Ahoy dear book readers and enthusiasts in the San Diego area! No – you don’t have to travel to an island for this amazing upcoming Treasure Island Book Festival! Now featuring over 70 authors! Plus, it’s FREE! For the entire Family too! Well, shiver me timbers!
Poster for the Treasure Island Book Festival
On Saturday, October 12, from 10 am – 5 pm (Pacific Time) at the San Marcos Community Center, (3 Civic Center Drive, San Marcos, CA), join in the fun at the “Treasure Island Book Festival”. Led by local CEO and young adult Author, Tanya Ross of “Once Upon a Book Fair” (“Where stories for all ages come to life”) and a variety of authors and other team members. Get ready for a fun-filled day!
Once Upon a Book Fair 2024 is a literary celebration that immerses authors and readers in the adventures found at the turn of every page. Meet new authors, discover new books, get autographs.
UPDATED 10/10/2024:
Here is a podcast interview on the Spotlight on the Community Podcast with Guests “Once Upon a Book Fair” CEO Tanya Ross and Author Jolie Tunnell interviewed by Host Drew Schlosberg and Co-host Kristen Fogle:
Once Upon a Book Fair…
…encourages literacy …showcases multiple genres, something for everyone …inspires youth …shines a spotlight on local writers …provides a rare meet and greet with published authors …draws people together and celebrates diversity …validates San Diego’s public library programs …creates a unique cultural community event …supports small business …has education, inspiration, and imagination all in one fabulous place!
More about the Treasure Island Book Fair:
The festival itself is free. There will be food vendor(s) at the event, including a taco truck (outside), a non-alcoholic “Bar” with Mocktails and soft drinks (inside), and a coffee/pancake/ice cream vendor (inside).
A festival might not be complete without a Cosplay contest too!- It’s a community dress-up party! Whether one dresses in character garb or even as a pirate – let your Cosplay character chime in!
Are you saying “ARRRR” to yourself yet? The theme of this year’s event is Treasure Island, where pirates and scavenger hunts abound!
There will be prizes given away such as books, merchandise, art and more! Plus author panels!
Q & A with Tanya Ross, Young Adult Author and Susan J. Farese, SJF Communications
Left to right: Tanya Ross, Author and Susan J. Farese, SJF Communications
SJF: How did Once Upon a Book Fair get started?
TR: An author friend of mine and I put our heads together one day a couple of years ago because there were no book fairs up in the North County of San Diego. We wanted to give local authors a chance to come together in a place outside of San Diego proper where the fees for a table would be affordable. We launched our brainchild the first year (2022) in Grape Day Park with 25 authors and the assistance of the Escondido Public Library. Once we saw we could do it, we went forward.
SJF: Is Once Upon a Book Fair a non-profit?
TR: On its own–not yet. It’s possible it will be eventually. This year for the first time it is a certified business with the city of Escondido. Right now it’s not fiscally possible to launch it as a non-profit. That being said, it is not a money-making venture for me. We will most likely break even with the expenses. It’s more of a passion project than a capital raising venture. I don’t want to make money on the backs of other authors.
SJF: Do you do this alone?
TR: No. Even though I am the CEO, I have a wonderful committee of ten other authors who help me with ideas and implementation. We meet monthly to discuss how we’re doing with the progress of each unique assignment. I wouldn’t be able to do this without them.
SJF: Why should people attend?
TR: You should attend if you love books! We’ll have over 70 authors to discover, chat with, and celebrate. We’ll have activities for kids, a scavenger hunt, prizes, and author panels. Everyone who attends can come in costume (cosplay), and we’ll have a couple of contests for the best outfits. There will be food and beverages! Our theme is Treasure Island, so pirates will be about.
SJF: How do I find it?
TR: The fair will be at the San Marcos Community Center, right where the library and city hall are: 3 Civic Center Drive in San Marcos. It’s an all day event, from 10 until 5.
SJF: Is there a cost?
TR: The fair is FREE.
SJF: Will you be there with your own books?
