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Barnes & Noble

Local author is inspired by mysterious phenomenon

November 9, 2016 By B.C. Manion

The notion of writing about “things that go bump in the night” is not a new idea for novelists.

Many authors have used the presence of unexplained sounds to help create a sense of suspense for their readers.

But, in the case of Alicia White, an author who lives in Wesley Chapel, it was a sound that she actually heard — similar to a sonic boom — that sparked the the idea for her first novel, “The Roar.”

A.M. White was inspired to write her first novel by a mysterious booming sound she has heard in Wesley Chapel. She called that novel ‘The Roar.’ She has finished a sequel and expects the third book in a three-part series to come out next spring. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)
A.M. White was inspired to write her first novel by a mysterious booming sound she has heard in Wesley Chapel. She called that novel ‘The Roar.’ She has finished a sequel and expects the third book in a three-part series to come out next spring.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

White has lived in the Tampa area since 1991, but she didn’t hear the sound until she moved into Wesley Chapel about a year ago and, since then, she’s heard it about five times.

“It rattles things, kind of like a sonic boom would,” she said.

She quickly learned that she was not alone.

“There have been reports within a 15-mile radius,” said White, who uses the pen name A.M. White.

“People make note on social media to get reassurance that they’re not going crazy,” she notes. So far, there’s no explanation for the phenomenon.

The author said she’s heard the sound, and so has her husband, Mark, and their 8-year-old son, Landon. Their 4-year-old Grayson hasn’t heard it, but White’s dad, Gary Orchard, who lives in Lutz, also heard it once while sitting in White’s living room in Westbrook Estates.

“It’s not just this neighborhood. People have reported hearing it in Lexington Oaks, up near Quail Hollow, over to Meadow Pointe,” White said.

The author, who expects to release her second novel, “Into the Roar,” on Nov. 17, said she’s wanted to be a writer since she was young, but never seriously pursued it until last year.

“Last spring, I kind of had a brush with my own mortality. I had a health scare,” she said.

That motivated her to stop thinking about trying her hand at writing and to start doing it.

The second-grade teacher said she finds windows of time for writing after her boys are in bed. She squeezes in about four hours a night for her writing.

She envisions a third book in the series, which she describes as a dystopian novel, in the vein of books like “The Hunger Games” and “Divergent.” She expects her third book to be released in the spring.

White thinks she has an unusual writing process, which she describes as a “reverse-movie” approach.

“I see it playing out in my head, and it just comes out,” she said.

Since she sees what’s happening to her characters — and it can be violent at times — it can be an emotional experience, said White, who teaches at Turner/Bartels K-8, in New Tampa.

In addition to writing her books, White also designed the covers and does all the marketing, through social media, such as Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

By publishing her own work, she owns the rights, but White would like to find a publisher to pick up her books because she’d love a wider audience.

White said she’s encouraged by the feedback she’s been receiving.

“There’s a lot more to it than the money,” she said, noting “The Roar” has attracted readers as young as 12 and as old as 91, and has appealed to both genders.

And, while she’s never stepped foot out of this continent, her book has been read by people in six of the seven continents and by people in 10 different countries.

Reviews on Amazon.com for “The Roar” characterize the novel as “fantastic” and say it deserves five stars. It is described by one reviewer as a “great read.” Another said, “couldn’t put it down.” Another reader summed it up by saying, “Wow!”

Copies of “The Roar” are available through Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble. The paperback sells for $11.99 and the Kindle version is $2.99.

Published November 9, 2016

Filed Under: Local News, People Profiles, Wesley Chapel/New Tampa News Tagged With: A.M. White, Alicia White, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Gary Orchard, Lexington Oaks, Lutz, Meadow Pointe, New Tampa, Quail Hollow, Turner/Bartels K-8, Wesley Chapel, Westbrook Estates

Read-a-thon celebrates literary event

July 8, 2015 By B.C. Manion

When Harper Lee’s novel “To Kill a Mockingbird” was published in 1960, it captured the Pulitzer Prize, became an American classic in literature and was made into an Oscar-winning film, starring Gregory Peck.

Now, the sequel to that book is scheduled for release on July 14 and Barnes & Noble bookstores throughout the United States are celebrating the literary event by staging read-a-thons of “To Kill a Mockingbird.”

The Barnes & Noble at The Shops at Wiregrass will have its read-a-thon on July 13, on the second floor of the bookstore, near the fiction section, said Karen Dietz, store manager.

The event will begin at 10 a.m., and volunteers will continue reading passages from the book until they have finished reading the entire novel.

It is expected to take between nine and 11 hours to complete the book, Dietz said.

“Of course, it’s available in audio, so we kind of gauged it by that,” Dietz said.

“To Kill a Mockingbird” deals with the serious issues of rape and racial inequality. Its narrator is Scout, a 10-year-old tomboy.

Lee’s other novel, “Go Set a Watchman,” revolves around the now-adult Scout, returning to her native Alabama from New York to visit her father.

The book was written before “To Kill a Mockingbird” but was only recently discovered.

Dietz said she was very excited when she learned that Lee had a second book.

“Go Set a Watchman,” Dietz said, “is being called the biggest literary event in our lifetime.”

She said her store is lining up volunteers for the read-a-thon.

“We would love to have as many people as possible, to celebrate this event,” Dietz said.

The plan is for each person to read 20 minutes to 30 minutes, but the length could vary based on how many people sign up.

