S EPTEMBER 27 & 28, 2019 | F LORENCE F ESTIVAL OF BOOKS | 5
Local authors at the 2019 Festival of Books
F
lorence boasts a number of
writers, many of whom are
published authors. Th is year,
several are participating in the
ninth annual Florence Festival of
Books (FFOB) along with their
books. And that’s not all! Th ere
are two Florence-based publish-
ers who will be there, as well as
the Siuslaw School District Writ-
ers. Th ese kids show that you can
be an author at any age.
AUTHORS
• Connie Strome Bradley spent
50 years in hospital nursing and
administration, and she has been
recognized as Florence First Citi-
zen for community involvement.
Her books include “Snowball, the
Nanny Goose of Sutton Lake,”
“Lulu, the Dancing Snail,” and
“Madge and Bill, Barn Owlets,” all
illustrated by Carol Unser. Bradley
is a co-founder of FFOB.
and “Devil Cat and Other Color-
ful Animals I Have Known.” Her
latest book, “Th e Oregon Coast
Guide to the Unexpected,” came
out December 2018.
• Carol Gunderson at 93 is the
Gramma Moses of local writers.
“Th e Morning Porch” captures her
thoughts as she overlooks Siltcoos
Lake, and “Gramma’s Guided Tour
of the World’s Greatest Library”
explains the Bible for kids.
• Ned Hickson, International
Book Award Finalist and award-
winning humor columnist, shares
his favorite columns in “Humor at
the Speed of Life.” And his “Pearls
of Writing Wisdom” gives insights
for writers from his years as a jour-
nalist and editor.
• Jack Karasch’s publications
include short stories, poetry, jour-
nalism and novels. A world travel-
er and scuba diver, he has lived in
New York, California, Taiwan and
• Judy Fleagle, the other co- South Korea. Currently, he lives on
founder of FFOB and former a lake in coastal Oregon.
editor and staff writer at Oregon
• Tracy L. Markley is a fi tness
Coast and Northwest Travel mag- specialist with 25 years in the in-
azines, has written “Crossings: dustry and the author of “Th e
McCullough’s Coastal Bridges,” Stroke of an Artist,” “Tipping To-
“Th e Crossings Guide to Oregon’s ward Balance,” “Stroke Recovery”
Coastal Spans,” “Around Florence”
and “Your Brain” — plus her lat-
est, “Th e Power of Your Spine.”
Tracy is on the MedFit Education
Foundation’s Education Advisory
Board.
• Sherrie McCorkle says that
unforgiveness is destructive in
the lives of people. “Hidden Un-
forgiveness” provides a biblically-
based list and discussion of rea-
sons why learning to forgive one
another is vital to people’s spiri-
tual, emotional, psychological and
physical well-being.
book, “Gramma’s Window Shade,”
was written as a tribute to grand-
ma Johanna and mother Mildred.
It’s the story of her childhood and
includes favorite family recipes as
well as her own watercolor illus-
trations.
• Richard Nordahl has lived in
the Northwest since early child-
hood. During his retirement, he
enjoys fi shing, enjoying the out-of-
doors, and writing. His books are
related to his dreams — “A Man’s
Dream and a Hero Dog,” “Th e
• Karen D. Nichols’ latest book, Alien” and “Trapper Fred and the
“A Name By Any Other,” involves Indian Girl.” Aft er putting the
identity theft and is set on the dreams on paper, they were at rest.
Oregon coast. Like all her books,
• Dr. H. Ritchie’s book, “Th e
it contains a dog story, a love Kids in Far Left Field,” is about
story and an intriguing ending. how teachers and administrators
She has also written “Th ornton bully students. Her teaching career
House,” “Unexpected Gift ,” “Sec- began as a substitute in a variety of
ond Chance Heart,” “Triumph school districts. Th en as a teacher,
Over Fear,” “Th e Moral of the Sto- she taught in high income and ru-
ry,” “Roots of an Oak” and “Here, ral schools as well as schools for
Th ere, Gone.” Th is author is also incarcerated students. She later
an accomplished artist in more worked for a state department of
than one medium.
education. She has also been an
• Carolyn Nordahl has lived adolescent counselor and learned
in Florence most of her life and fi rsthand of the problems some
made a career of working for the students face at the hands of their
Siuslaw News. In retirement, she peers and teachers.
enjoys watercolor painting. Her See local groups & more on Page 6
Festival of Books 2019
Siuslaw News, September 21, 2019
6 | F LORENCE F ESTIVAL OF BOOKS | S EPTEMBER 27 & 28, 2019
Local groups & publishers
copies in English, with many for-
• Siuslaw School District Writers eign translations. She has also taught
involves student and adult writers writing for publication at colleges
and illustrators under the guidance and conferences.
of Kassy Keppol to produce pub- • Watchtower, Bible & Tract So-
lished books. Th ese student books ciety are part of a publishing orga-
are sold so that students can have a nization that prints Bibles and other
book signing experience. And the books as well as two Bible-based
money raised is used for publication magazines, “Th e Watchtower” and
of the next book. Many students “Awake.”
from fi rst grade through high school
have participated in the making of All of these authors will have their
the books.
books for sale and publishers will
WRITERS GROUP
PUBLISHERS
• Port Hole Publishing’s Ellen
Gunderson Traylor is the bestselling
author of 20 books, and owns Port
Hole Publishing as well as a book-
store in Gardiner. She has published
the books of dozens of authors. Her
own titles have sold about a million
have books they have published on
display. Any books purchased can
be signed and personalized. And,
who knows, some of these Festi-
val of Books’ participants may be
your friends or even your next-door
neighbors.
— Judy Fleagle
Co-founder and Co-chair
Florence Festival of Books
2019 F LORENCE F ESTIVAL OF B OOKS
P LANNING C OMMITTEE
Judy Fleagle, co-chair &
co-founder
Meg Spencer, co-chair
Bonnie MacDuff ee,
treasurer
Aleia Bailey, FEC
liaison
Julie Jarvis
Merrilee Mager
Kevin Mittge
Karen D. Nichols
Victoria Sharbowski
Maire Testa
Ellen Traylor