As the weather gets warmer, the season for relaxing in a hammock with a book and a cold drink is approaching.
Luckily, lovers of letters have a collection of local litterateurs’ works from which to choose their summer reading. Among them are offerings from three Scotts Valley authors, Wei Wei, Fred Reiss and Diane Dirksen.
“Tracing Our Footsteps: Fifteen Tales of Hope, Struggle, and Triumph,” by Wei Wei
In a recently published memoir, Wei recounts the journey of her father, Yong Da, as he acclimates to life in the United States after leaving China in 2004, following the death of his wife.
The book follows Wei, a resident of Scotts Valley, through a five-year period as she helps her father adjust a new environment and they re-establish their relationship. It reflects upon the personal values, perspectives and priorities of father and daughter, offering insight into the experiences and struggles of a contemporary immigrant family.
The book, Wei’s third, is self-published through Friesen Press and can be bought online from the publisher and from Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble Booksellers. It is expected to be available soon at Bookshop Santa Cruz, 1520 Pacific Ave., in Santa Cruz. ($12.99 paperback, $19.99 hardcover at www.friesenpress.com/bookstore)
“Today Cancer, Tomorrow The World,” by Fred Reiss
Reiss, the prolific Scotts Valley author and comedian, takes readers along in his latest published work as he experiences the battle for his life against cancer.
Reiss approaches a potentially heavy subject with a light heart, showing readers how to use humor, love and dreams to make the difficult process of cancer treatment more bearable.
Published by Santa Cruz’n Press, the book is available for purchase on Reiss’ website, www.fredforyourhead.com. A digital copy for Kindle e-readers can be purchased from Amazon.com. ($14.95 paperback, 99 cents e-book)
“The Chronicles of Infatuated Women,” by Diane Dirksen
In a new novel by Dirksen, a Scotts Valley resident, a pair of friends experiences a renewal of spirit while traveling in the Isles of Scilly, off the southeastern tip of England.
As they explore Scilly, the women — united by recent divorces, middle age and a love of England — rediscover themselves and gain a restored sense of life and romance.
The book, published by Recreation Sales Publishing of Aptos, is available for purchase at the Capitola Book Café, 1475 41st Ave., in Capitola, at Bookshop Santa Cruz and online at www.rec-lakes.com. ($14.95)
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