TR: Yes! I can’t wait to share my award-winning dystopian Tranquility Series with those who attend. My characters are waiting in the wings for you!
SJF: How can people get involved?
TR: We are under the non-profit umbrella of a group called Fractured Atlas, so you may donate to us through that organization. The best part is that donating to them benefits us and allows you to write off your donation while advertising your products. Write to me at tanyarossauthor@gmail.com for more information.
SPEAKERS include:
Bryan Cantrell, an award-winning writer of novels, screenplays, and comics as well as being and executive producer of feature films is our 12:00 speaker. Bryan also is an entrepreneur owning brands in fashion, beauty and the outdoor industry. He was on ABC’s Shark Tank in 2018 with his business partner pitching their Radiate Portable Campfire securing a deal with Shark, Robert Herjavec. He now resides in California with his family pursuing a love of writing, surfing and skateboarding. He’ll be sharing amazing pirate lore and all the good stuff about his latest novel, Pirates of the Wild West, A Time Travel Sea Adventure with a Western Twist, all about the infamous pirates of the Caribbean who meet secretly on Blackbeard’s prized ship. A time vortex whisks them away to the year 1873.
and…
Bestselling author Cathy Scott, a Los Angeles Times and New York Times bestselling author, veteran crime writer, investigative journalist, will be in person for our 1 p.m. slot. She will discuss her career as a reporter for local San Diego newspapers to writing true crime books such as: The Murder of Biggie Smalls,The Killing of Tupac Shakur, Murder of a Mafia Daughter,Freeway Rick Ross, and The Millionaire’s Wife.
Update! As of September 27, 2024, the proposed Author line-up includes:
Here is a bit of information about both books (along with a holiday discount on eBooks for both) followed by our Q & A.
Crimes and Impunity in New Orleans is author Sherrie Miranda’s prequel to her page-turner, debut thriller, Secrets and Lies in El Salvador.
Shelly Dalton Smith is a naïve, twenty-three-year-old from Upstate New York who moves to New Orleans in 1980 to prepare for a photo project in war-torn El Salvador.
Shelly arrives in New Orleans, broken and traumatized and therefore unable to trust her own instincts. New Orleans represents the fresh start Shelly needs, but she soon finds that almost everyone in New Orleans harbors a secret. She’s unprepared for life in “The Big Easy,” and her world is turned upside down as she navigates “the city that care forgot.”
With fast-paced chapters and beautifully detailed conversations and descriptions, we see New Orleans through Shelly’s innocent eyes as she realizes the sheltered life she had lived was a lie. She experiences sexism and witnesses racism, police brutality, FBI visits, death threats, and two people’s captivity by her former boss.
Through her misadventures and exciting plot twists, Shelly focuses on fighting injustice, ultimately finding her authentic voice as an empowered adult. When she finally leaves New Orleans, she is forever changed. The novel is a wild ride through the underbelly of 1980s New Orleans and is filled with quirky characters, sinister abusers, and thrilling secrets and revelations.
Secrets and Lies in El Salvador(2015 sequel to Sherrie Miranda’s Crimes and Impunity in New Orleans) is the story of an American woman in war-torn El Salvador. It exposes death and destruction at every turn, but also validates the power of love, and embodies the gift of hope.
In a conscious effort to heal from recent trauma and her mother’s lies about her closest relations, Shelly Dalton Smith travels to war-torn El Salvador. Unwittingly used by someone she trusts to implement a mission too dangerous for anyone to complete, she captures shots of her host family, and listens to their secrets and lies, which reveal her mother’s deception is not so different from that of others, including her own.
Witnessing the death of an American journalist and listening to harrowing accounts of refugees who watched the massacre of their families, tears Shelly apart. So she turns to an American fighting with the guerrillas. He teaches her a passion for living she has never known. When he dies in combat, Shelly can no longer bear the pain, and wonders whether it is possible to accomplish her mission.
Sherrie Miranda and Susan J. Farese, SJF Communications
SJF: Why/How did you decide to write Crimes and Impunity in New Orleans?
