that offers an understanding of the fundamental ideas of Taoism in a modernized and eclectic style. I find that subsequent readings of specific meditations reveal additional insights and depth to the experience. I highly encourage everyone to give this work at least one read, the number of meditations absolutely being finite notwithstanding.

— Jack Hanson, Mathematics Instructor

The largest insufficiency of American culture today is the lack of the masses to recognize one thing: that each person has a soul that begs to be understood in its relation to a just and loving higher power. Meditation can be one of the best platforms in life to pursue knowledge of our inner being, and of God. With Infinite Meditations, Scott Hanson gives the reader a solid foundation for the value of meditation / contemplation; then the tools to incorporate that into daily life in ways that are meaningful to each person. Hats off to this unique and extensive effort. I highly recommend it!

— Greg Gibson, Author of Rhythm of the Stride: Answers in Time

Learning to meditate over the past two years has really helped me navigate through a very difficult time. As I have evolved with it, I find I usually meditate in the early evenings, as this gives me the greatest peace of mind. I don’t love all of the meditations that Scott shares, and I tell him that! But I particularly love my meditation – “Peace Come to Me” (80); as well as “Meditation 65 – I am the Song,” and “Meditation 78 – Becoming One with the River.” The vision of becoming like ice melting (from 78) is a mantra that really appeals to me and helps me let go.

— Gail Halsaver

It has been nothing short of a fantastic journey watching this project unfold from its first conception, through many years of drafts and re-writes to the present moment. I admire Scott’s vision and his driving passion to create a work that reflects the spirit and depth of his personal meditation practice. It has been a privilege reading, experimenting with mantras, and offering my edits to meditations in real time with him. I believe the book succeeds in providing simple, profound messages that will serve to guide, ground, and inspire.

— Kristina Hanson

The truth is, meditation can be a challenging habit to develop yet the commitment and dedication of this very personal act of self-discipline is well worth the effort. ​​​​​​I have been meditating for over 20 years and the benefits Scott lays out are true and here for us.

I love how Scott has brought together not only individual meditations on various subjects but he also explains the benefits of meditating; tips on how to meditate; suggestions for enhancing one’s practice; and more.

The well-written and thoughtful individual meditations have given me a resource of topics to meditate on that have enhanced my own practice. Infinite Meditations would be a great book not only for an advanced meditator but also for a beginner.

— Signe Nichols, a long-time student of the practice of meditation and seeker of mindfulness

 … Read More

Mail Order Nurse to the Arctic is the lively memoir of a young, city-bred nurse who flew to Kotzebue for her first job in 1969. It is an engaging read about ingenuity in medical care, the author’s fascination with the land and her cross-cultural pleasures and mishaps. The book covers the first two years of her nursing career, including time in Barrow [Utqiavik]. It benefits from the author’s photos and from her current perspective as a long-time Alaska nurse. Highly recommended for readers interested in Alaska history, medicine, and memoir.

—Sarah Crawford Isto, MD, author of The Fur Farms of Alaska: Two Centuries of History and a Forgotten Stampede and Good Company: A Mining Family in Fairbanks, Alaska

Settle in for a fascinating tour of a culture on the edge of the world, the Inupiat people of Northwest Alaska. Join Sue in fun activities from partaking in a caribou hunt, to racing across the sea ice behind a dog team, to learning cultural differences like why the Inupiat never say goodbye. Sue also shows us another side of life in this remote region, from struggles with alcohol, to culture shock to murder. All in all, it is a riveting read delivered by an empathetic observer of a tough and hardy people legendary for their survival skills in one of the harshest environments on earth.

— Stan Jones, author of The Nathan Active Arctic mysteries

Sue Lium willingly immersed herself into the diverse culture and lifestyles of the Native residents above the Arctic Circle in the American Inupiaq village of Kotzebue. For two years, Lium embraced and explored their unique way of life while being continually tested by harsh arctic weather blended with the intricacies of practicing frontier medicine and life by airplane, dog sled and skidoo. A wonderful story of adaptation and adventure.

— John Kinnear, Canadian historian and columnist, Crowsnest Pass Herald

 … Read More

Kate Troll’s frank personal memoir proves that Tolstoy was wrong — All happy families are not alike. The six talented, close-knit Troll siblings shared a loving, fun-filled childhood and remain best of pals as adults. Turns out, there is something (or I should say someone?) missing. And that is only half of it. All in Due Time is full of surprises and puzzles, but mostly it made me wish I were a long-lost Troll.