The book, “Go Set a Watchman,” will not go on sale until the next day.

“We have been waiting over 50 years for this book. So, it’s a big deal,” Dietz said.

The new book’s release comes amidst conflicting reports over when the manuscript was discovered and by whom.

According to published accounts, publisher Harper Collins and Lee’s lawyer, Tonja B. Carter, have said that Carter stumbled upon the novel last August, but another report claims that it was first discovered in 2011 by a rare books expert from Sotheby’s auction house.

What: ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ read-a-thon
Where: The Barnes & Noble bookstore at The Shops at Wiregrass, 28152 Paseo Drive, Suite 100 in Wesley Chapel.
When: The read-a-thon begins at 10 a.m. on July 13 and is expected to last between 9 hours and 11 hours.
To find out more, call (813) 907-7739 or email .

 

‘Go Set a Watchman’ goes on sale
Where:
Barnes & Noble store at The Shops at Wiregrass, 28152 Paseo Drive, Suite 100, in Wesley Chapel.
When: 7 a.m. on July 13
Details: Those buying the book during the special event will receive a free cup of coffee from the bookstore’s café. The first 20 people to purchase the book will also receive a ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ tote bag.

Published July 8, 2015

Filed Under: Local News, Wesley Chapel/New Tampa News Tagged With: Barnes & Noble, Go Set a Watchman, Gregory Peck, Harper Lee, Karen Dietz, Paseo Drive, The Shops at Wiregrass, To Kill a Mockingbird, Tonja Carter, Wesley Chapel

Art quilts show off Tampa Bay history

June 3, 2015 By Kathy Steele

Joanne Rodriguez knew immediately which historical Tampa landmark she wanted to create on her appliqued quilt – the image of the iconic minarets at the University of Tampa.

“When I came down to Florida in the 1980s, I just thought they were so beautiful,” said the Wisconsin native. “It’s very Tampa.”

Betty Jo Weber of Land O' Lakes makes her way down the Jimmie B. Keel Regional Library hallway, where art quilts are on display. In the foreground, Sandi Snow's art quilt depicts a memory of the Hotel Floridan.  (Fred Bellet/Photo)
Betty Jo Weber of Land O’ Lakes makes her way down the Jimmie B. Keel Regional Library hallway, where art quilts are on display. In the foreground, Sandi Snow’s art quilt depicts a memory of the Hotel Floridan.
(Fred Bellet/Photo)

Her quilt is one of several on display through June at an art exhibit – “Memories of Tampa Bay” – at the Jimmie B. Keel Regional Library, 2902 W. Bearss Ave.

Other quilts feature landmarks such as the St. Petersburg Pier, the Hotel Floridan in downtown Tampa, the Sunshine Skyway Bridge and the Dade City Historic Courthouse.

The idea for the show came from a challenge made by Terry Montaldo, long-time member of the Feather Princesses. She created a quilt featuring the Hacienda Hotel, a historic landmark near her home in New Port Richey.

“They are currently redoing it as a boutique hotel,” Montaldo said. “I’m quite anxious to see it done. It’s been a dream of people that live here.”

More than 150 members from around Tampa Bay belong to Feather Princesses. A general meeting takes place on the second Wednesday of each month at the Carrollwood Cultural Center. About a dozen smaller groups meet at various times and locations such as the Barnes & Noble Bookstore in Carrollwood, Salvation Army in New Port Richey, and quilting shops in Dade City, Lutz and Land O’ Lakes.

Rodriquez joined about four years ago.

She grew up sewing clothes. “I just always loved to sew,” she said. “I even do it on vacation. This is the only group that does strictly appliques. It’s very unique.”

The guild began with a conversation between two friends, Dorothy Johnson and Laura Brooker.

“Before we knew, we were starting a guild,” said Johnson, who is the current president. “It just happened.”

In August, the Feather Princesses will celebrate their 10th anniversary.

“It’s very hot right now,” said Johnson of appliques and art quilts. “Unlike patchwork, with appliques it allows more creative expression. You’re not limited to specific shapes.”

Members work for months on some of their creations. It took a year to pull together the current library exhibit.

With so much time spent together, education and fellowship are a huge part of the appeal, Johnson said.

“We just love getting together and being with one another,” she said.

Some quilters have nearly 50 years of experience.

“Others are just learning to thread a needle,” Johnson said. “But everyone is willing to share. We’re just a fun group of ladies who like to get together and make beautiful appliques.”

For information, contact the Feather Princesses at (813) 253-9227, or visit FeatherPrincesses.org.

Published June 3, 2015

 

Filed Under: Local News Tagged With: Barnes & Noble, Bearss Avenue, Carrollwood, Carrollwood Cultural Center, Dade City, Dade City Historic Courthouse, Dorothy Johnson, Feather Princesses, Hacienda Hotel, Hotel Floridan, Jimmie B. Keel Regional Library, Joanne Rodriguez, Land O' Lakes, Laura Brooker, Lutz, New Port Richey, Salvation Army, St. Petersburg Pier, Sunshine Skyway Bridge, Terry Montaldo, University of Tampa

Barnes & Noble showcases local authors

May 27, 2015 By B.C. Manion

If you enjoy stories about second chances, about family life or about history, a selection of books by local authors at an upcoming authors’ event may be right up your alley.

