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Local Author Showcase slated for Friday at The Bookworm of Edwards

Kelli Kostroskinewsroom@vaildaily.comVAIL CO, Colorado

It’s no surprise that an eclectic mix of adventurers and armchair travelers call The Bookworm home. But so do hundreds of novelists, storytellers and experts in fields ranging from business and education to martial arts and mothering. In fact, nearly 50 first-time authors drop by the Vail Valley’s independent bookstore each year with a goal of spreading their book to the masses. Local and regional authors have kept the store grounded in its community of booklovers for 15 years, according to co-owner and book buyer, Nicole Magistro.The store’s third local author showcase features nine of those scribes on Friday. Despite the variety of titles being launched at the event, the writers have many things in common – most important is the excitement of seeing a cerebral project become a physical book. All of them have something to share, and while some of these stories have come from personal life challenges, others offer comic relief and inspiration for everyday life. Subject matter sets them apart but their common ground is that they have a direct message for the reader.

Inspired but a real-life female hunting guide in the Flat Tops wilderness area, author Mark Stevens has completed two books in the Allison Coil mystery series. “After a day on horseback following her around the Flat Tops, I knew I had a tremendous possibility for a main character for a mystery series,” said Stevens. The second book in the series, “Buried by the Roan,” is an exploration of fracking and natural gas exploration on the Western Slope. A gripping murder mystery with locally relevant environmental controversy makes this a great, well researched read. Book three in the series is expected next year.

Often the everyday person becomes an author after looking for something they couldn’t find anywhere else, as is the case with Amanda Adams and her book “Heart Warriors.” No one had told the story of carrying a child with a catastrophic heart defect and making a conscious choice to allow that child to suffer to live. Adams believes her book is universal to anyone trying to reconcile unplanned events. “It is a book about grief and acceptance, hope and joy, and I believe any human being with a heart can learn and grow from reading it,” Adams said.The dichotomy of philosophy versus practice is explored in John Curutchet’s new book, “When Habits Aren’t Enough.” The seemingly simple task of management is often met with challenges in personal and professional relationships. Curutchet has thrown philosophy out the window for a real, workable model with step-by-step instructions. “I want readers to know that my book is not just another ‘try this’ based leadership book. The trust-building model of leadership I have developed will truly grant success to anyone looking to improve their leadership, and relationship skills.”Seasoned local author Jane Healy, Ph.D. joins the showcase with her book “Different Learners,” a comprehensive guide to children’s learning problems. Expect a clear and concise discussion on home environment, schooling, genes and lifestyle habits. “I see so many families who are suffering as a result of a child’s learning problem, and it is extremely frustrating to know that there are solutions out there that they have never even heard about,” Healy said. Practical and honest, Healy offers a translation of the current science that explains why children learn and succeed – or don’t.”Fight Like A Girl” is a hard-hitting book by author Kym Rock that talks about what it’s like to be knocked down, and the fight it takes to get back up. In her think-smart prose, Rock talks about the daily decisions you make that could mean the difference between weakness and power. In this step-by-step book, readers will learn Rock’s personal techniques to prevent personal violence. “I have a passion for helping others from what I have learned from my past victimization; and others are helping me by sharing their experiences as well,” Rock said.



Karin Weber’s provocative new book “Perspectives” is an inspirational photo essay based upon psychiatrist Viktor Frankl’s assertion that the only freedom which cannot be taken away is the freedom to choose one’s attitude. A combination of brilliant photography and philosophical wisdom from noted authorities and prison inmates exemplify a common belief about life and its meaning. Weber’s volunteer work at a women’s prison motivated her to write the book.”I learned that the women I met in prison share the same life philosophy as those we call ‘sages’ like Einstein, the Buddha, and Plato. The human condition and spirit seem to be universal and independent of external reference,” she said.Visual artist and poet K. K. Cherry has a love of language, which is illuminated in her book of poems, “Meaning of Mountains.” Composing poetry over the last year in the wee hours of the morning, she revealed that friends questioned if writing can be too personal. “These poems are part of the fiber that formed me,” she said. “To me it is a reflection of my personal passion for nature; my belief in the words of Socrates, ‘may the outside and the inside be one.'”

Writers are inspired by many different life events, and for Allen Smith it all started by being frustrated with dating women. When he created a match.com profile and then got kicked off the site (three times!), he wrote the hilarious new book, “Watching Grandma Circle the Drain.” Smith provides an entertaining look at the ways we complicate our lives. Laugh-out-loud funny, and boisterously honest, Smith reveals his approach to writing: “While I try not to laugh too much at funerals, there’s comedy in just about everything in life.”Magazine columnist-turned-novelist, Leib Dodell, has learned a lot from training and competing in triathlons. In his new book “Sex, Lies and Triathlon” Dodell reveals the crazy and often comical characters in the cycling world with observations on training tips, motivational stories and eccentric behavior. Good natured, relatable fun is to be had while reading this book. “You don’t have to be a serious triathlete – or even a triathlete at all – to enjoy it. The behavior I describe will be familiar to anyone who is obsessive over an activity in their lives,” Dodell said.Kelli Kostroski is the marketing and events manager at The Bookworm of Edwards.


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