Solomon Screech Owl Goes to the Australia

MECHANICSBURG, Pa. — Sunbury Press has released Beth Lancione’s Solomon Screech Owl’s Kangaroo Caper. The book was illustrated by Kathy Haney.

About the Book:
In the fourth of Solomon Screech Owl’s stories, Sollie travels to the land down under, exploring the Australia where he meets many of the strange and wonderful creatures that dwell there.

About the Author & Illustrator:
The late Beth Lancione, formerly of Etters, PA, retired from a long career in public education and began what she hoped would be a long second career as an author of children’s books. The Solomon Screech Owl stories, conceived as an eight book series in which Sollie will visit the seven continents in his quest to see all that the world has to show him, was inspired by Beth’s love for her grandchildren, her enjoyment of adventurous travel, and her experiences working with owls as a volunteer at a rescue facility for injured birds of prey.

Kathy Haney, a retired high school art teacher, resides in Salem, Oregon. She is an active award-winning artist, creating drawings and watercolor paintings, designing posters, and illustrating books. An area of special interest for her is early childhood literacy, having taught young parents the value of reading to their infants, volunteering in Guatemala’s efforts to increase literacy in indigenous peoples, and proudly being the first person to read a book to her grandchildren. Kathy and her husband, Gary, love to travel, and much of her artwork reflects the peoples and cultures they encountered. She is excited to share the adventure of travel with Solomon’s readers.

Beth and Kathy had been friends since high school. The Solomon Screech Owl series is their literary collaboration.

Solomon Screech Owl’s Kangaroo Caper
Authored by Beth Lancione, Illustrated by Kathy Haney
List Price: $19.95
8.5″ x 8.5″ Hardcover
Color on White paper
38 pages
Sunbury Press, Inc.
ISBN-13: 978-1620067871
BISAC: Childrens / Adventure

For more information, please see:
http://www.sunburypressstore.com/Solomon-Screech-Owls-Kan…

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“The Crossers” series continues with “Return to the Valley”

MECHANICSBURG, Pa. — Sunbury Press has released “Return to the Valley,” Terry Ray’s fifth installment in “The Crossers” series.

About the Book:
Return to the Valley picks up the story, ten years after the conclusion of the epic American Classic Series, Crossing the Valley. The main character, Marty Chapman, has settled into a happy, normal, family life as a college professor in a small town in Kansas and seems to have finally found contentment. As in the original series, however, Marty is not destined for such a life.

This continuing epic, once again, traverses the complete spectrum of human emotions and life experiences that will leave the reader transfixed and in awe.

This story winds its way through romantic love and family bliss, to the revealing inside story of the treacherous, back-stabbing, real world of university faculty, to pure evil, blackmailing co-eds, homicide and the anatomy of a sensational murder trial, to heroism and betrayal, and the evolution of a new and quickly growing religion that is changing the world forever.

If you are the type of reader who wants to become thoroughly engrossed in a novel and left pondering some of the fundamental questions of life and death, Return to the Valley will wonderfully fulfill your reading niche.

Excerpt:
May 15, 2004
With his eyes on the sidewalk, Marty Chapman quickly crossed the quad and entered Watson Hall. His stomach was churning emptiness into nausea, having not contained food since yesterday at noon. He climbed to the third floor then walked the worn corridor carpet to Ken Broderick’s office. He was dizzy from anxiety and lack of sleep and was experiencing a disconcerting out-of-body sensation. Ken looked up from his newspaper and was taken aback by Marty’s appearance as he passed through the open door.

“Jesus, Marty . . . you look like shit . . . what’s the matter?”

Marty didn’t respond with his usual sardonic retort but instead moved in silence to his designated lunch-hour-chat chair. He sat down and stared between his feet at the beige, coffee-stained rug for a few seconds, then looked up at Ken with nervous eyes. Ken waited for Marty to speak. He didn’t. He kept licking his lips and trying to swallow. After a few more long seconds, Ken spoke.

“What happened, Marty?”

Marty’s gaze intensified with alternating shades of guilt, shame, and fear. Without answering, he walked over to the open door and closed it. After doing so, he paused and took a few deep breaths through his nose, then, with a lowered head, humped shoulders, and hands in his pockets, he returned to his chair and swallowed a few more times in an attempt to lubricate his dry throat. He looked up at the ceiling, with his head moving side to side then, lowering his face, he looked directly at Ken and crossed his arms across his chest to hug himself. Ken could see he was quivering. Marty felt very sick.