SM: I always knew I wanted to write this story, but I also knew it would be difficult because I lived in NOLA for 7 years. I could not put everything I wanted in it, but I knew it was an important and timely story. So, I got the support I needed to help me figure out what the story would look like.
SJF: Did you make any personal discoveries (or aha! moments) while researching the book? If so, please explain.
SM: I didn’t really research except for a training on police forensics that I never actually used.
SJF: How did you decide on the title #CIINO and decide to self-publish??
SM: I decided the title early on to help me focus on that part of the story.
Self-publishing was the only option for me. I sent out about 35 queries for my debut novel and I got one response. I realized that even if I got an agent, that did not guarantee a publisher & I was noticing that people were waiting years to get published if ever.
SJF: Tell us about your background that led to you writing the book.
Sherrie Miranda. Photo credit: Tony Alcaraz
SM: Most of what happens in the story actually happened to me or to my friends. The book is about a time in this country and New Orleans, in particular, when we were trying to stop the slaughter of innocent people in El Salvador. But, our government had us labeled as the bad guys. They wanted to shut us up & shut us down. It is not unlike what’s been happening these last four years.
SJF: Did you take any writing classes or utilize other resources for writers?
SM:Marni Freedman was an amazing help to me. When I finally figured out she was local, I did a coaching session with her. I had been stuck for a long time, but she helped me figure out the shape of my story and what it needed to work. I took her memoir certification class and things finally started falling into place. I also got editing help from Tracy J Jones, Marni’s best friend and her editor and co-chair of her memoir course. Marni and Tracy are supportive in ways few instructors are. They are very careful not to break your spirit. They come from a place of pure love. If it weren’t for these two women, I believe I’d still be stuck!
SJF: Can you give us information on your background in teaching – Subjects? Creative writing/ESL etc.?
SM: Although I taught Art, Health, English Literature and even History, I loved teaching ESL. It was a privilege to have students from all over the world and to be their introduction to this country. I learned so much from these young people and they inspired me to tell my story.
SJF: Tell us about your upbringing, geographically, personally etc.
SM: I was born in Pennsylvania, in hunting & fishing territory. Fortunately my parents moved us to Upstate NY so I could start school there. The area I was from in PA was economically depressed & I am grateful we got out of there because it taught me to dare to go out in the world & try new things.
SJF: If you had to write the book(s) over again, would you change anything?
SM: No, I wouldn’t change much. It took me 5 years to write this 2nd novel & I got a lot of support & suggestions from fellow authors. The book is exactly what I want it to be.
SJF: If you had to interview your character Shelly in CIINO, what would you ask her?
SM: I would ask her: how did you change from before you went to New Orleans to when you left?
SJF: Please explain, in first person now, Sherrie…this is interesting!
SM: I didn’t realize how big an issue sexism is in this country & in the world. I didn’t know that 1 in 4 women get raped or molested in their lifetime. Also 1 in 5 males are raped or molested. New Orleans forced me to look at the hard reality – #MeToo
I didn’t know the depth of racism in this country. Nor did I realize how it permeates every part of the lives of people of color. Knowing the experiences of POC changed me forever. #BlackLivesMatter
SJF: A brief history of your education, positions/teaching appointments published articles, etc.
SM: I studied Art, then Photography at the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), but I was on academic probation, mainly because I kept asking professors to let me do a photo project, but being on a trimester schedule did not allow me the time to go back & finish another class when I had a full load each semester.
In New Orleans, I finally got back in school, but it took another four years to finish because my transfer courses did not count the full 3 units. Also, again, I studied Art, then pre-nursing, then finally switched to Drama & Communications.
I was a much better student at University of New Orleans (UNO) so I was able to pull my GPA up to a 3.4. I was friends with professors at UNO, whereas at RIT, the professors were not friendly toward me.
I also received my teaching credential through SDSU and my MFA in Creative Writing from National University (with a 4.0 GPA)!
SJF: What are your personal pastimes/hobbies/interests/passions?