— Heather Lende, Alaska State Writer Laureate and author of If You Lived Here, I’d Know Your Name

The surprises and turns in the story provide an opportunity for the author to fill in important backstories and topics relevant to today’s women and families. For example, the backstory of the author’s mother includes her being sent off to live in a home for “ostracized women and unwed mothers.” In this way All in Due Time provides a unique glimpse into how far women have come in the last seventy years. Additionally, the author explores timely topics such as the influence of birth order and how much of our political ideology comes from our genetics. It is these backstories and investigations that makes All in Due Time a robust and fascinating read relevant for our times.

An emotionally satisfying story with a charming cast of characters and a big-hearted perspective, All in Due Time is a fitting memoir for our era of genetic surprises. Unlike many memoirs on this topic, Troll conveys the sunnier side of digging into dark family secrets, weaving a tale of joy, inclusivity, and empathy.

—Andromeda Romano-Lax, author of Annie and the Wolves, Plum Rains, and Behave

As an only child, as an adoptee, and as an Alaskan I loved this book. The writing was so good, I couldn’t put it down. As a result of reading All in Due Time, I now have decided to learn about my biological father and his family.

—Diane Antaya, primary teacher, Juneau, Alaska

 
Other Ways to Purchase
 

 

 

Click Here to go to Ingram Content Group

 

 

 

Click Here to go to Hearthside Books

 … Read More

An edgy collaboration of the heart, The Woman Within: Memory as Muse, brings the paintings of Anchorage artist Tami Phelps into the expressive realm of her writer-anthropologist husband, Kerry Dean Feldman, who does not disappoint as he embraces them in verse about respect due to women. Presented daringly in varied configurations, they challenge or confirm ideas of gender and destiny. The art works surprise and delightfully confound. The sections that follow include Phelps’s collaboration with renowned fine art photographer Richard J. Murphy.

“The Woman Within: Memory as Muse, is a treasure. A collaboration of unique talent that sends creative and thoughtful ripples through the pond.”

—Douglas Mehrens, founder of the Museum of Encaustic Art, Encaustic Art Institute, and Encaustic Arts Magazine

“The authors deftly invite us to a place of calm reflection in which diversity, respectfulness, and choice are honored.”

—Sheary Clough Suiter, visual artist and educator

“This book is a visually charming memoir-cum-paeon to the feminine by artist Tami Phelps, her husband poet Kerry Dean Feldman, and photographer Richard J. Murphy.”

—David McElroy, author of Water the Rocks Make, University of Alaska Press… Read More

In the Winter of the Orange Snow captures a era of freewheeling adventure in southwest Alaska, beginning in 1955, when Diane and Bob Carpenter embraced the wild with curiosity and courage, and the phrase “only in Bethel” was coined in response to events both mysterious and magical.

 

“Diane Carpenter captures the spirit, the oddities, the bizarreness of characters and happenings, as well the unique and beautiful environment and indigenous people of the Kuskokwim. She does so with humor, sensitivity, and clear recollections. It’s a tough land. One cannot help but greatly admire this woman. No tourists here in Bethel, Alaska, where primitive ways became modern times in the span of a lifetime.”

— Clif Bates, author of Sky Changes on the Kuskokwim

“Diane Carpenter’s book is a delightful tramp through the Alaska bush country in the 1950s and sixties through the eyes of a great storyteller. The tales are sobering, hilarious and very informative, each a window into the details of the storyteller’s life and times. For many Alaskans, the book will be nostalgic. For others, it will bridge the gap between those who live on the road system and the bush. For readers in the Lower 48 states, this book will be an astounding ride on boats, airplanes, and dog-sleds through the Alaska wilderness.”

— James H. Barker, author of Always Getting Ready/Upterrlainarluta: Yup’ik Eskimo Subsistence in Southwest Alaska

 … Read More

“Shauna Potocky’s book calls us to join her travels through public lands that await us, know us and are part of us—trails, crevices, rivers, animals and mountain peaks. The fauna and the flora in each poem are a discovery, a relationship, a new life and an enlightenment. You will breathe deeply as you trek through her poems and drawings. You will become part of the earth’s true life, you will want to leave behind the manufactured freeze-dried urban-scapes. You will be at peace. Every poem is a new height, an unexpected vista, proof of her deep knowledge and love for the environment and its wiggly lives and grand miracles. The poems and drawings, the trails and compassion all lead us to a magnificent dawn indeed. This is a most necessary collection and a sure prize-winner.”

