By Terri Schlichenmeyer
The Bookworm Sez

General Non-Fiction

Someone on your gift list will love reading “Cunning Folk: Life in the Era of Practical Magic” by Tabitha Stanmore (Bloomsbury, $29.99). Not only is this a history of magic and the magical arts, but it’s a bit of a mini-biography about people who practice the arts.

If you know your giftee well and this year is going to mean big changes, then carefully give “Divorce Matters” by Kathy Criscuolo Boufford (Square One Publishers, $18.95). Wrap it up with “I Do (I Think) by Allison Raskin (Hanover Square Press, $28.99), a book about marriage in the modern world. Together, they’re perfect for the person you know needs them, now or in the near future.

From the Guided Autobiography Summit Page.

I will be presenting on December 13 on Professional Growth.

Transformative Storytelling: How GAB Empowers Personal & Professional Growth

Our panel at the Hoboken Library was a hit with the audience. Panelists included Annamaria Alfieri, Tom Coffey, Peggy Ehrhart, Gerri Lewis, and moderator Mark McNease. The topic was Writing A Series: Getting It Started and Keeping It Going. Among the subjects discussed were continuity, outlining (or not), and where to begin.

MEET THE PANEL

Annamaria Alfieri writes the Vera and Tolliver stories, which are set in British East Africa and explore the evils of colonialism. It began with Strange Gods, 1911, The Idol of Mombasa , 1912, The Blasphemers 1913.  The fourth book in the series, A Death on the Lord’s Day, was released in 2024.  The Richmond Times-Dispatch praised the series as having “the flair of Isak Dinesen and Beryl Markham, the cunning of Agatha Christie and Elspeth Huxley.”

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Ever wonder if your cat has a hidden playlist? In this episode of Cat Talk Radio, Molly DeVoss, Certified Cat Behavior Specialist, and her co-host Dewey Vaughn dive into the surprising world of “cat music.” We explore fascinating research showing that cats might actually have their own musical preferences — and it’s not exactly what we humans groove to! Join us as we uncover how specially crafted music, featuring cat-friendly purrs and high-frequency sounds, can help soothe your furry friend at home or even at the vet. Tune in and find out if your cat could be the next big fan of feline tunes!

About Cat Talk Radio

Cat Talk Radio is all about cats, what makes them do what they do, why they occasionally misbehave and what cat guardians can do to fix it. We educate you on how to modify unwanted cat behavior by providing the proper environment and stimulation, enabling cats to express their natural behaviors in ways that are preferable for both the humans and cats. You will learn how to have fun with your cat, fascinating cat facts and be inspired to try new things, which will lead to a happier relationship and closer bond with your cat. We’ll also call attention to the plight of cats in our country, feel compassion for their challenges and share the message.

Narration provided by Wondervox.

By Terri Schlichenmeyer
The Bookworms See

Holiday Book Giving Guide: Fiction

So you looked at the calendar the other day and… eeeek.

You’re not very far away at all to the holidays and you’re way, too, uncomfortably far away from having everything ready. At the top of your list is fulfilling your Gift List, but you’re out of ideas and now what? How about a book? How about one of these great books….

Fiction

For the reader who loves a good comedy, “The Best Way to Bury Your Husband” by Alexia Casale (Penguin, $18.00) is perfect. It’s the story of four women and one same old story: their husbands have been jerks and it’s time to take matters into their own hands. Pair it with “How to Solve Your Own Murder” by Kristen Perrin (Dutton, $28), another fine mystery that’ll keep your giftee perfectly entertained.

Narration provided by Wondervox.

By Jim Miller

Dear Savvy Senior,

Can you recommend some good pill boxes and medication reminding devices? I’ve recently started taking several new prescription medications along with some vitamins I normally take and need to get a pill box that helps me organize them. What can you tell me?

Almost 70

Dear Almost,

Pill boxes (a.k.a. pill organizers) play an important role in keeping people healthy because they help you stay on top of your medication regimen. While there are many options, here are a few tips to help you choose, along with some top-rated pill boxes as recommended by expert reviewers.

Identify Your Needs?

When choosing an appropriate pill box for you, you first need to ask yourself a few questions, such as:

• How many pills do you take and how big are they? If you take only a few medications, a smaller pill box may be sufficient. But if you’re taking multiple medications and large vitamin supplements, you’ll want to get a large compartment pill box that can hold your daily dosage.

MEET THE PANEL

Annamaria Alfieri writes the Vera and Tolliver stories, which are set in British East Africa and explore the evils of colonialism. It began with Strange Gods, 1911, The Idol of Mombasa , 1912, The Blasphemers 1913.  The fourth book in the series, A Death on the Lord’s Day, was released in 2024.  The Richmond Times-Dispatch praised the series as having “the flair of Isak Dinesen and Beryl Markham, the cunning of Agatha Christie and Elspeth Huxley.”