“Oh Jesus, Ken . . . oh Jesus.”

“What . . . what is it?”

“Oh man . . . what am I gonna do . . . what am I gonna do?”

Marty was rocking forward and back in his chair and speaking more to himself than to Ken, so Ken waited in silence for the continuation of the soliloquy. It resumed after a rather long silence.

Return to the Valley
Authored by Terry Ray
List Price: $16.95
6″ x 9″ (15.24 x 22.86 cm)
Black & White on Cream paper
226 pages
Sunbury Press, Inc.
ISBN-13: 978-1620066898
ISBN-10: 1620066890
BISAC: Fiction / Visionary & Metaphysical

Available on Kindle

For more information, please see:
http://www.sunburypressstore.com/The-Crossers-Book-5-Retu…

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Lykens Township history recounts history in the Gratz area

MECHANICSBURG, Pa.  — Sunbury Press has released History of Lykens Township Volume 1, compiled by the Gratz Historical Society.

About the Book:
Lykens Township is perhaps the largest township in Dauphin County. It borders Mifflin Township on the west, Northumberland County on the north, Schuylkill County on the east, and Short Mountain on the south.

The first volume of the book contains the official history of the township dating back to when the Susquehanna Indians lived here. The colorful story of Andrew  Lykens who settled near what is now Loyalton about 1756 is next. The record of his life is most interesting.

The area of Oakdale, and village of Loyalton is detailed in depth because of its   early commercial beginnings, and contributions to the developing community. Information and genealogy of the first old families who established the town is included and the present residents of the town are also recognized.

From here, North Crossroads Road leads the way along the area of old homesteads, and also where the early Hoffman family settled, and the site of the old Hoffman Cemetery. Crossroads Road eventually joins Route 25.

A previous turn to the right onto Specktown Road, leads to the little settlement along Short Mountain, and Indian Trail. It eventually leads to the entrance to the town of Gratz.

There are histories and many photographs, as well as other information  for each of the early homes and families. Also of country schools, the churches, and other historic landmarks.

The book contains a table of contents, also an index to genealogies, in addition to the index of individual names found in the book.

History of Lykens Township Volume 1
• Hardcover
• Publisher: Sunbury Press, Inc. (September 21, 2016)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1620068478
• ISBN-13: 978-1620068472
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 1.4 x 11 inches

COPIES CAN BE PURCHASED FROM THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY or wherever books are sold.

For more information, please see:
http://www.sunburypressstore.com/History-of-Lykens-Townsh…

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Christina Burns recounts her turbulent youth and discovery of faith in “The Journey Called Life”

ALTOONA, Pa. — Sunbury Press has released The Journey Called Life, Christina Burns memoir of her turbulent youth and faith journey.

About the Book:
Survival is already a way of life, but what will become of a shattered mind?

Christina is, at least on the surface, the all-American girl next door. However, growing up in the small town of Bellwood, Pennsylvania, would prove to be anything but “normal”. A rough childhood, traumas, mental illnesses, addiction, murder, and kidnapping are just a few of the battles she faces, and she isn’t even twenty-one yet!

Little does she know, her next battle will be a literal fight for her life. Embarking on a journey to find herself, she ends up lost on a downward spiral headed straight for the deepest darkest pits of hell.

This debut book is an inspiring true story of life experience, inner strength and keeping hope alive, by a talented new author. It defies all the rules and will keep you reading from dusk till dawn. You won’t want to miss this one!

Excerpt:
April 27, 2006
My teeth gripped the steering wheel tight in a state of shock. The indents from each tooth forever etched into the steering wheel. I stared straight ahead, out the windshield. I was frozen in fear, physically unable to move. I just watched the horror unfolding in the headlights directly in front of me. I looked on in stupefaction. “Is this really happening?” I wondered. “Am I dreaming?” It was almost like a movie, except it was much more vivid and way more terrifying than any movie could ever be. This was very real, no pause button, no rewind. Frightened, I just kept watching. I felt my body go numb, I couldn’t think, couldn’t speak, couldn’t move.

There was blood everywhere. I could see that his chest was still moving up and down trying to breathe. I could hear his lungs still gasping for air. Then they made an eerily gurgling sound as they filled with blood. It poured out of the bullet holes and his orifices like a faucet.

