Creative Non-fiction

Title: God Does Have a Sense of Humor
Author: Rob Ballister
Genre: Creative Non-Fiction, Humor
Reviewer: Bill McDonald

ISBN (links go to the MWSA Amazon store): 0595363431

Author Rob Ballister delivers a touching and entertaining portrait of his journey through dating, growing up in New Jersey, and surviving cancer. Along the way, he learns that God Does Have a Sense of Humor. Follow him:

Through surgery—My understanding was that the doctor, while hopping up and down on one foot and singing the national anthem, was going to remove my lymph nodes using a butter knife, a hacksaw, and some 10W-30 motor oil.

Into the confessional—There sat Father Riener, who was technically old enough to have been one of the original apostles. As I began reciting my list, Father began falling asleep. Being only in the fourth grade, I did exactly what I did at home when my younger sister fell asleep. I kicked him.

Through family Christmas traditions—That first year, Dad put up a wreath and Mom put up a tree, and things were pretty much low key that season. Then I was born, and as I grew, so did Dad’s commitment to having the house visible from orbiting spacecraft.

With an incredibly wry sense of humor, Ballister offers a hilarious look at life, guaranteed to make you smile!

Title: Barksdale Chronicles in America, Vol I
Author: Robert A. Groves
By Lee Boyland

ISBN (for Amazon store): 1452059969

Barksdale Chronicles in America, Volume I is the first published book by Maj Robert A. Groves. His research into his maternal ancestors began at the millennium due, in large part, to the colorful family stories he recalled his mother and her siblings sharing during his childhood. Family chronicles define and preserve the contributions of ancestors to their families and communities. Through a study of our roots, we gain an appreciation of what helped shape us as individuals and citizens. This edition captures but a small part of the Barksdale family as it starts out in the New World. As followed through the lineage of John Hickerson Barksdale, early ancestors began forging a life for themselves in Virginia, South Carolina, Alabama, Mississippi, Texas and Arkansas. They courageously served their country in the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, and the Civil War. Some dipped their toes into the political waters of our country and served their communities, states and nation as elected officials. Using their creativeness, they turned resources available to them into entrepreneurial opportunities in agriculture, merchandising, and manufacturing. Some heard a higher calling and faced the moral issues of the time from rural pulpits. Indeed, the early Barksdale ancestors played a vital role in shaping the communities where they settled and the environment into which following generations were born

by Kathleen Dunn (8 years old)
Published by (date): The Creative Cabin
ISBN (links to MWSA Amazon store): 978-1-60725-809-4
Price:

A whimsical look at a child's view of dealing with her Obsessive Compulsive Disorder experiences ...'maintaining a sense of calm to cope with the challenges of daily life help keep things in perspective' ... perhaps there's a lesson for all of us. Life Will Be OK! "The insight, humor and warmth of this book is an example of the best resources of the human spirit! Healing comes in many forms and Kathleen Dunn has captured the essence of a difficult disorder that has affected but not defeated her family. To me 'The ABCs of OCD spell H-O-P-E!', Dr. Brand, PhD. Psychologist, Alliance Psychological Services, LLC. Kathleen dedicates this book to both of her war veteran 'Paps', she is sure one of them had OCD!