East County Magazine
DARK SIDE: TRUE STORIES FROM A TEENAGE POT SMUGGLER
Printer-friendly versionMemoir by Stu Stall Reviewed by Pennell Paugh April 1, 2025 (San Diego) — Stu Stall, a life-long resident of Coronado, has released a second memoir — Dark Side: True Stories from a Teenage Pot Smuggler. The book is filled with tales of adventure, danger and betrayal. Stall’s life in his twenties seemed carefree — full of parties, women,
AUTHOR OF BOOK ON JOHN D. SPRECKELS SPEAKS IN LEMON GROVE APRIL 3
Printer-friendly versionEast County News Service March 30, 2025 (Lemon Grove) – The Lemon Grove Historical Society’s “History Alive” lecture series continues this Thursday, April 3 at 7 p.m. with local author Sandra Bonura speaking about her new book, Empire Building: John D. Spreckels and the Making of San Diego. The event will be held at the H. Lee House in
LOCAL RESIDENTS OBJECT TO TRUMP SLASHING FUNDS FOR LIBRARIES AND MUSEUMS
Printer-friendly versionBy Miriam Raftery Photo courtesy of Library Foundation San Diego March 26, 2025 (San Diego) – On Friday, March 14, President Trump issued an Executive Order intended to drastically reduce funding from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), the only federal agency dedicated to funding library services. “Without IMLS funding, the 37-branch San Diego Public Library system
SUMERLAND: A HAUNTNG NOVEL SET IN SAN DIEGO
Printer-friendly version Novel by M. Lee Buompensiero Reviewed by Pennell Paugh March 6, 2025 (San Diego) — Long-time San Diego resident, M. Lee Buompensiero has released an award-winning novel, Sumerland. The story is full of romance, unusual hauntings, heart-warming dog crises and mishaps. Kate Post inherits the San Diego historical Liebersohn mansion after her mother, whom she rarely saw and
THE INSIDIOUS DISEASE OF CANCER AND BRAIN TUMORS!
Printer-friendly version Brain Surgeon: A Doctor’s Inspiring Encounters with Mortality and Miracles, by Keith Black, MD (Wellness Books, trademark of Hatchette Book Group, Inc., New York, NY 2009, 226 pages). Book Review by Dennis Moore
SOUNDS OF YESTERDAY: NOVEL CENTERS ON AUTISTIC MAN’S TROUBLED ROMANCE
Printer-friendly versionBy Jacob Hubbard Reviewed by Pennell Paugh February 24, 2025 (San Diego) – Long-time San Diego resident Jacob Hubbard has written a debut novel, Sounds of Yesterday, about a romantic relationship during COVID as experienced by an autistic man. For five years, Rob and Ana overcome career challenges, achieve emotional stability, and survive a global pandemic. Though they each
COUNTY BREAKS GROUND ON NEW CASA DE ORO LIBRARY
Printer-friendly version By Shauni Lyles, County of San Diego Communications Office Video by James Kecskes February 20, 2025 (Spring Valley) – County officials and community members broke ground Wednesday on a project that will bring a new library branch to Casa de Oro to meet the growing needs of the community. The new library will be located at 9610 Campo
CAITLIN ROTHER TO RELEASE UPDATED EDITION OF BODY PARTS FEB. 25
Printer-friendly version East County News Service January 21, 2025 (San Diego) – New York Times bestselling author Caitlin Rother, an investigative journalist and former San Diego Union-Tribune reporter, will release an updated edition of her true-crime book, Body Parts, on February 25. The book takes a deep psychological look at serial killer Wayne Adam Ford, a trucker who confessed to
TOUCHING INFINITY: A JOURNEY INTO THE HEART OF A SUPERNOVA
Printer-friendly version Novel by Mark O’Bannon Reviewed by Pennell Paugh January 19, 2025 (San Diego)—San Diego resident Mark O’Bannon has released a new science fiction romance, Touching Infinity (Imperium Prequels). In a society where arranged marriages are considered more sensible and enduring, Alastronia DeTroyes, a young planetary scientist, is excited to find herself traveling into a system that she
THE COLONIAL FARM: LA MESA AUTHOR’S LATEST BOOK FOCUSES ON PLIGHT OF KENYAN FARMWORKERS
Printer-friendly versionUpdate: The author will have a book signing event at the San Carlos Library onApril 25 at 2:00 p.m. By Wanjirũ Warama Reviewed by Pennell Paugh January 1, 2025 (La Mesa) — Wanjiru Warama a resident of La Mesa, provides true stories of how her family and community lived in abject poverty on British colonial farms in Kenya in
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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.
REFUGE ON THE MOUNTAIN: SURVIVAL AFTER AN APOCALYPTIC DISASTER
Printer-friendly version Local author has series of events coming up. Reviewed by Pennell Paugh March 17, 2024 (San Diego) — Ocean Beach resident Cornelia Feye writes a post-apocalyptic story. After a massive solar storm causes a catastrophic global blackout, Greg and Vega escape with their extended family to their solar powered, self-sufficient mountain cabin. Their survival is
REFUGE ON THE MOUNTAIN: SURVIVAL AFTER AN APOCALYPTIC DISASTER
Printer-friendly version Local author has series of events coming up. Reviewed by Pennell Paugh March 17, 2024 (San Diego) — Ocean Beach resident Cornelia Feye writes a post-apocalyptic story. After a massive solar storm causes a catastrophic global blackout, Greg and Vega escape with their extended family to their solar powered, self-sufficient mountain cabin. Their survival is
REFUGE ON THE MOUNTAIN: SURVIVAL AFTER AN APOCALYPTIC DISASTER
Printer-friendly version Local author has series of events coming up. Reviewed by Pennell Paugh March 17, 2024 (San Diego) — Ocean Beach resident Cornelia Feye writes a post-apocalyptic story. After a massive solar storm causes a catastrophic global blackout, Greg and Vega escape with their extended family to their solar powered, self-sufficient mountain cabin. Their survival is
THE SQUIRREL AND THE MOON
Printer-friendly version Reviewed by Pennell Paugh March 8, 2024 (San Diego) — The Squirrel and the Moon, a picture book, is beautifully written by Jacob Haffner and illustrated by Clarissa Janeen. It’s perfect for the young reader who loves to explore a book through its pictures. The book tells a warm and tender mother/child story. The squirrel tells his mother
THE SQUIRREL AND THE MOON
Printer-friendly version Reviewed by Pennell Paugh March 8, 2024 (San Diego) — The Squirrel and the Moon, a picture book, is beautifully written by Jacob Haffner and illustrated by Clarissa Janeen. It’s perfect for the young reader who loves to explore a book through its pictures. The book tells a warm and tender mother/child story. The squirrel tells his mother
WALLED-IN WEST BERLIN: A WEST BERLIN GIRL’S JOURNEY TO FREEDOM
Printer-friendly version Reviewed by Pennell Paugh March 9, 2024 (San Diego) – San Diego author J. Elke Ertle was born and raised in West Berlin during the aftermath of World War II, when the city had become the focus of an escalating Cold War between East and West. In her memoir, Walled-In: A West Berlin Girl’s Journey to Freedom, she
WALLED-IN WEST BERLIN: A WEST BERLIN GIRL’S JOURNEY TO FREEDOM
Printer-friendly version Reviewed by Pennell Paugh March 9, 2024 (San Diego) – San Diego author J. Elke Ertle was born and raised in West Berlin during the aftermath of World War II, when the city had become the focus of an escalating Cold War between East and West. In her memoir, Walled-In: A West Berlin Girl’s Journey to Freedom, she
WORLD BOOK DAY: FEBRUARY 23
Printer-friendly versionBy Jonathan Goetz February 19, 2024 (La Mesa) — World Book Day is an annual event organized by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) to promote reading, publishing, and copyright. The main purpose of World Book Day is to encourage people of all ages to discover the joy of books and reading. It also aims to support
HONEYMOON AT SEA: HOW I FOUND MYSELF LIVING ON A SMALL BOAT
Printer-friendly versionBook by Jennifer Silva Redmond Reviewed by Pennell Paugh February 15, 2024 (San Diego) — In 1989-90, Jennifer and Russel Redmond set off from San Diego for Baja California on their 26-foot sloop, Watchfire, shortly after they married. After traveling through the Panama Canal, they sailed all the way to Canada, before turning around to end their honeymoon
ALL THE BAD GIRLS WEAR RUSSIAN ACCENTS: POEMS OF A UKRAINIAN JEWISH REFUGEE GRANTED ASYLUM IN THE U.S.
Printer-friendly versionBy Jane Muschenetz Reviewed by Pennell Paugh February 14, 2024 (San Diego) — Written with humor as well as heart ache, Jane Muschenetz touches on her raw feelings of becoming a refugee. At the age of 10, during the pandemic and the Russian invasion of her home country, Ukraine, she was transplanted to San Diego. Muschenetz
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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