SM: I love to garden. It’s kind of addicting. Sometimes I lose several hours when I get out there & play in the dirt. Also, we have a historical home, so we love to shop for art & furniture from the 1930s when our home was built.
I love movies and good TV shows, and reading, of course. I love a good story that is well developed.
I also love to travel. Angelo and I mostly travel in the U.S., but I’ve been to several European countries and a few Latin Countries. I hope to figure out how to incorporate those trips into my writing eventually.
SJF: Anything you would like to mention about Crimes and Impunity in New Orleans (#CIINO) and Secrets and Lies in El Salvador (#SLIES)?
SM: There are stories that come from my heart. The people of New Orleans are very unique and memorable. Salvadorans are the most generous people as a group that I’ve ever met despite decades of the government & landowners fighting its own people. Also, my husband wrote the music for the trailers. Angelo is a musician in two local bands:: Local Upfront, 70-80 cover songs, and the South Bay Band, a jam band.
SJF: Where can we find you on the web? Website, social media etc.
SJF: How have you been coping with life since Covid-19? Any stress management tools?
Sherrie Miranda and Angelo Miranda. Photo credit: SJF Communications
SM: Mostly, it’s been good for me. I had an excuse to stay home & finish CIINO. Angelo had a few outside music gigs so that helped ease the loneliness. Plus, I have a couple of friends who have been mostly isolated so we were able to do a few get togethers with them.
But, I have to admit it’s starting to get to me now. Plus, I’ve been staying up too late & sleeping late. If I ever get back to subbing, I’m going to be in trouble trying to get up at 6 a.m.
SJF: How has the Covid-19 affected you personally/professionally?
SM: I’ve come to realize that I’m an introvert so it’s been easier on me than most people. Also, since I haven’t been around a lot of people (esp. teens), I’ve managed to stay healthy for more than a year.
Professionally, though, I would have gone to the La Jolla Writer’s Conference & probably done some events at several bookstores so that’s been difficult. But people have more time to read so I’ve seen a lot more interest in this book because of having an online presence.
SJF: Role models or persons that inspire you in your life?
SM: First, my dad, was always an inspiration because he believed in me. The rest of my family doesn’t feel the same about him. I guess I was a Daddy’s girl like my mom always said.
There have been women who have inspired me most of my life. Some I knew, like my Spanish professor who is now writing books too. And some I didn’t know, like Susan Meiselas whose photography in Central America inspired me to be an anti-war activist, and Carolina Forché, who showed me the power of writer as witness to atrocities and injustice.
SJF: What are you working on next? Another sequel?
SM: Yes, When Shelly comes back from El Salvador with her husband (and pregnant)! She’s going to have a blond haired, blue-eyed baby that is obviously not Juan Jr.’s! I’m not really working on it right now. Just in my head. I need to work with Marni before I start writing. She believes in having a firm plan before starting to write. Otherwise you risk getting stuck in the middle & maybe never finishing. Since this happened to me both times, I’m going to follow her advice.
SJF: Favorite quotes?
SM: “I don’t like to write; I love having written.” Dorothy Parker
“You simply sit down to a typewriter, open your veins and bleed.” Ernest Hemingway
“The lesson will be repeated until it is learned.” Buddha
SJF: Who (celebrity) would you like to have lunch or dinner with to discuss your book?
SM: Martin Sheen. I sent him a copy of SLIES and he sent me a thank you card. I wish I had heard from him after he read it. I’m going to send CIINO to him too.
SJF: Life hurdles? Successes?
SM: I was always going two steps forward, one step back. I was a country girl trying to be a city girl. I was never prepared for what I was trying to do. In the end though, that has made me a better writer so it all happened for a reason.
SJF: Three significant/pivotal moments in your life?
Divorcing my first husband and starting college.
Traveling around Europe (several times)
Moving to LA – that was hard too, but I learned a lot there. It’s where I became spiritual, after 9/11.
SJF: Fears?
SM: Oh, I’m filled with fears. But I just decide to go ahead & try it anyway.
SJF: Recurring dreams/ Usual dreams?