Barnes & Noble at The Shops at Wiregrass is hosting its annual Local Author Signing on May 30 at 2 p.m., at the bookstore, at 28152 Paseo Drive in Wesley Chapel.

Book lovers will have a chance to meet the authors, chat with them and get their books signed.

Some of the authors scheduled to be at the Barnes & Noble annual Local Authors Signing have taken part in the event in previous years. Shown here, from left are Susan Noe Harmon, Madonna Jervis Wise, Evelyn Taylor and Jamie Elizabeth Tingen. (Courtesy of Madonna Wise)
Some of the authors scheduled to be at the Barnes & Noble annual Local Authors Signing have taken part in the event in previous years. Shown here, from left are Susan Noe Harmon, Madonna Jervis Wise, Evelyn Taylor and Jamie Elizabeth Tingen.
(Courtesy of Madonna Wise)

Local authors featured at the event offer a wide range of titles.

Author Leigh Kenyon tells an adventure story about a girl who trains Zebras in her book, “The Zebra Riders.”

She wrote that book while attending Centennial Middle School.

Now a student at Land O’ Lakes High School, Kenyon has written a second book, “The Essence of Fear,” a young adult fictional account that explores darker themes.

Local author Susan Noe Harmon transports readers to mid-19th century Appalachia in her book, “Under the Weeping Willow.” The book features three generations of women whose strength prevails despite poverty, floods and tragedy.

In another book, “To Hide the Truth,” the author tells a story about a disturbing relationship between a daughter and her father during an era when family abuse and alcoholism were taboo topics for discussion.

Author Jamie Elizabeth Tingen writes about making the most of second chances in her book, “Butterfly Messages.”

Author Madonna Wise shares her knowledge of local history in a book she wrote about Dade City for Arcadia Publishing’s iconic Images of America series.

Wise, a retired educator, has written a number of other books, including “Tapestry,” “Wildcat Creek Kids,” “Sam & Company,” and “Juanita in Blue.”

She’s also co-author of “Kachina and the Bully.”

Wise said Barnes & Noble does an excellent job of giving local authors a place to sell books, sign books and chat with readers.

The writers enjoy meeting each other, too, Wise said.

Wise also enjoys meeting aspiring writers who drop by to ask questions about writing and get advice on publishing their work.

Other authors who will be featured at the bookstore’s event include Federico and Ruby Agnir, Jenice Armstead, Shelby Bender, Liz Dunham, Shea Ford, Chonta Haynes, Jack Hipple, C.M. Johnson, Evelyn Johnson-Taylor, Jim Kay, Judie McCarty, Ria Prestia, Elizabeth Rivera, Dave Robbins, Telisha Thompson, Jamie Elizabeth Tingen, Vincent Vinas and Paul Wartenberg.

Annual Local Author Signing
More than 20 local authors will be on hand to sign copies of their books and chat with patrons.
When: May 30 at 2 p.m.
Where: Barnes & Noble at Shops at Wiregrass, 28152 Paseo Drive, Wesley Chapel
How much: Free admission

Published May 27, 2015

Filed Under: Local News Tagged With: Arcadia Publishing, Barnes & Noble, C.M. Johnson, Centennial Middle School, Chonta Haynes, Dade City, Dave Robbins, Elizabeth Rivera, Evelyn Johnson-Taylor, Federico Agnir, Jack Hipple, Jamie Elizabeth Tingen, Jenice Armstead, Jim Kay, Judie McCarty, Land O' Lakes High School, Leigh Kenyon, Liz Dunham, Madonna Wise, Paseo Drive, Paul Wartenberg, Ria Prestia, Ruby Agnir, Shea Ford, Shelby Bender, Susan Noe Harmon, Telisha Thompson, The Shops at Wiregrass, Vincent Vinas, Wesley Chapel

Fear, flight and faith

March 25, 2015 By Michael Murillo

Author relives escape from Iraq

For most people, Iraq is a faraway place on a glowing computer or television screen.

It’s a place where we send soldiers and spouses and sisters, and pray for their safe return. It’s somewhere we forget as our work, softball practice, income taxes or other things absorb our attention, until the next news report pulls us back to images of desert and tanks.

Jwan Al Brwe will never forget the death that surrounded her family's escape to the United States. But now she focuses on life, including dancing the Argentine tango and documenting it in her art. (Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)
Jwan Al Brwe will never forget the death that surrounded her family’s escape to the United States. But now she focuses on life, including dancing the Argentine tango and documenting it in her art.
(Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)

For Jwan Al Brwe, Iraq isn’t a foreign country. It’s not just a trending topic on political talk shows. It is a place she once called home.

“In my country, there’s a lot of beautiful, simple stuff in life,” said Al Brwe, who now lives in Land O’ Lakes with her sister.

She recalls simple pleasures she enjoyed while growing up in Duhok, a town in Northern Iraq.

She recalls the warm bread, right from the oven, that her father brought them before the children left for school, and the fresh milk delivered daily to their doorstep by a farmer.

She has haunting memories, too: The threats of bombing and poisonous gas. Fleeing through the mountains on a dangerous trek to Turkey to escape. Seeing people starving and dying as they awaited permission to cross the border.

When they reached the border, Al Brwe recalls being rejected and forced to return to the family’s decimated town. She also recalls being jailed in Greece, after another desperate attempt to escape.

Then, after years of hoping, planning and praying, she remembers finally arriving in the United States.