—Juan Felipe Herrera, Poet Laureate of the United States, Emeritus

“Yosemite Dawning is an epic love poem for Yosemite National Park. These are not sentimental lines but rather a caretaker’s loving astonishment of Nature with one eye towards environmental despair and the other towards hope. The poet finds a legacy among the park’s jagged peaks: “Every route, they say, is a signature line.””

—Tawhida Tanya Evanson, author of Book of Wings

“Shauna Potocky’s new collection, Yosemite Dawning, brims with lyrical descriptions of one of the nation’s greatest treasures, its imagery blessing both those who have experienced Yosemite firsthand and those who may now do so by reading this exquisite book of poetry. At once an accomplished collection and a call to environmental awareness and appreciation for the natural world, Yosemite Dawning will enjoin readers in newfound appreciation for this particular treasure as well as all our natural wonders.”

— Marcia Meier, New Mexico-Arizona Book Award winner and author of Face, A Memoir

Shauna Potocky’s debut book of poetry takes us from the edge of the Central Valley, California with its wildlife refuges and agricultural fields, through foothills and into the realm of summits within the Sierra Nevada, including colorful and scent filled meanderings on the Eastside of this spectacular range. It is a journey of landscapes and time—cultural connections, histories, climbing and contemporary questions. The poet connects us to the unseen, to the tangible, to textures and tales, from the dusty past to today, and thoughtfully asks us how we will forge the future.

Book includes color drawings by Shauna Potocky

Cover Art “Seeing is Believing” by Penny Otwell

… Read More

“Lynda Humphrey has given us a very sweet account of Miss Bebe’s immigration experience. Since Miss Bebe is bilingual, she tells her story in both Spanish and English. Cat lovers everywhere will love it, and it will become a favorite read-to-me-book for children of all ages in both languages. The charming illustrations make it a book everyone will want to have displayed on their coffee tables. Also makes a wonderful gift for the other cat lovers in your life. Do yourself a favor and pick up this wonderful book.”

— Jeanne Anne Craig PhD, School Psychologist

 

“A heartwarming true story of Bebe, a cat rescued in Mexico and her compelling journey to her new home in America. Charming illustrations that bring the story alive. A delightful “feel-good” read for any child.”

—Corinne Ludy, M.Ed., Elementary Librarian
“La tierna y emotiva historia real de Bebé, una gatita rescatada en México, y su fascinante viaje a su nuevo hogar en los Estados Unidos. Sus encantadoras ilustraciones le dan vida a la historia. Es una lectura muy placentera para cualquier niño.” —Corinne Ludy, M.Ed., Elementary Librarian
 

“This book brings joy and happiness to the reader as you go along with Miss Bebe who shares her story of coming to America.”

—Diane Gwynne, Parent & Elementary Educator
“Este libro brinda gozo y felicidad al leer la historia que comparte La Bebé acerca de su llegada a Estados Unidos.” —Diane Gwynne, Madre y Maestra de Primaria
 

“Miss Bebe is a delightful story from a new author. Miss Bebe, a lost Mexican cat, is found by an American family and is adopted and brought to a new life as a Mexican-American. Readers will enjoy her journey as told through her eyes and native language as well as her new tongue. The illustrations reflect her cultural heritage. A perfect bedtime read for young listeners. Could there be more adventures coming for Miss Bebe?”

—Bud Cudmore, Bibliotecario de Escuela Primaria retirado
“La Bebé es una encantadora historia de una autora nueva. La Bebé, una gatita mexicana perdida, es encontrada por una familia americana, adoptada y llevada a una vida nueva como méxico-americana. Los lectores disfrutarán su viaje, contado a través de sus ojos en su lengua materna así como su nuevo idioma. Las ilustraciones reflejan su herencia cultural. Es una lectura ideal para los pequeños antes de acostarse a dormir. ¿Vendrán más aventuras para La Bebé?” —Bud Cudmore, Bibliotecario de Escuela Primaria retirado
 

“I loved this sweet Bebe story told from the perspective of an abandoned kitten in Mexico who finds a new home. Told in both English and Spanish, children learn the things to do to keep an animal healthy and happy and what it takes to take an animal to the US. Kids will love Ms. Bebe.”