SM: When I was a kid, I dreamed my family and I traveled to other planets. I often dream I’ve got an out of control classroom of students.
SJF: Strongest asset? What would you like to work on/improve?
SM: I think my openess has allowed me to have experiences that most Americans don’t ever get to have. I need to work on being fearless and I really need to stop procrastinating. I also need to stop spending so much time on the internet. It’s the worst addiction there is.
SJF: Where/How do you ‘give back’ to your community/communities?
SM: Teaching has been very rewarding in that respect. Before I became a teacher, I was an antiwar activist and I continue to try to raise awareness on political issues that are important to me.
I also worked with the homeless when I first moved to San Diego.
SJF: Any regrets in life?
SM: I don’t really believe in regrets. I never had a child, but I have had many loving people in my life. I believe “Everything happens for a reason.” If I had had a child, I wouldn’t have been able to travel and wouldn’t have ended up in a place where I could marry my husband.
I put myself through a lot of unnecessary difficulties with men mostly, but I finally know who I am and what I want so it all worked out in the end.
SJF: What qualities should the younger generations aspire to that you think are important in this day and age?
SM: Young people are more aware of the dire issues that face us. I trust that they will make the world a better place, a more fair & equal place.
SJF: Funny/humorous (appropriate) stories?
SM: Oh, when I went to RIT in my mid-twenties, I had a really hard time with this one professor’s class. When I asked him for help, he said I didn’t belong in his class. But when I tried to drop the class, he insisted I see the school psychologist first. The psychologist thought it was the professor who had a problem, not me. But, I just told the professor that yes, I had seen the psychologist. He finally signed off on me dropping his class.
SJF: How do you handle loss?
SM: Better than I thought I would. My mom’s death was heartbreaking. I felt I could have been a better daughter (though she insisted I was a perfect child!). I cried for weeks when she died. But I got messages from her.
My dad was the guy I worried about dying since I was 13 years old. I think I must have sensed that something was wrong. So many times I cried about him dying someday, but when the day finally came, I just felt relief that he was out of the miserable situation he ended up in.
SJF: Where have you traveled and where would you like to travel once Covid-19 is OVER???
SM: I’ve traveled a lot. First Europe, then El Salvador, Cuba, Brazil. Then West coast, including Canada & Mexico. Then East coast, including Montreal.
But I want to visit Pittsburgh and Philly and the New England states. I also want to see more of Europe, especially Ireland, Wales & Scotland.
I would travel more, but Angelo (my husband) doesn’t like to be away from his pianos.
SJF: Thank you very much Sherrie, and best wishes with your writing and looking forward to reading more of your upcoming books!
Susan J. Farese, SJF Communications recently interviewed our client, JoAnn Petrie Carr, Author of the fiction novel, “Keeper of the Flame”. JoAnn is a former Astronaut wife and retired Attorney in the Houston area. Her answers were astute, honest and thought provoking.
Q & A with JoAnn Petrie Carr, Author, “Keeper of the Flame”
Courtesy Photo – JoAnn Petrie Carr
The Carr Family Courtesy Photo Top Row – left to right: Jennifer, Jerry, JoAnn and Jamee; Bottom Row – left to right: Jeff, Jessica, Joshua, John
SJF: In a nutshell…tell us about your life as a former Astronauts’ wife – a few tidbits…
JPC: My life as a former astronaut wife was in many respects business as usual with a houseful of six children. The monotony of mopping the floor was broken up with invitations to some of the River Oaks swankiendas (“swanky haciendas”) as well as invitations to the Indy 500, a week at Las Brisas in Acapulco, a week at a fabulous dude ranch in the Rocky Mountains, a trip to Cape Kennedy (now Cape Canaveral) and back in our host’s private 747 – among other less elaborate places.
This
Cinderella always knew that the kitchen floor was waiting along with the other
menial tasks that go with being the mother of six. We went to a lot of fabulous parties
locally. Lucky for me I was an expert
seamstress, so all the fancy outfits I needed were made on my handy dandy
sewing machine. A simple Vogue pattern
with a smashing fabric of some sort and I had a new outfit for every party! It was like being Cinderella, but one who was
only too well aware that the coach was going to turn into a pumpkin sooner or
later. Only the gown stayed the same.