Her memories are documented in her book, “Hope to the Last Breath: Flowers Among the Thorns in the Land Between Two Rivers,” released in December by CHB Media.

Besides conveying what happened in Iraq, she wants to bring attention to what’s happening there now.

Leaving Home
Al Brwe, now 32, and her family suffered in Northern Iraq as a result of war, but it’s not the one we’ve seen play out over the past dozen years.

Before that war and before Operation Desert Shield, Iraq and Iran were at war throughout most of the 1980s. Border conflicts were common and each side suffered hundreds of thousands of casualties.

After that war ended, the people in Northern Iraq faced more conflict — not from Iran, but from their own government. That part of the country is dominated by Kurds (an ethnic group found in several countries in the region) and was under constant oppression by the Iraqi regime led by Saddam Hussein.

The Kurds wanted self-rule. Hussein responded with genocide, by way of ground invasions, aerial assaults and chemical attacks.

When politicians in the United States criticized Hussein for “using chemical weapons against his own people,” they were referring to the region where Al Brwe and her family lived.

A particularly brutal attack occurred in the town of Halabja, a 90-minute drive from Al Brwe’s Duhok. When their town was rumored to be next, they knew it was time to leave.

Al Brwe and her family, as well as her uncle’s family, fled to the mountains. The group of 16 was among a million people clamoring to find safety.

They spent several days crossing the mountains to reach the Turkish border, where they begged for admittance. They stayed there for more than a month, suffering while awaiting an answer.

“We were melting snow to stay hydrated,” Al Brwe recalled.

They were forced to burn money to fuel the fire, and her father rooted around in the ground, seeking anything he could find they could eat.

Thousands died, many of them children and infants, and they were buried beneath piles of dirt because there were no tools to prepare a proper grave.

Al Brwe was 9. She was starving and dehydrated, and her hair began to fall out.

“When you’re young, when you live that kind of life, you’re not young anymore,” she said. “You think like an adult. That’s the sad part. They steal your childhood away.”

There are other painful chapters in her story, including being rejected by Turkey and returned in trucks to Duhok, which had been attacked. Aside from their beds, little remained of their home.

They stayed there for years, until they could save enough money for visas before trying to escape again.

As Al Brwe’s family lived through this period in Iraq, they technically weren’t part of the conflict.

Al Brwe is not a Kurd and her family is not Muslim, the dominant Kurd faith. Her family members are Chaldean Christians, affiliated with the Catholic Church.

But bombs don’t differentiate between religions, so the danger was as real for them as for anyone else.

“My faith was shaken,” Al Brwe said. “I’m like ‘God if you’re watching, how are you letting all these people die?’ You stop believing.”

She was angry at Turkey for rejecting them, angry with the Iraqi government for persecuting them and angry with the world community for ignoring them, even though it knew what was happening, she said.

“We felt abandoned,” she said.

A faith restored
Over time — through hard work, time and introspection — her faith became a source of strength again. And that renewed faith would help her through another trying time in her young life.

With temporary visas in hand, her family made it into Turkey this time.

They planned to escape by hiding on meat trucks, en route to Greece, but were caught and jailed. Al Brwe was 15.

But a change in the law during their incarceration allowed refugee families to stay. The family eventually reached the United States and was joined by her uncle’s family later.

Even that happiness was tempered by loss.

Within a year, her father, David, passed away from lung cancer.

It is no coincidence, Al Brwe believes, that her father held on until his family had settled into their new country.

“When you carry so much burden in your life, and you know that your children are safe, then you can let go,” she said.

While “Hope to the Last Breath” tells a story of horrific suffering, Al Brwe wants it to have a positive effect on its readers.

“Americans have this beautiful love that you guys give,” said Al Brwe, who became a citizen in 2005. “When you’re surrounded by kind people, it heals you. I got healed slowly. It took years.”

Besides describing incidents of the past, the book serves to remind people of the new threat facing the people of Iraq.

The Islamic State, also known as ISIS or ISIL, is terrorizing the region, she said.

“Today, everything that happened to me — it’s similar, but a different situation — is happening today, and the world is still not looking at them,” she said.

While Al Brwe is free now to pursue her passions, including art and dance, she continues to pray for her own healing, for the safety of her family in Iraq and for the world to take note of her people’s suffering.

She also gives thanks for being given the strength that has carried her through dark times.

Al Brwe hopes that her family’s fight for survival in Iraq decades ago, and their ultimate freedom, will help to encourage others who are facing struggles and challenges.

“Never stop hoping, no matter what you’re doing in life,” she said. “We can change the world by being kind. Kindness is contagious.”

“Hope to the Last Breath” is available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble, as well as in e-book format for Kindle. For more information, contact Al Brwe at .

Published March 25, 2015

Filed Under: People Profiles, Top Story Tagged With: Barnes & Noble, CHB Media, Iraq, Jwan Al Brwe, Land O' Lakes, Operation Desert Shield, Saddam Hussein

Library dazzles patrons

February 5, 2015 By Kathy Steele

It offers new technology and an airy look

Some boxes are still unpacked.

A few books are being catalogued before getting stacked on shelves.

An item or two, such as window blinds, are on order.

An arched window and high ceiling allows for natural lighting to give the new library in Zephyrhills something of a Barnes & Noble feel. (Kathy Steele/Staff Photo)
An arched window and high ceiling allows for natural lighting to give the new library in Zephyrhills something of a Barnes & Noble feel.
(Kathy Steele/Staff Photo)

Outside, workmen are getting ready to pave a parking lot.

Not everything is completely done yet, but the new Zephyrhills Public Library is open for business and humming with activity – in hushed tones, of course.

One recent morning a steady stream of people walked through the front door. One inquired about a book request. Others logged onto computers. Some just wanted a quiet reading nook.

So far, the library has proved quite popular.

“We are getting very heavy traffic,” said Vicki Elkins, director of library and museum services. “We have people coming in that we’ve never seen at the old library.”

The new structure replaces a building that was partially constructed in 1964 and partly built in 1981.

That building was torn down to make way for this new one.

The paved parking lot, when completed, will have a drive-through book drop-off.

Although the library opened on Dec. 30, a grand opening has not yet been scheduled.

“I refer to it as a great Christmas gift,” Elkins said. “We can offer so much more now than we could in the old library.”

At nearly 8,500 square feet, the new library, at 5347 Eighth St., is more than double the size of its predecessor.

Its amenities include a meeting room with a galley, separate teen and children’s rooms, and two study rooms.

The library also will soon have Wi-Fi.

Patrons also will find 16 computers there — twice as many as there were in the old library.

And, they can use their library cards to book computer time. This is especially helpful when the computers are all in use, Elkins said.

When patrons want to print materials, they can preview their order and its cost.

The library’s youngest patrons will find three computers set aside for them in the children’s room.

New books targeted at young readers will be added to the teen room.

Another plus: A local resident donated about 300 books, mostly classics.

In the past, the library had its summer reading program at Alice Hall Community Center. Now it can be in the new children’s room and in the adjoining meeting room.

There also is potential for additional programs, Elkins said.

Nonprofit and community groups have already found out about the meeting room and have begun signing up for it, Elkins said.

The vision for the new library emerged nearly 10 years ago, and the city began setting aside countywide tax revenues from the Penny for Pasco program.

In 2008, the country’s economic downturn prompted a rearrangement of priorities.

“It was put on the back burner,” Elkins said.

As the economy brightened in recent years, some thought was given to renovating the existing library but Elkins said, “It was not in good shape for a remodeling.”

A combination of Penny for Pasco revenues and private donations paid for the $2.2 million construction costs.

The plain façade of the old library seemed out of tune with the historic look of downtown Zephyrhills, so Elkins said architects at Harvard Jolly were asked to review photos of the old City Hall, high school and train station.

The result was a red brick building with a classic look.

Kathleen Munn recently brought her daughter Charlie Hernandez for a first tour of Zephyrhills’ new library. Mother and daughter were going to report back to 10-year-old Lilly Hernandez, Munn’s granddaughter and Hernandez’ daughter.

As a youngster, Charlie Hernandez would check out more than a dozen books a week to take home.

No one loves books more, Munn said.

But she said that old library, even for a book lover, was “old, dark and dank.”

Now Munn can’t wait to return with her granddaughter to the new library.

“This is big and fresh and adds a bit of class to Zephyrhills,” Munn said. “It feels like a Barnes & Noble to me. It’s light and bright and airy.”

Published February 4, 2015

Filed Under: Education, Local News, Zephyrhills/East Pasco News Tagged With: Alice Hall Community Center, Barnes & Noble, Charlie Hernandez, Eighth Street, Kathleen Munn, Penny for Pasco, Vicki Elkins, Zephyrhills, Zephyrhills Public Library

Rushe Middle goes extra mile to encourage reading

December 4, 2014 By B.C. Manion

Students from Rushe Middle School traipsed through Barnes & Noble at The Shops at Wiregrass, on a scavenger hunt to solve a riddle.

They went from place to place picking up new clues in a search that finally led them to the discovery of the selection for the book the We Be Book’n club will read over the next few months.

Sgt. Robert Loring, a veteran who served in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, unveils the book that the We Be Book’n book club is reading at Rushe Middle School. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)
Sgt. Robert Loring, a veteran who served in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, unveils the book that the We Be Book’n book club is reading at Rushe Middle School. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

The big unveil took place on Nov. 11, and the school-wide book club will read the young adult adaptation of “Unbroken” by Laura Hillenbrand. It tells the story of Olympian Louis Zamperini’s journey from airman to castaway to captive.

Students, accompanied by their parents, dropped by a table to get pointers on how the scavenger hunt worked, and picked up their first clue. As they solved one clue in one part of the bookstore, they received another clue that led them to a different part of the bookstore.

They concluded their search by meeting former Sgt. Robert Loring, a veteran who was a qualified parachute jumpmaster in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve.

Rushe faculty members Dawn Gilliland and Kelli Rapaport came up with the idea of creating a school-wide book club, according to school principal David Salerno. The principal was quickly onboard with the idea, and Rushe’s teachers, staff and parents have been great supporters, Gilliland said.

Gilliland — an information and communication technology literacy coach at Rushe — and Rapport, an intensive reading teacher, said the book club aims to motivate kids to read. So far, more than 100 students have joined the voluntary club.

“It’s just for fun,” Rapaport said. “We just want to get kids excited about literacy.”

Both women view themselves as avid readers and want to pass along their love of the written word to Rushe’s students. They selected an informational text because they want to help students develop the ability to read for information. They also wanted students to see that these kinds of books can be fascinating.

“We see kids who just aren’t reading, especially informational texts,” Gilliland said. “They don’t have that passion.”

Hillenbrand’s book recounts a story about perseverance, Salerno said. It’s a character trait he hopes students will develop.

The message Salerno hopes students will get from the book is this: “No matter what barriers you have, you can overcome them.” Salerno thinks the book is a good choice because it introduces students to a genre they don’t normally read.

The big reveal at Barnes & Noble capped weeks of buildup. Rushe staff members helped create a sense of excitement through dramatizations during which they pretended to beg for the book title’s name, offered bribes for the name, and even broke down crying.

Yet, Gilliland and Rapaport refused to give out the title.

At one point, they wrapped copies of the book in brown paper and marked them with the words “confidential” and “top secret,” and placed them at various places around the school. Teachers also talked up the big reveal.

Rapaport and Gilliland worked with the managers at Barnes & Noble to plan the event. Gilliland’s husband Jeff joined the teachers to developer the clues.

“Every clue has to go with what’s in the book,” Rapaport said. “It’s really previewing the content for them ahead of time.”

Jennifer Kosowski, whose daughter Brooke is a seventh-grader at Rushe, appreciates the efforts the school is making to encourage reading.

“It’s fun,” she said. “It gets them in here and gets them interested in reading.”

Brooke said she had fun figuring out the clues, noting some of them weren’t very easy.

The Barnes & Noble event is just one of many activities the school has planned for the book club. Over the next few months, as they read the book, a number of special events will take place that center on the book’s themes.

For instance, the school will have a mock Olympics because the book’s main character was an Olympian. The final event will be a lock-in at the school’s David Estabrook Collaboration Center, where students and staff members will spend the night playing games, watching movies, and having a chance to win prizes.

Published December 3, 2014

See this story in print: Click Here

Filed Under: Education, Land O' Lakes News, Local News Tagged With: Barnes & Noble, David Estabrook Collaboration Center, David Salerno, Dawn Gilliland, Jennifer Kosowski, Kelli Rapaport, Land O' Lakes, Laura Hillenbrand, Louis Zamperini, Robert Loring, Rushe Middle School, The Shops at Wiregrass, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve

In Print: New Lowe’s adding traffic light to State Road 54

December 3, 2014 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

When the new Lowe’s store opens next March, it not only will bring more jobs to State Road 54 in Land O’ Lakes, but more traffic congestion as well.

To accommodate the new store, Pasco County will link the Lowe’s parking lot to the Village Lakes Shopping Center across the street, complete with the first traffic light between Collier Parkway and Land O’ Lakes Boulevard.

But that does mean some parking spaces at Village Lakes have to go, and traffic patterns through the parking lots there will be adjusted as well. In return, the area will get new crosswalks — one of the few places pedestrians can legally cross along the nearly two-mile stretch.

Want details of what this new intersection will entail? Check out reporter Michael Hinman’s story in this week’s print edition of The Laker/Lutz News, available on newsstands and in many home driveways right now. Or you can check out the complete paper online with our free e-edition by clicking here.

He may not look like Kris Kringle, but Bob Loring feels he might be a little like Old Saint Nick, considering how many toys he delivers each year.

Bob Loring will do whatever it takes to get the word out for his annual local Toys For Tots campaign. (Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)
Bob Loring will do whatever it takes to get the word out for his annual local Toys For Tots campaign. (Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)

Loring leads the local Toys For Tots chapter, part of a national program that distributes toys to needy children, run by the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve for more than 65 years.

“I’m the head elf,” Loring recently told reporter Michael Murillo. “It’s a thrill. Personally, it’s so rewarding. I get to work with and be around the neatest people in Pasco County.”

Loring first took over in 1999, and that first year, delivered toys for nearly 400 children just in time for Christmas in the Dade City area. Since then, the program has been expanded across the county, aiming to help 4,000 children.

Find out more about the program, and how you can help, in this week’s print edition of The Laker/Lutz News, available now. You also can read all about it with our free online e-edition, which you can find right here.

And finally, Rushe Middle School is going the extra mile when it comes to reading. The school has started a We Be Book’n club, and is looking for new ways to introduce young people to books in today’s digital age.

That includes a recent trip to Barnes & Noble where students took part in a scavenger hunt to find out what they’ll be reading next.

“It’s just for fun,” one of the teachers, Kelli Rapaport told reporter B.C. Manion. “We just want to get kids excited about literacy.”

It’s not the last thing — or even the biggest thing — the We Be Book’n club has planned for the coming school year. Want to see what else is up the sleeves of teachers like Rapaport and Dawn Gilliland? Then check out this week’s print edition of The Laker/Lutz News, or do some reading of your own in our free online e-edition by clicking here.

All of these stories and more can be found in this week’s The Laker/Lutz News, available in newsstands throughout east and central Pasco County as well as northern Hillsborough County. Find out what has your community talking this week by getting your local news straight from the only source you need.

If The Laker/Lutz News is not coming to your door, call us to see where you can get your copy at (813) 909-2800, or read our free e-edition by clicking here.