How did I get here? I should be at home watching TV with Memom. How had my entire “normal” life led to this point? Had it all been dark and I just hadn’t realized? A dark road, down a dark path, leading to this dark end.

That happy-go-lucky, short, petite-build, bleach-blonde, curly headed, smiling, singing, praying, innocent child that I had once been so long ago. At that moment, though, I wasn’t thinking of that. I couldn’t think, couldn’t speak, couldn’t move.

About the Author:
Christina Burns was born August 22, 1985 in Altoona, Pennsylvania.

Upon graduating from PSU, Christina was awarded a Bachelor of Science degree, in addition to, a Certificate of Chemical Dependency and Preventions Counseling. She went on to attain many personal and professional achievements. Surrounded by “surreal blessings” every step of the way. At one point, she even sat in the same chair as her counselor had years prior, this time counseling someone else sitting in the place she once was.

Following graduation, Christina worked as a Case Manager/Counselor at a residential facility for homeless veterans. She was then hired privately to design, develop, and facilitate as the CEO of a non profit faith-based organization. Creating a 19 bed residential facility offering a wide variety of services to include a holistic approach to life recovery, was an exciting experience in her career. Going on to work as a counselor at a residential rehabilitation facility and specializing in mental health, behavioral health, and drug and alcohol, is perhaps her most favorite of all professional accomplishments.

Christina loves being a mommy, helping others, and all things outdoors. From working on mechanics to wearing high heels, she is magnificently well rounded and down to earth! As a true free spirit, Christina enjoys kayaking, mudding in her lifted ’77 Chevy truck, riding dirt bikes and four-wheelers, fishing, sleeping under the stars, museums, amusement parks, dancing, traveling, furthering her education, reading, motivational speaking, thinking, and more- as long as it involves spending time with her son!

Discovering true love and happiness in her child, the answers to life’s questions in her education, and fulfillment in her career, Christina finally found her serenity.

In following her heart and desiring to help as many lives as possible, Christina wrote her first book. A memoir of life experience, finding inner strength, and keeping hope alive.

As an author and a member of the International Women’s Writing Guild, she now shares her story with the world.

The Journey Called Life
Authored by Christina Burns
List Price: $19.95
6″ x 9″ (15.24 x 22.86 cm)
Black & White on Cream paper
236 pages
Sunbury Press, Inc.
ISBN-13: 978-1620068519
ISBN-10: 1620068516
BISAC: Self-Help / Personal Growth / Happiness

Available on Kindle

For more information, please see:
http://www.sunburypressstore.com/The-Journey-Called-Life-…

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Rommel’s Genuine Suspense Leads Him From the Page to Hollywood

Ernest & Edgar Literary Blog

Keith Rommel is an award winning author of 13 novels, and award winning screenwriter of upcoming films The Cursed Man, The Lurking Man and The Sinful Man. His writing had been called “horror for the curious mind,” and “thinking mans horror.” It has garnished awards such as best novel of the year to 5 star Readers Favorite awards.

Interview with Susan Kiskis

The film version of his novel, The Cursed Man, has already won two awards, semi-finalist in Cinefest and finalist at the Terror Film Festival for Best Screenplay. It releases this month. We had the opportunity to ask Rommel some questions about his writing inspiration, his upcoming film and what’s next on his to-do list.

The first book in your Thanatology Series, The Cursed Man, has been adapted into a movie and set to premier on Halloween. What drew you to write The Cursed Man and…

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“Redemption” is a love story about an unlovable woman and the man who refused to give up

MECHANICSBURG, Pa. — Sunbury Press has released Redemption, Courtney Frey’s follow-up to her memoir Restitution.

About the Book:
After surviving a childhood and adolescence rife with sexual and emotional abuse, enduring conflicting feelings about the adoption of her firstborn son, and becoming a young bride—and a young mother, again—Courtney Frey navigated the precarious territory of early adulthood on what she felt was the other side of the bridge she and Rebecca had built as girls. But with memories of her past always just below the surface and her mental illness threatening to bubble over and destroy her present, Courtney’s life whirled out of control, careening on the edge of blissful highs and dangerous lows. In her real-life tale of being a birth mother, an army wife, and a mom of three earning her college degree, Courtney also shares her struggles with mania, married life, family relationships, parenting, career choices, substance abuse, and discovering her own strength and true priorities from the depths of her darkest hours.Redemption is a love story about an unlovable woman and the man whose refusal to give up on her aides her in saving her own life.

