Award-winning nonprofit media in the public interest, serving San Diego's inland region

Award-winning nonprofit media in the public interest, serving San Diego's inland region

Lucas and Emily’s Food Bank Adventure by Dave Grunenwald

Printer-friendly versionReviewed by Pennell Paugh September 28, 2025 (San Diego) – Lucas and Emily’s Food Bank Adventure is a children’s book for 5- to 10-year-olds. It is designed to inspire children and their families to volunteer in community programs that help those in need. In the book, two friends and a grandparent visit a group that make and deliver sandwiches. Next,

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Author Tanya Harris hosts book signing Sept. 21 at Grossmont Center to benefit domestic violence survivors

Printer-friendly versionEast County News Service September 5, 2025 (La Mesa) — Local author, domestic violence survivor and advocate Tanya Harris will host a  powerful community book signing and awareness event on Sunday, September 21, 2025, from 11:00 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the gazebo at Grossmont Center mall (5500 Grossmont Center Dr., La Mesa). The community-focused event is designed to

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Blood in the Water: an A.J. Hawke legal thriller

Printer-friendly versionNovel by Donald McInnis  Reviewed by Pennell Paugh   September 4, 2025 (San Diego) —Blood in the Water, though fictional, exposes a flaw in the United States’ tripartite federal government structure as established in the Constitution.   The third branch of government, the Judiciary, cannot enforce its rulings, even when those rulings are necessary for protecting an individual citizen’s rights or the constitutional powers of

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Against All Enemies: novel depicts war sparked by tariffs

Printer-friendly versionBook by Thomas Wing Review by Pennell Paugh August 10, 2025 (San Diego) — San Diego author Thomas Wing, releases Against All Enemies. This gripping thriller ominously shows us a violent but possible reaction to America’s tariff war — China launches a full-scale surprise attack on the U.S. Capitol, Pentagon, military bases, and communication satellites. With weakened communications and

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Integrating Nutrition into Mental Health Care

Printer-friendly versionBook by Ruth Leyse Wallace, PhD Reviewed by Pennell Paugh August 8, 2025 (San Diego) – Long-time resident of San Diego, Dr. Ruth Leyse Wallace, recently released her fourth book, Integrating Nutrition into Mental Health Care. While the book is written for clinical settings, it is written in plain English and offers sensible nutritional facts. I found it helpful

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Melinda West and the Gremlin Queen (Monster Gunslingers Book 2)

Printer-friendly versionBook by KC Grifant Reviewed by Pennell Paugh August 1, 2025 (San Diego) – KC Grifant, a resident of San Diego, has released a second in her Monster Gunslingers series. Sharpshooters Melinda and Vance come out of retirement to fight an unbeatable foe. Melinda uses her steady hand, cool head, and a no-nonsense attitude. Her partner, Lance, brings charm

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Something Wicked — Spirit Club Mysteries Book One

Printer-friendly version Book by M. Lee Buompensiero Reviewed by Pennell Paugh July 25, 2025 (San Diego) — San Diego author M. Lee Buompensiero has released her first novel in the Spirit Club Mystery series. Something Wicked features a reluctant heroine, Sophie Lawton, who not only sees and talks to ghosts, she also solves crimes with their help. An aunt Sophie

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Memory Weavers: award-winning novel of two women bonded by traumas

Printer-friendly version By Muffy Walker Reviewed by Pennell Paugh July 23, 2025 (San Diego) — San Diego resident, Muffy Walker celebrates the release of her debut novel, Dream Weavers. The book has received the Firebird Book Award, the Literary Titan Silver Book Award, the Hawthorne Prize, and was selected as finalist for the 2025 International Impact Book Awards in the

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BRAXTON’S CENTURY, VOL. 3: ROYAL HISTORICAL FANTASY

Printer-friendly version   Braxton’s Century, Vol. 3 by J R Strayer Jr Review by Pennell Paugh   June 22,2025 (San DIego) — San Diego resident J.R. Strayve, Jr.  has produced his third book in the Braxton Century series — a historical fantasy set in the late Victorian, Edwardian, and early 20th century. Braxton, as Europe hurtles toward war and revolutions

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Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting — not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine’s local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.

ALPINE RESIDENT PUBLISHES DEBUT COLLECTION OF SHORT FICTION: JOE CABANISS’ STORIES EXAMINE TRIALS, TRIUMPHS OF COMING OF AGE

Printer-friendly versionSource: Joe Cabaniss press release June 8,2024 (Alpine)– In his debut story collection, Life Songs And Other Passages – San Diego Stories, native San Diegan Joe Cabaniss probes the spaces between youth and adulthood and explores a road paved with uncertainty, heartache and moral dilemmas. His characters strive to understand their lives and loves amid opposing forces that foster

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THE LIBRARY’S SUMMER LEARNING CHALLENGE IS BACK

Printer-friendly versionBy Gig Conaughton, County of San Diego Communications Office   June 4, 2024 (San Diego) — Do you like to read? Do you like to learn? How about, do you like to earn prizes?   Well, this summer you can do all three. The County Library Summer Learning Challenge is back! This summer’s “Read, Learn, Create” reading challenge started

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THE LIBRARY’S SUMMER LEARNING CHALLENGE IS BACK

Printer-friendly versionBy Gig Conaughton, County of San Diego Communications Office   June 4, 2024 (San Diego) — Do you like to read? Do you like to learn? How about, do you like to earn prizes?   Well, this summer you can do all three. The County Library Summer Learning Challenge is back! This summer’s “Read, Learn, Create” reading challenge started

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THE CASE OF THE ZOMBIE NINJAS: DOTTY MORGAN SUPERNATURAL SLEUTH BOOK TWO

Printer-friendly version By Erik Christopher Martin Reviewed by Pennell Paugh May 19, 2024 (San Diego) –In San Diego author Erik Christopher Martin’s latest book, The Case of the Zombie Ninjas, the Sato Corporation moves to Elderton, Dotty Morgan’s home town. It also funds Waverly Perchance Memorial Garden, a project organized by 12-year-old Dotty. Sato Corporation’s CEO, Mr. Sato, takes an

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THE CASE OF THE ZOMBIE NINJAS: DOTTY MORGAN SUPERNATURAL SLEUTH BOOK TWO

Printer-friendly version By Erik Christopher Martin Reviewed by Pennell Paugh May 19, 2024 (San Diego) –In San Diego author Erik Christopher Martin’s latest book, The Case of the Zombie Ninjas, the Sato Corporation moves to Elderton, Dotty Morgan’s home town. It also funds Waverly Perchance Memorial Garden, a project organized by 12-year-old Dotty. Sato Corporation’s CEO, Mr. Sato, takes an

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THE CASE OF THE ZOMBIE NINJAS: DOTTY MORGAN SUPERNATURAL SLEUTH BOOK TWO

Printer-friendly version By Erik Christopher Martin Reviewed by Pennell Paugh May 19, 2024 (San Diego) –In San Diego author Erik Christopher Martin’s latest book, The Case of the Zombie Ninjas, the Sato Corporation moves to Elderton, Dotty Morgan’s home town. It also funds Waverly Perchance Memorial Garden, a project organized by 12-year-old Dotty. Sato Corporation’s CEO, Mr. Sato, takes an

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HEAR OUR INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR KEN SCHAFER

Printer-friendly version East County News Service   Hear full interview aired on KNSJ Radio May 10, 2024 (San Diego) – East County Magazine Bookshelf host Reina Menasche recently interviewed author Ken Schafer regarding his first young adult novel,. An Otherwise Perfect Plan: A Novel of Mystery, Love, and Chocolate that Defies Description  Schafer started his professional writing career as a

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HEAR OUR INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR KEN SCHAFER

Printer-friendly version East County News Service   Hear full interview aired on KNSJ Radio May 10, 2024 (San Diego) – East County Magazine Bookshelf host Reina Menasche recently interviewed author Ken Schafer regarding his first young adult novel,. An Otherwise Perfect Plan: A Novel of Mystery, Love, and Chocolate that Defies Description  Schafer started his professional writing career as a

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HEAR OUR INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR KEN SCHAFER

Printer-friendly version East County News Service   Hear full interview aired on KNSJ Radio May 10, 2024 (San Diego) – East County Magazine Bookshelf host Reina Menasche recently interviewed author Ken Schafer regarding his first young adult novel,. An Otherwise Perfect Plan: A Novel of Mystery, Love, and Chocolate that Defies Description  Schafer started his professional writing career as a

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BECOMING AMERICAN: A POLITICAL MEMOIR BY CARY D. LOWE

Printer-friendly versionReviewed by Pennell Paugh   May 8, 2024 (San Diego) — Becoming American is an inspiring story of the author’s transformation, from a child of Holocaust survivors in post-war Europe to moving to America and becoming part of America’s cultural, business, and political institutions, while he retained ties to his family roots.   Here is an excerpt from the

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Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting — not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine’s local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.

Pretty Happy: healthy ways to love your body

Printer-friendly versionBook by Kate Hudson Review by Heidi Hope October 5, 2025 (San Diego) – Pretty Happy is a New York Times best-selling self-help book written by my favorite actress, Kate Hudson. She thoughtfully researched each area and provided a variety of questions to ask, as well as suggestions to reference and ideas for carrying out each lesson to take

Lucas and Emily’s Food Bank Adventure by Dave Grunenwald

Printer-friendly versionReviewed by Pennell Paugh September 28, 2025 (San Diego) – Lucas and Emily’s Food Bank Adventure is a children’s book for 5- to 10-year-olds. It is designed to inspire children and their families to volunteer in community programs that help those in need. In the book, two friends and a grandparent visit a group that make and deliver sandwiches. Next,

Blood in the Water: an A.J. Hawke legal thriller

Printer-friendly versionNovel by Donald McInnis  Reviewed by Pennell Paugh   September 4, 2025 (San Diego) —Blood in the Water, though fictional, exposes a flaw in the United States’ tripartite federal government structure as established in the Constitution.   The third branch of government, the Judiciary, cannot enforce its rulings, even when those rulings are necessary for protecting an individual citizen’s rights or the constitutional powers of