SJF: What
experiences and/or people (parents, role models etc) in your life influenced
you the most and why?
JPC: My
maiden aunt gave me piano lessons and saw that I was involved with the local
church. I was also influenced by the fact that my mother’s cousin was a
designer for Twentieth Century Fox and I always went to the movies where her
wares were displayed. I think I tried to
emulate her. I never got to meet her
though. But she continued to be an
influence on my life. My skills also
came in handy when Halloween came around and my kids always had elaborate
Halloween costumes.
SJF: Describe your work as an Attorney – any fascinating cases? Do you miss it?
Courtesy Photo – JoAnn Petrie Carr
JPC: The
first case I ever worked on was one of the biggest cases Texas had seen for a
while. It involved a Supreme Court
Justice who had gotten elected because he had the same name as a well-known
political family in the State. I didn’t
have my license yet but worked as the lead attorney’s “gofer”. He had been the Attorney General when Kennedy
was killed. After that I had a general
practice and did a lot of family law and managed to have some interesting
divorces along the way. And no, I don’t
miss it.
SJF: Describe
your book “Keeper of the Flame” -why? Any backlash?
JPC: I
decided to write a memoir about my life as an astronaut wife for my kids but it
turned out to be so boring that I decided that I could tell more truth with
fiction. As I was watching my youngest
son play a role in Hello Dolly it just came to me that I would write a
novel and call it Keeper of the Flame.
I think they were singing “Before the Parade Passes By” and I was facing
retirement age. I am unaware of any
backlash. A few of the wives have asked me if certain incidents in the book
really happened. My reply is always
“It’s fiction”. I sent every wife a copy
of the book when it first came out and I got several very nice notes and a few
positive phone calls. Now that I think
of it there were a lot, I didn’t hear from at all. I got a very nice call from Al Bean. He was
quite complimentary. He was the only man
who had the guts to call. And I’m sure
that at least several of the men read it too.
SJF: What do you dream about?
JPC: I dream about this book becoming a movie.
SJF: What
are your top 3 values in life?
JPC: First and foremost is family. They all have each other’s back and are ready to circle the wagons at the first hint of trouble. Another is helping other less fortunate people. Christianity – but not necessarily in that order. But family is always first.
The Carr Family Courtesy Photo Top Row – left to right: Jennifer, JoAnn and Jamee; Bottom Row – left to right: Jeff, Jessica, Joshua, John
SJF: Did you enjoy the celebrity status? Describe…
JPC: I did enjoy the celebrity status. It was sporadic so we didn’t have the kind of attention that the first few groups had. It was just as well. I had too much else to do.
Courtesy Photo – JoAnn Petrie Carr
SJF: What
are you most proud of?
JPC: I’m
most proud that all my kids are good people.
We escaped the teen years with no drugs and no scrapes with the
law. They were active in their church
fellowship groups and I helped lead them.
It was a blast hanging around with those teenagers. They had a musical group and we played and
sang for other churches.
SJF: Describe your feelings about balancing motherhood and work
Courtesy Photo – JoAnn Petrie Carr
JPC: Balancing
motherhood and work is a team effort. My
kids had chores on a rotating basis.
They did their own laundry. They
helped me cook meals.
SJF: Female
issues with males (harassment) in law practice, etc.?
JPC: I
didn’t encounter much in the way of harassment.
The Texas male attorneys separated females into two categories — – lady
lawyers and women lawyers. I never did
figure out what was what but I guess I was whichever one was better because
they all seemed to like me and didn’t harass me at all.
SJF: Any
insight on the process of aging? Has it been a challenge?
JPC: Aging
is a bitch. I can’t play tennis. I can’t hike.
I can’t garden. My eyesight is declining. I can’t sew or do jigsaw puzzles. And if I don’t hurry up and get this book out
there, I am going to lose my short term memory and giving speeches will be a
challenge.