Filed Under: Updates Tagged With: B.C. Manion, Barnes & Noble, Bob Loring, Collier Parkway, Dade City, Dawn Gilliland, Hillsborough County, Kelli Rapaport, Kris Kringle, Land O' Lakes, Land O' Lakes Boulevard, Lowe's, Michael Hinman, Michael Murillo, Pasco County, Rushe Middle School, State Road 54, Toys for Tots, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, Village Lakes Shopping Center, We Be Book'n

Barnes & Noble offers showcase for local authors

May 8, 2014 By B.C. Manion

If you’re looking for a new recipe, want to make a quilt, are in the mood for a little dark humor or want to be inspired, a selection of books by local authors may appeal to you.

Seventeen local authors will gather at Barnes & Noble at The Shops at Wiregrass May 17 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., to sell their books and chat with patrons. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)
Seventeen local authors will gather at Barnes & Noble at The Shops at Wiregrass May 17 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., to sell their books and chat with patrons.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

Seventeen local authors will gather at Barnes & Noble at The Shops at Wiregrass May 17 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., to offer their works for sale, chat with potential patrons, and sign books.

“It’s Barnes & Noble’s way to recognize the community,” said Paul Brouillard, assistant store manager at the bookstore, which is located at 28152 Paseo Drive in Wesley Chapel. “Our customers are readers. A lot of them aspire to be authors and have their books for sale in our store. So this is a great way to get the authors who are local to our store.”

It’s a fun event for the authors, Brouillard added. Besides having a chance to sell their work, they get to talk to customers and to network with each other.

The store will set the writers up in clusters at different locations in the store, with a sprinkling of genres at each table, Brouillard said.

“I’ll have a teen book maybe next to maybe one of the cooking books and the quilting book, something like that,” he said.

Some authors have been there before, such as Leigh Kenyon, a teenager who wrote “The Zebra Riders,” and Madonna Jervis Wise, a retired educator who has written several books, including “Wildcat Creek Kids,” “Sam & Company,” and “Juanita in Blue.” She’s also co-author of “Kachina and the Bully.”

Evelyn Johnson-Taylor, a women’s ministry leader, will be there with her book “A Woman’s Call, Living a Life of Purpose.”

Those interested in learning to quilt can pick up some pointers from Elizabeth Dackson, author of “Becoming a Confident Quilter.”

Guy Cote will offer his book “Long Live the King: Book One of the Charlemagne Saga.” Milt Harris will have three titles available, a book for young readers called “Foxy Roxy,” a self-help guide titled “Ceilings,” and the cookbook “Just Friggin’ Cook.”

Gail Yip-Chuck’s book, “The New Life Diet: A New Way of Eating and Being,” shares her message for diet and health, with the aim of helping readers transform their lives.

Jamie Elizabeth Tingen’s book, “Butterfly Messages,” is a story about second chances. It’s a particularly timely topic in this age of reconnections enabled through social media and of rekindled romance among former sweethearts who have found each other a divorce or the death of a spouse.

If you enjoy dark humor, “The Funeral Portrait” by Vincent Vinas, may be right up your alley.

Those who are drawn to history and photography may want to check out the work of R. Wayne Ayres, author of “Florida’s Grand Hotels from the Gilded Age” and “St. Petersburg: The Sunshine City.”

Other authors expected to be there are Jenice Armstead, Sarina Babb, Shelby Bender, Susan Noe Harmon, Paul Sunshine Murphy, Alison Oburia and  Ria Prestia.

Readers drawn to poetry may want to pick up a copy of “Eyes Open, Listening,” by Janet Watson, at the Barnes & Noble author gathering May 17 at The Shops at Wiregrass.

Here’s a selection from her book:

The Artist
His studio was under the basement stairs,
next to shelves of canned tomatoes,
beneath the foundation window through
which he could watch leaves scuttling by.

His day-job at the factory shared space
with thoughts of going home,
of what he’d sketch or paint—
a remembered face, the valley in spring.

His assembly line labor supported us,
and although I understood that need,
when people asked me what he did,
I always said my father was an artist.
-Janet Watson

Published May 7, 2014

Filed Under: Local News, Wesley Chapel/New Tampa News Tagged With: Barnes & Noble, Paul Brouillard, Wesley Chapel

In Print: Golf course closes again, authors gather, and ‘Oklahoma!’

May 7, 2014 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

The gates to the Plantation Palms community are now closed to the general public after the struggling Plantation Palms Golf Club has shuttered once again. And no one knows when it might be back.

The homeowners association there says that while the golf course is private property and not their responsibility, what happens to it could affect the value of the 875 homes there.

“Many of our residents purchased their homes here because of the excellent golf course,” the HOA board, led by president David Gunsteens, said in a prepared statement to reporter Michael Hinman. “So when the golf course is impacted negatively, it has a detrimental effect on all of us.”

The golf course had closed down before in August, but reopened within a week. This time, however, the ownership group is not talking, and a few vendors are going as far as to filing liens against the property.

Get all the details in the print edition of this week’s The Laker/Lutz News, or in our online e-edition by clicking here.

If you like books, then you’ll be more than interested to learn that 17 local authors will be on hand during a special event at The Shops at Wiregrass’ Barnes & Noble store on May 17.

“It’s Barnes & Noble’s way to recognize the community,” assistant store manager Paul Brouillard told reporter B.C. Manion. “Our customers are readers. A lot of them aspire to be authors and have their books for sale in our store. So this is a great way to get the authors who are local to our store.”

Some of the authors participating include Leigh Kenyon, Madonna Jervis Wise, Evelyn Johnson-Taylor and Janet Watson.

Find out what has the book community buzzing in this week’s print edition, or read the free e-edition here.

Lutz resident Ryan Santello takes on the lead role of Curly in ‘Oklahoma!,’ which wraps up its run this week at the David A. Straz Jr. Center for the Performing Arts. His sister, Victoria, is a featured dancer in the play. (Courtesy of the Patel Conservatory)
Lutz resident Ryan Santello takes on the lead role of Curly in ‘Oklahoma!,’ which wraps up its run this week at the David A. Straz Jr. Center for the Performing Arts. His sister, Victoria, is a featured dancer in the play. (Courtesy of the Patel Conservatory)

Finally, Lutz resident Ryan Santello has taken the stage as Curly in the popular musical “Oklahoma!,” which is now showing at the David A. Straz Center for the Performing Arts in Tampa.

Santello appears in the play along with his sister, Victoria Santello. And both of them are still in high school.

“When you’re an actor, you have to do your homework,” stage manager Kara Goldberg told reporter Michael Murillo. “You have to look up words you don’t know in the script, and you have to study your lines really well. I can tell that (Ryan) is doing his homework.”

You can read the story in print right now with our e-edition by clicking here.

All of these complete stories and more can be found in this week’s The Laker/Lutz News, available in newsstands throughout east and central Pasco County as well as northern Hillsborough County. Find out what has your community talking this week by getting your local news straight from the only source you need.

If The Laker/Lutz News is not coming to your door, call us to see where you can get your copy at (813) 909-2800, or read our free e-edition by clicking here.

Filed Under: Updates Tagged With: B.C. Manion, Barnes & Noble, David A Straz Center for the Performing Arts, David Gunsteens, Evelyn Johnson-Taylor, Janet Watson, Kara Goldberg, Leigh Kenyon, Lutz, Madonna Jervis Wise, Michael Hinman, Michael Murillo, Paul Brouillard, Plantation Palms, Plantation Palms Golf Club, Ryan Santello, Tampa, The Shops at Wiregrass, Victoria Santello

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Family Fun at Molly’s Hatchet — Axe Throwing, Virtual Reality and Video Games

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04/15/2021 – Women and finance

The Hillsborough County Public Library Cooperative will present “Women and Finance” on April 15 at 6:30 p.m., for adults. Participants can learn to take control of their financial future, learn how to manage cash flow and debt, saving and investing for the future, and how to protect what matters most. Registration is through the calendar feature at HCPLC.org. … [Read More...] about 04/15/2021 – Women and finance

04/16/2021 – Parenting exhibit

The Florida Museum of Photographic Arts, 400 N. Ashley Drive in Tampa, will present “(im)Perfect,” a documentary-style exhibition that shows the everyday ups and downs of parenting, worldwide. Documentary family photographers use raw, unposed, undirected family moments to create visual narratives that elevate family routines to an artistic expression. The display will run from April 16 through May 31, and is included with museum admission. Tickets are $10 for adults and $8 for students/military/seniors. For information and tickets, call 813-221-2222. … [Read More...] about 04/16/2021 – Parenting exhibit

04/16/2021 – Shooting competition

The Sunrise Rotary Club of Dade City will host a Rotary Night at the Armory Shooting Competition on April 16 from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., at the West Armory, 15029 U.S. 301 in Dade City, for ages 21 and older. Guns and ammo will be supplied. Tickets include the use of the simulator room, dinner, a gun raffle and prizes. A live DJ will provide the music. For information and tickets, call Kerry Westbrook at 352-521-6689 or the West Armory at 352-437-5571. … [Read More...] about 04/16/2021 – Shooting competition

04/17/2021 – Absolutely Avalon

Avalon Park Wesley Chapel will host “Absolutely Avalon” on April 17 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., at 5060 River Glen Blvd., featuring bounce houses, food trucks, musicians, a face painter, interactive games, a rock climbing wall, a laser light show at dusk, and more. Everything is free. For information, call 813-783-1515. … [Read More...] about 04/17/2021 – Absolutely Avalon

04/17/2021 – Arts festival

Support Gulfside Hospice by attending the Charity Festival of Arts on April 17 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., at Land O’ Lakes Heritage Park, 5401 Land O’ Lakes Blvd. There will be live entertainment from local talent groups. The arts will be showcased through dance, voice, music, acting, visual art and more, provided by local artists, businesses and organizations. Activities also will include a “take-and-make” project. Admission is $5 per person, for ages 3 and older. For information, contact Leesa Fryer at 727-845-5707 or . … [Read More...] about 04/17/2021 – Arts festival

04/17/2021 – Charity hockey game

The Lakeland Ice Arena and the Tampa Bay Marauders Police Hockey Team will present the Hillsborough vs. Pinellas Police Charity Hockey Game on April 17 at 4:15 p.m., at 3395 W. Memorial Blvd., in Lakeland. Donations will be accepted at the event and throughout the game. All proceeds will directly benefit the families of TPD Master Police Officer Jesse Madsen, PCSO Deputy Michael Magli and HCSO Sergeant Brian LaVigne. Donations also may be made on Venmo: @tampabaypolicehockey or PayPal: . Baked goods and a food truck are scheduled for the event, too. For information, call Tampa police officer Tony Skolarus at 734-564-7643. … [Read More...] about 04/17/2021 – Charity hockey game

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