Tom Coffey grew up on Staten Island. His first novel, The Serpent Club, was published in 1999 by Pocket Books and received a starred review from Publishers Weekly. His second novel, Miami Twilight, came out two years later. In 2008, Toby Press published Blood Alley, which also earned a starred PW review. In 2015, the independent Oak Tree Press published Bright Morning Star.

In 2023, Coffey signed a three-book deal with Level Best Books. Public Morals is the first novel in The Devine Trilogy, which is named after the family at its center. The series examines the arc of law enforcement in New York from the 1980s to the present. The second book, Special Victim, will be released in late November.

I discovered author Bruce W. Bishop’s terrific historical fiction a few years ago, including Unconventional Daughters, Uncommon Sons, and Undeniable Relations: A Novel, all books in his Families Storytelling series. His research is as impeccable as his writing, and he has the gift of bringing readers into a book’s world so completely you may find yourself startled to be back in your own when you turn the final page. I also had the great pleasure of meeting Bruce when I was on a cruise that stopped in Halifax. He’s as delightful in person as he is talented with a keyboard.

His new book, ‘Grow Up, Rory Rafferty‘ is both a coming-of-age story and a coming out story, told from the perspective of young Rory Rafferty. It takes place in 1979 in Toronto, a city and time the author knows well. It shows in his vivid details and his in-the-moment narrative. As with his other books, I feel as if I’m on those Toronto streets and in those restaurants, eavesdropping on a cast of characters I won’t soon forget – if I ever do. This is a heartwarming and poignant journey to youth on the cusp of adulthood, in what may seem like a simpler time but is as complicated as growing up can be.

All workshops are currently 2 hours via Zoom
All times are eastern (New Jersey) – 2 Hours 

Tuesday, October 22
Guided Autobiography 2 hour intro (free)
11: 00 AM – 1:00 PM
REGISTER

Wednesday, November 6 (4 weeks)
4 Week Guided Autobiography ($100)
11:00 AM – 1:00 PM
REGISTER

Monday, November 18
Fiction Writing Essentials ($40)
10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
REGISTER

Monday, November 25
Self-Publishing With KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing) ($40)
10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
REGISTER

Wednesday December 4
Guided Autobiography 2 hour intro (free)
10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
REGISTER

Monday December 9
Fiction Writing Essentials ($40)
10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
REGISTER

Monday, December 16
Self-Publishing with KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing) ($40)
10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
REGISTER

Wednesday, December 18
Guided Autobiography 2 hour intro (free)
10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
REGISTER

NEW! 5 Week Guided Autobiography Workshop ($125)
Every Wednesday in April
11:00 AM – 1:00 PM
REGISTER

From the Social Security Administration

Social Security benefits and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments for more than 72.5 million Americans will increase 2.5% in 2025, the Social Security Administration announced today. On average, Social Security retirement benefits will increase by about $50 per month starting in January.

Over the last decade the cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) increase has averaged about 2.6%. The COLA was 3.2% in 2024.

Nearly 68 million Social Security beneficiaries will see a 2.5% COLA beginning in January 2025.  Increased payments to nearly 7.5 million people receiving SSI will begin on December 31, 2024. (Note: Some people receive both Social Security benefits and SSI).

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One of the most rewarding things about working with people to publish their books is that I’m helping them achieve a goal. In this case, a mother’s desire to publish her daughter’s poetry. It was a labor of love for her, and I was able to help her bring it to fruition. Keep reading to understand why it matters to her, and why I feel privileged to help birth this gift from a mother to her beloved but challenged adult child.

The Wildflowers Within Her Heart

Tara Elizabeth Benedetti has written poetry since she was a young girl. Tara wrote a poem when she was 10 years old, in the 5th grade, and it was published when she was 12, in the 7th grade.

The poem “My Windows” was published in the 1993 Edition of the book “Anthology of Poetry by Young Americans.”

Tara was encouraged by her teachers beginning in the 5th grade, and it was always pointed out that she had a profound and rich imagination – the part that can’t be taught.

Tara graduated from Summit High School, in Summit, New Jersey. She obtained a B.A. Degree in Creative Writing and Photo Journalism, at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts. She has a Master’s Degree in Creative Writing from Fairleigh Dickenson University in Madison, New Jersey.

Tara was diagnosed with schizophrenia when she was 28 years old, while teaching English in Boston. It has been 16 ½ years of a struggle for Tara. She is now 44 years old. All of her poetry was written before Tara was diagnosed with schizophrenia.