Read Courtney’s story from the beginning in Restitution (Sunbury Press, 2015). In a story about searching for self-love, overcoming family dysfunction, surviving abuse, and fighting back, Courtney reveals to the reader the secrets of her emotional journey and tells the tale of her quest for purpose and healing, as well as the desire to be needed, wanted, loved, and validated. The story of Courtney’s early life includes heart-wrenching and haunting child abuse, a murder, an adoption, new friendships, a paralyzing accident, teenage pregnancies, and homelessness, as well as budding mental illness. Based on the truth of her own childhood and young adult life, Courtney demonstrates the resilience of the human spirit, that finding love starts with purpose, and that, even against the odds, nothing is ever in vain.

Excerpt:
None of what I am about to do makes sense. Looking into the mirror I can hear my mother’s words, two margaritas in, just ten hours before: “Do you know what you’re getting yourself into?” She had been talking to James. Not to me.

The attendant from the front desk pokes her head into the tiny dressing room, her white hair colliding into the pink paisley wallpaper.

“Would you like some help, dear?” She feels sorry for me, but I’m not sure why. I’m sure she does this all the time.

Turning her away with a half smile I look around the small room, wondering if James’ dressing room looks like this. I can’t help but laugh a little because a Marine in a pink flowered wallpaper room is almost as ridiculous as a first date wedding in Las Vegas.

I wonder out loud, “Am I really doing this? I mean, am I really?” I can almost feel my Nonnie’s loving arms around me, her soft words of warning, “Now, Courtney Ann, you better pray about this first.”

I want to pray, but the words won’t come. I hear myself thinking about James, on the first night we met, that he was the man I was going to marry someday. I listen as the empty space around me spills sweet hopes straight into my spirit, and I wonder if the greatest choices I have ever made were all born from a whim. Does my heart know better than I do? Or am I just a single teenage mom with no way out, looking to James to save me and Amanda?

He was so handsome on that first night almost two years ago. The time we spent talking together in the garage on those cold cement steps worked some sort of magic that allowed me to release my demons and in some way find the strength to hope again. If a nineteen-year-old virgin Marine who had his entire life pulled together in a perfect bow of faith-tied ribbons could even wrap his heart around the idea that I could be worth something . . . just the thought of the possibility was transforming.

We’d spoken on the phone in the following year, discovering more about one another and secretly engaging the idea that maybe love at first sight wasn’t as silly as people made it sound. He went on to do a tour overseas, and I gave birth to Amanda, afterward, slowly trying to pick up the pieces of my lost years.

I hear murmurs of people outside the dressing room, but I need more time. I need to go back and recall all the reasons that getting married at nineteen, on what is really our first date, doesn’t seem so ludicrous. I have to justify it somehow to myself. They can wait.

Redemption
Authored by Courtney Frey
List Price: $19.95
6″ x 9″ (15.24 x 22.86 cm)
Black & White on White paper
276 pages
Sunbury Press, Inc.
ISBN-13: 978-1620066584
ISBN-10: 1620066580
BISAC: Biography & Autobiography / Women

Available on Kindle

For more information, please see:
http://www.sunburypressstore.com/Redemption-9781620066584…

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Lykens Township history is Sunbury Press bestseller for September

MECHANICSBURG, Pa. — Sunbury Press has released the bestsellers list for September. The Gratz Historical Society’sHistory of Lykens Township Volume 1 took the top spot. Hatched by Robert Barsky was runner up.