SJF: Any fears?
Doubts? ever?
JPC: The
only fears I had were that my ex-husband Jerry wasn’t going to get a
flight. He was assigned to Apollo 19 but
the last three flights (18, 19, 20) were cancelled. He was named Commander of the third and last
Skylab flight – an 84-day mission in the Skylab workshop. But we sweated it out for several weeks
before we knew about the Skylab flight.
It was a heart-breaking time for both of us. I was just as anxious for
him to get a flight as he was. So I
don’t think I ever had any doubt that he was made for the exploration of
space. It was something that was meant
to happen. And it almost didn’t.
JoAnn Petrie Carr was born and raised in Orange County, California. She graduated from The California State University at Long Beach with a degree in elementary education. She married her high school sweetheart who was later to be named as an Apollo astronaut in the ‘60s. During her life as the wife of a marine fighter pilot, she organized and taught a private kindergarten in North Carolina. She moved to Houston where she raised her six children against the backdrop of Gemini, Apollo and Skylab. She later completed her Doctor of Jurisprudence at the Bates College of Law at the University of Houston with all six children still at home. She divorced and practiced law for 30 years. During this time, she was a sole practitioner, general counsel for the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. and counsel for Star Station One, a 501c-3 dedicated to space education for children. She designed a distance-learning program for primary grades.
To book JoAnn Petrie Carr for media interviews
or speaking engagements please contact her publicist:
Former Astronaut Wife Re-Releases Novel about Moon Landing
In association with the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11, JoAnn Petrie Carr reflects her personal experience as an astronaut’s wife in her debut novel, ‘Keeper of the Flame’
(San Diego, CA August 16, 2019) – What is it like being married to an astronaut? Author, JoAnn Petrie Carr, offers an inside view of an astronaut family as she draws from her personal experience. A fiction based on fact, “Keeper of the Flame” tells the story of an Apollo astronaut wife as she struggles to establish an identity of her own. She puts her own ambitions aside in favor of supporting her husband’s quest for the moon.
In the book, readers will follow the life of Jennifer
Davis. She is a devoted mother of four and wife of an Apollo astronaut, who had
dreamed of being a lawyer. Instead, she married and started a family. Her
husband, Evan, is a good but neglectful man who is driven by his need to excel
at whatever he does. His time and attention are focused exclusively on the moon
to the detriment of his family and his relationship with Jennifer.
Jennifer pushes the traditional envelope of her life as far
as she is able without jeopardizing Evan’s chances or neglecting her children.
An emergency on the lunar surface, endangering the crew, causes her to
reexamine her core values. She meets the tough choices that face her head on.
“Keeper of the Flame” is a metaphor for the universal story
of every traditional married woman who found herself exposed to the
possibilities offered by the changing world of the ‘60s. It will also appeal to
those younger women who struggle to combine career and family.
“Keeper of the Flame”
By JoAnn Petrie Carr
Hardcover | 6×9 in | 294 pages | ISBN 9781796031720
Softcover | 6×9 in | 294 pages | ISBN 9781796031713
E-Book | 294 pages | ISBN 9781796031706
About
the Author
JoAnn Petrie Carr was
born and raised in Orange County, California. She graduated from The California
State University at Long Beach with a degree in elementary education. She
married her high school sweetheart who was later to be named as an Apollo
astronaut in the ‘60s. During her life as the wife of a marine fighter pilot,
she organized and taught a private kindergarten in North Carolina. She moved to
Houston where she raised her six children against the backdrop of Gemini,
Apollo and Skylab. She later completed her Doctor of Jurisprudence at the Bates
College of Law at the University of Houston with all six children still at
home. She divorced and practiced law for 30 years. During this time, she was a
sole practitioner, general counsel for the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. and
counsel for Star Station One, a 501c-3 dedicated to space education for
children. She designed a distance-learning program for primary grades.
To book JoAnn Petrie Carr for media interviews
or speaking engagements please contact her
publicist:
