East County Magazine
Book review:The Mission at Home: Navigating Military Assignments, TRICARE, Education, Benefits and Everyday Life with Your Child on the Autism Spectrum
Printer-friendly version Book by Jaime B. & Elizabeth Tracy Parent Reviewed by Pennell Paugh April 20, 2026 (San Diego) – Local authors Jaime and Elizabeth Parent have written a major reference for persons who have disabilities, with particular focus on those who have autism. While the book specifically addresses the services and needs of families in any of the military
Review of Ethan Talks to Animals: Eat Your Food Fussy Filo, by Nico Waters
Printer-friendly version Reviewed by Pennell Paugh April 20, 2026 (San Diego) — San Diego author Nico Waters has written a series of books for children. In Ethan Talks to Animals, second grader Ethan can talk to animals. Together with his dog, Chewie, Ethan helps their next-door neighbor’s cat eat his new diet. Printer-friendly version
Sarah Foles: A Short Story Collection by Travis Lee provides rich social commentary
Reviewed by Pennell Paugh March 22, 2026 (San Diego) — San Diego author Travis Lee has released a collection of short stories currently displayed in…
Irish Secrets and Lies by Debbie Wastling
Book by Debbie Wastling Reviewed by Pennell Paugh March 18, 2026 (San Diego) – Irish Secrets and Lies by Southern California author Debbie Wastling is…
‘I’m Adopted’ by Cynthia R. Gould is the cat’s meow
Reviewed by Pennell Paugh March 16, 2026 (San Diego County) — San Diego author Cynthia R. Gould has released her second chidren’s book, and second…
Cognitive behavioral therapy: healing through poetry
CBT Self-Therapy Poetry: A Right Brain Approach to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and DBT Self-Therapy Poetry: A Right-Brain Approach to Dialectical Behavioral Therapy Books by Dharlene…
Ethan Talks to Animals: Eat Your Food Fussy Filo
Book by Nico Waters Reviewed by Pennell Paugh March 12, 2026 (San Diego) — San Diegan Nico Waters has written a series of children’s books….
Ethan Talks to Animals: Eat Your Food Fussy Filo
Book by Nico Waters Reviewed by Pennell Paugh March 12, 2026 (San Diego) — San Diegan Nico Waters has written a series of children’s books….
The Bloodstones of Power: The Norwesis Chronicles, Book 3 by Alain Lescart
Reviewed by Pennell Paugh February 25, 2026 (San Diego) — Alain Lescart, a resident of San Diego, entered his latest fairy story in the San…
The Bloodstones of Power: The Norwesis Chronicles, Book 3 by Alain Lescart
Reviewed by Pennell Paugh February 25, 2026 (San Diego) — Alain Lescart, a resident of San Diego, entered his latest fairy story in the San…
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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.
GUITAR CONCERT TO BENEFIT CASA DE ORO LIBRARY JUNE 4
Printer-friendly versionEast County News Service May 15, 2023 (Casa de Oro) – The Friends of the Casa de Oro Library will hold a benefit concert Sunday, June 4, at 7 p.m. in a private home. The featured entertainment will be Fred Benedetti (photo) and Robert Wetzel, an award-winning guitar duo. Light refreshments will be served. The cost is $50. Email
V IS FOR VICTORY BY NEW YORK TIMES BEST-SELLING AUTHOR CRAIG NELSON
Printer-friendly version Reviewed by Pennell Paugh May 15, 2023 (San Diego) — Craig Nelson makes a convincing argument that Franklin Delano Roosevelt not only saved America from the Great Depression, but was also responsible for the U.S. winning World War II in his new novel V is for Victory, which will be released May 23. Most scholars agree that industry
WHEN I WAS HER DAUGHTER: AWARD-WINNING MEMOIR BY LESLIE FERGUSON
Printer-friendly version Reviewed by Pennell Paugh March 28, 2023 (San Diego) — Seven-year-old Leslie has a serious problem. Someone is trying to kill her– and it’s her mother. Leslie and her little brother live chaotic, often frightening lives under the care of their paranoid schizophrenic mother. This excerpt from local author Leslie Ferguson’s memoir, When I Was Her Daughter,
LAKESIDE’S NEW LIBRARY, A STATE OF THE ART FACILITY, HOLDS GRAND OPENING MARCH 25
Printer-friendly versionStory and photos by Shiloh Ireland March 21, 2023 (Lakeside) — Lakeside has a new state of the art library. ECM took a preview tour of the 16,000 square foot facility on March 1 during a soft opening, also interviewing librarian Mary Elder. The grand opening is scheduled for March 25th. ECM has conducted a photographic and drone history
STRENGHTENING YOUR SPIRITUAL FOUNDATION FOR OPTIMUM HEALTH: A DOCTOR’S GUIDE TO UNLEASH HEALING POWERS
Printer-friendly versionBy Pennell Paugh March 13, 2023 (San Diego’s East County) – Carrolle Jean-Murat., M.D., a Mt. Helix resident, announces publication of her latest book, Strengthening Your Spiritual Foundation for Optimum Health: 18 Ways to Unleash Your Innate Healing Powers. Born and raised in Haiti, the author shares her professional transformation. Dr. Jean-Murat had a successful private practice in San
SUNRISE IN SAIGON: PASSION AND INTRIGUE IN AFTERMATH OF VIETNAM WAR
Printer-friendly version Reviewed by Pennell Paugh March 12, 2023 (San Diego) — Sunrise in Saigon is the first book by local author Patrick Greenwood in a new series about cybersecurity, passion, and international espionage. The main character develops a passion to travel to Vietnam as a youth. Greenwood writes: On April 30, 1975, eleven-year-old Jack Kendall lay in his bed,
MELINDA WEST: MONSTER GUNSLINGER
Printer-friendly versionBy K.C. Grifant Reviewed by Pennell Paugh March 2, 2023 (San Diego) — Sharpshooter Melinda and her easygoing partner and sweetheart, Lance, are expert monster exterminators in local author K.C. Grifant’s creative novel, Melinda West: Monster Gunslinger. They plan to retire after this last job; however, they accidentally release a demon who steals their best friend’s soul,
HOOKER AVENUE: A GRIPPING LEGAL THRILLER
Printer-friendly versionReviewed by Pennell Paugh February 12, 2023 (San Diego) – Hooker Avenue is the second in the Queen City Crimes series by San Diego author Jodé Millman. Attorney Jessie Martin lives in upstate New York’s Hudson Valley. Driving at night, she is on her way home during a violent thunderstorm when she spots something. “The amber glare of the
5 STEPS TO SOLO TRAVEL: A WOMAN’S GUIDE TO TRAVEL IN HER PRIME: PART A
Printer-friendly versionBy Pennell Paugh February 9, 2023 (San Diego) – Dr. Mary Travelbest’s guide book is full of tips and on the road recommendations. She helps you to get the best deals, pack light, and ensure your safety. She takes you through stages to develop a level of comfort with less and less structure. I’m still on stage one, but
LEDERER’S LANGUAGE & LAUGHTER
Printer-friendly versionReviewed by Pennell Paugh February 2, 2023 (San Diego’s East County) — Lederer’s Language and Laughter is Richard Lederer’s sixtieth book. It is full of humor from all sorts of situations from making puns about situations, to quoting signs and newspaper headings. There is humor bound to entertain everyone. In a chapter quoting student bloopers, he states: Johann Sebastian Bach
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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