—Tobe Jensen, Ph.D. Educator and Organizational Development Consultant Doctor en Educación y Consultor en Desarrollo Organizacional
“Me encantó esta dulce historia de la Bebé, contada desde la perspectiva de una gatita abandonada en México que encuentra un nuevo hogar. Contada tanto en inglés como en español, los niños aprenden lo que hay que hacer para mantener a un animal sano y feliz, y lo que se requiere para llevar a un animal a los Estados Unidos. A los niños les encantará la Bebé.” —Tobe Jensen, Ph.D. Educator and Organizational Development Consultant Doctor en Educación y Consultor en Desarrollo Organizacional
 

“I have travelled extensively throughout Mexico and witnessed the hardships of stray animals. Miss Bebé takes you on a trip of compassion, empathy and love.”

—Mariá Guadalupe López Peterson, Rocky Reach Discovery Center Tour Guide
“Yo Hebiendo viajado extensamente por todo México y he presenciado las penurias de los animales callejeros, La Bebé te lleva en un viaje de compasión, empatía y amor.”—Mariá Guadalupe López Peterson, Rocky Reach Discovery Center Guia Turistico
 
Circles by Cirque Press
Announcing Circles, a new imprint of Cirque Press designed for illustrated books. Look to these engaging books for image and light, fun and fantasy, mystery and music. Circles focuses on the singing of the spheres, the clock of the seasons, the mirth of the hyena, and the renewal of legend and myth.
Full Color Interior and Illustrations
 
Miss Bebe Comes to America ~ La Bebé Llega a Estados Unidos is filled with beautiful hand-drawn illustrations by Illustrator Judi Nyerges with both English and Spanish translation by Patti Sosa Hands.
Images copyright Cirque Press and Lynda Humphrey 2022

… Read More

Former Alaska Poet Laureate, Joanne Townsend, had a naturalist’s eye and a poet’s ability to convey her emotions and love of nature. Her poems speak of pleasure as well as the sorrow of losing of her only son. When Joanne died, only a large unsorted pile of poems in hard copy was found. Her friends and colleagues in Las Cruces, New Mexico: Ellen Roberts Young, Christine Eber and Joseph Somoza, with assistance from Peter Goodman, F. Richard Thomas and Frank Varela composed this book. Joanne Townsend’s posthumous collection, Promise and Sadness, is a tribute to her life and legacy.

“When Joanne Townsend and I were introduced (by a poet, of course) over 45 years ago, we hit it off right away. After all, we had many things in common: a history with the Atlantic seaboard, raising sons, a reverence for history, flower gardening. But the most important thing we shared was a belief that poetry is a necessary component of civilization. Further, we weren’t kidding around: each of us was deeply committed to writing the best poetry she could. In particular, Joanne focused on helping the elderly struggling to express themselves.

Her departure has left a big gap in my universe.”

— Ann Chandonnet, author of Baby Abe: A Lullaby for Lincoln

“I didn’t know Joanne Townsend well during the decades when she lived in Alaska, and if you know me at all that will not come as a surprise. Now, after reading her Between Promise and Sadness I wish I had. She had a naturalists’ eye and a poet’s ability to convey what she saw and felt to the reader. She knew joy and more than her share of suffering, including the death of her only son, but in the end, hers is a joyful voice, a kind and understanding one. As much as I admire her “nature” poems from her time in Alaska and her final decades in New Mexico, her cactus and lupine poems, it’s her poems about growing up in an immigrant section of Boston that I will read again and again with envy and appreciation.”

— Tom Sexton, author of For the Sake of the Light; New and Selected Poems, Li Bai Rides a Celestial Dolphin Home, and Cummiskey Alley: New and Selected Lowell Poems

“One of Joanne Townsend’s lines, “from a life less clear,” could have served as title. Juxtaposing Alaska and New Mexico, and different eras from her life, she sets us somewhere with concrete and evocative details, then shares her wonderfully pensive later reflections on people, places, and experiences. I like her mix of savoring the moment but also holding it and letting it grow and change in memory; her joy and her candor.”

— Peter Goodman, Columnist for the Las Cruces Sun-News and the blog “Views from Soledad Canyon”.… Read More