East County Magazine
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,
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
LOCAL AUTHOR’S NOVEL, IN HARM’S WAY, BRINGS REVOLUTIONARY WAR NAVAL BATTLES TO LIFE
Printer-friendly versionIn Harm’s Way: Book One of The Sea Hawkes Chronicles by Thomas M. Wing Reviewed by Pennell Paugh June 7, 2025 (San Diego) — San Diego resident Thomas M. Wing has released his second novel In Harm’s Way, an action-packed historical story set during America’s War of Independence. Wing says he based his story on actual
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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.
SAN DIEGO TRUE CRIME NOVELIST RICHARD CARRICO TO SPEAK AT MISSION TRAILS FEB. 8
Printer-friendly versionEast County News Service January 27, 2024 (San Diego) – Monsters on the Loose—a true crime novel by award-winning author and historian Richard L. Carrico—is set in San Diego in 1931. With forensic evidence at the time not quite what it is today, many murders went unsolved. In this gripping novel, San Diego historian and anthropologist Richard L. Carrico details
A LOVELY GIRL: LOCAL AUTHOR PROVIDES INSIGHTS IN CASE OF NOTORIOUS KILLER
Printer-friendly versionReviewed by Pennell Paugh January 21, 2024 (San Diego) — A Lovely Girl, the Tragedy of Olga Duncan and the Trial of One of California’s Most Notorious Killers tells of a 1958 murder as the evidence was collected. The story ends with the last woman to ever be executed in California. Local author Deborah Holt Larkin tells
WOMEN ARE FROM VENUS, MEN ARE FROM MARS!
Printer-friendly version Cooked vs. Uncooked Spaghetti, by Dr. Tania Hormozi, PSYD, LMFT (Made in the USA, Muncie, IL., July, 2023, 137 pages). Book Review by Dennis Moore January 12, 2024 (San Diego) – Dr. Tania Hormozi is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist practicing in San Diego, California for over 10 years. She holds a Doctorate degree in Marriage
CHINA BOY, A WORK THAT TRANSCENDS TIME
Printer-friendly versionAuthor Gus Lee interviews with Anat Tour, host of East County Magazine Show’s “Bookshelf” feature on KNSJ View video Hear audio January 8, 2024 (San Diego’s East County) — In an engaging conversation with esteemed American author and ethicist Gus Lee, Anat Tour, host of East County Magazine Radio Show’s “Bookshelf” on KNSJ Radio, explores the depths of Lee’s
ODYSSEY’S END
Printer-friendly version By Pennell Paugh January 3, 2024 (San Diego) – Odyssey’s End is the tenth book in the Rick Cahill series by local author Matt Coyle. Private investigator Rick Cahill lives in the San Diego region and as in the series’ other books, he takes the reader on real streets and neighborhoods.in He accepts a lost-person assignment from a
CHERIE KERR, AUTHOR OF CHARLIE’S NOTES, SHARES MEMORIES OF HER JAZZ MUSICIAN FATHER
Printer-friendly versionView video of interview Hear audio aired on KNSJ Radio By Miriam Raftery December 12, 2023 (San Diego)—Anat Tour, host of the East County Magazine Radio Show’s Bookshelf, recently interviewed Cherie Kerr on her award-winning book, Charlie’s Notes. This moving memoir of her father, jazz musician Carluchi (Charlie) DePietro, chronicles his struggles from his roots in a New York
CAN LOVE OVERCOME MAGICAL HYPNOTIC TRAINING? MYSTIC PRINCE: VIXEN IS LATEST IN RICHTER’S SERIES
Printer-friendly versionBook by M.A. Richter Reviewed by Pennell Paugh December 9, 2023 (San Diego’s East County) – Local author M.A. Richter announces the release of Mystic Prince: Vixen. The book is a fantasy-adventure that follows Khael, an enlightened prince in 2773, who has just regained his crown. He reestablishes a government and places his mother, a princess, to oversee day-to-day
BOOK-2 OF THE COLONIZED SERIES AND KENYA’S MAU MAU REVOLT: A PEASANT’S TALE
Printer-friendly version Book by Wanjiru Warama Reviewed by Pennell Paugh November 14, 2023 (La Mesa) — Wanjiru Warama is a resident of La Mesa, and a member of the San Diego Writers and Editors Guild. The author provides true stories of how her family and community lived in abject poverty on British colonial farms in Kenya. Her historic
WHEN YOUR HEART SAYS GO: MY YEAR OF TRAVELING BEYOND LOSS AND LONELINESS
Printer-friendly versionBook by Judy Reeves Reviewed by Pennell Paugh November 8, 2023 (San Diego) – In When Your Heart Says Go, San Diego author Judy Reeves uses memories in her journals, fragments from her writing practice notebooks, short stories, flashes of both fiction and nonfiction, personal narrative essays, and poems to share a piece of her life from thirty years
THE GRAY: LIVING WITH ANXIETY AND FINDING WAYS TO COPE
Printer-friendly version Book by Chris Baron Reviewed by Pennell Paugh November 8,2023 (San Diego) – Award-winning local author Chris Baron, an English professor at San Diego City College, has crafted a beautifully written, compelling story in his latest book, The Gray. Sasha experiences bullying at middle school. His anxiety becomes so bad that he called it The Gray. Afraid that
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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.
East County Magazine
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,
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
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