SUNBURY PRESS – Bestsellers for September, 2016 (by Revenue)
Rank	Last Month	Title	Author	Category
1	NEW	History of Lykens Township Volume 1	Gratz Historical Society	History
2	5	Hatched	Robert Barksy	Literary Fiction
3	2	Wonder Boy: The Story of Carl Scheib	Lawrence Knorr	Sports Biography
4	3	Keystone Corruption Continues	Brad Bumsted	History
5	8	Cast Iron Signs of Pennsylvania Towns and Other Landmarks	N Clair Clawser	History
6	7	Amelia Earhart: The Truth at Last, 2nd Ed.	Mike Campbell	History
7	4	Living in the Afterlife	Michele Livingston	Spirituality
8	25	Call Sign Dracula	Joe Fair	Vietnam Memoir
9	—	Shadows in the Shining City	John Cressler	Historical Fiction
10	—	Freemasons at Gettysburg	Sheldon Munn	History
11	11	Where Elephants Fought	Bridget Smith	Historical Fiction
12	—	Emeralds of the Alhambra	John Cressler	Historical Fiction
13	14	Raising Monarchs	Sue Fox McGovern	Nature
14	NEW	The Silver Coin	Marie Sontag	YA Fiction
15	—	Jesus Runs Away	Joe Farrell	Memoir
16	27	Pit Bulls	Anthony Julian	History
17	17	Dying for Vengeance	J M West	Thriller Fiction
18	—	Keystone Tombstones Sports	Joe Farrell and Joe Farley	History
19	—	Keystone Tombstones Volume 2	Joe Farrell and Joe Farley	History
20	—	Keystone Tombstones Volume 3	Joe Farrell and Joe Farley	History
21	—	The Cursed Man	Keith Rommel	Thriller Fiction
22	26	Courting Doubt and Darkness	J M West	Thriller Fiction
23	40	Darkness and First Light	J M West	Thriller Fiction
24	—	Petrified	Tanya Reimer	YA Fiction
25	38	Forts, Forests, and Flintlocks	John L Moore	History
26	—	Behind Barbed Wire and High Fences	Phyllis Hochstetler	History
27	46	Bows, Bullets, and Bears	John L Moore	History
28	—	The Wolf of Britannia Part I	Jess Steven Hughes	Historical Fiction
29	—	Winter of the Metal People	Dennis Herrick	Historical Fiction
30	19	Maybe Tomorrow	Mela Suśe Vigil Duran Carvalko	Memoir
31	NEW	My Brother’s Mountain	John Timmerman	YA Fiction
32	16	Fatal Snow	Robert Walton	Thriller Fiction
33	—	Letters from a Shoebox	James Dohren	History
34	42	Warriors, Wampum, and Wolves	John L Moore	History
35	1	A Year of Change & Consequences	Mark Singel	Political Memoir
36	39	Settlers, Soldiers, and Scouts	John L Moore	History
37	47	Traders, Travelers, and Tomahawks	John L Moore	History
38	34	Hidden Dangers	Bob Stout	Geopolitics
39	48	Rivers, Raiders, and Renegades	John L Moore	History
40	—	The Complete Story of the Worldwide Invasion of the Orange Orbs	Terry Ray	Paranormal
41	31	That Night at Surigao	Ernie Marshall	History
42	—	A Brother’s Cold Case	Dennis Herrick	Thriller Fiction
43	15	The Mask of Minos	Robert Walton	Thriller Fiction
44	—	General John Fulton Reynolds	Lawrence Knorr	History
45	44	Pioneers, Prisoners, and Peace Pipes	John L Moore	History
46	—	OneWay: The Oracle	Robin McClellon and Ruth Watson	Visionary Fiction
47	43	Hour 30	Brandon Musgrave	Memoir
48	49	Messages from Beyond	Michele Livingston	Spirituality
49	—	The Wolf of Britannia Part II	Jess Steven Hughes	Historical Fiction
50	—	The Sign of the Eagle	Jess Steven Hughes	Historical Fiction

The Gratz Historical Society’s “History of Lykens Township Volume 1” was #1 due to advance orders at the society. Robert Barksy’s “Hatched” soared to #2 thanks to author events and an advertisement in the New Yorker. Lawrence Knorr’s “Wonder Boy: The Story of Carl Scheib – The Youngest Player in American League History” continued to sell briskly due to seasonal interest, taking #3. Brad Bumsted’s expose “Keystone Corruption Continues” ranked #4 due to interest in the Kathleen Kane trial, and Brad’s numerous media appearances. “Cast Iron Signs of Pennsylvania Towns” by N Clair Clawser took the 5th spot thanks to orders processed by the author.

The company released four new titles in September:

SUNBURY PRESS – New Releases for September, 2016
History of Lykens Township Volume 1	Gratz Historical Society	History
The Silver Coin	Marie Sontag	YA Fiction
Redemption	Courtney Frey	Memoir
The Lurking Man (movie cover)	Keith Rommel	Thriller Fiction

For more info: http://www.sunburypressstore.com/BESTSELLERS_c3.htm

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