Category: News

Three Point Wisdom blog

David has a unique story – it’s a basketball story that goes far beyond the court.  In Getting Undressed: From Paralysis to Purpose, David describes his journey to move beyond a medical obstacle during his high school years, and one learns very quickly that Coach Cooks has a unique outlook on life.  Why would any of us complain about our own circumstances or why would we limit our thinking or joy for life when we realize that each of us has our own obstacles and our own journey?  Getting Undressed helps each of us to look beyond our own circumstances to strive for success and purpose in anything we do, including basketball. Read more…

Beloit Daily News
By Hillary Gavan

BELOIT – Ezi Adesi knows the way to connect with his adult students is to reach them where they are at. He walks their neighborhoods, visits their bus stops and grocery stores and isn’t afraid to show his softer side.

“There’s times I call it ‘taking off my tie.’ I always build in a small moment of informality when I sit down with a student,” Adesi said. “I share my expertise, but in a very humanistic way.”

Adesi, a director of adult basic education (ABE) in Madison, has published his first book, “12 Methods to Make Your ABE Students Comfortable Even Before the Learning Starts: A Handbook for ABE Administrators.”

Beloit native Adesi graduated from Beloit Memorial High School in 2002, and attended the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater where he obtained a sociology degree. He fell in love with teaching adults as every student’s story was unique. Some didn’t have high school diplomas while others would have a graduate degree but lacked basic skills such as reading, writing or computer literacy. Read more…

By Sharyn Alden
The Chicago Tribune

Life Lessons from the Heart–
In Her New Memoir The Mystic Chaplain -My Story, Wisconsin Author Kathy Collins, Cancer Survivor, and Hospital Chaplain Writes About Her Experiences with Healing & Happiness by Connecting with Renowned Naperville Artist, Joanne Koenig-Macko.

Sometimes, even when a life well-lived takes unexpected diversions, an extraordinary painting can be instrumental in a person’s healing process.

In a compelling new book, Kathy Collins writes about a life-changing season of her life when she was bedridden for six months fighting a fast-growing cancer.

This journey led her to be of service to others as a hospital chaplain at Meriter Hospital, Madison. Her healing journey also led to Naperville where she found great comfort and joy since knowing international artist, Joanne Koenig-Macko of Naperville.

The artist’s illuminating painting “World Peace” has been presented at the United Nations and purchased by several world leaders, ambassadors, heads of states, and former presidents from around the world. Read more…

Ezi Adesi, author of 12 Methods to Make Your ABE Students Comfortable—Even Before the Learning Starts appeared on Talk of the Town, WI57, on Sept 11th, 2o18. Watch the segment here:

Waupaca County News
By Angie Landsverk

Carla Ernst is a writer, musician, composer, volunteer and consultant.

She is also a transgender woman.

“I always remember feeling I was a woman since birth,” Ernst said.

Growing up in suburban Chicago in the late 1950s and early 1960s, she was the oldest of seven children in what she describes as a happy, Catholic family.

For years, Ernst tried to suppress her feelings and conform to a gender she did not believe she was. She married and divorced twice.

“I’ve known my whole life,” Ernst said. “It just took a long time to getting here.”

The 67-year-old has been living fully as a woman for years and is visiting Waupaca this month to share her story.

She is the author of “Life Without Pockets: My Long Journey into Womanhood.”

The book was published this past spring by HenschelHAUS Publishing, of Milwaukee.

Ernst lives and works in that area, but has a local connection.

Her family has had a cottage near Wild Rose for several generations.

During the summer, she plays in the Waupaca City Band.

She is speaking about her book at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 9, in the Waupaca Area Public Library’s meeting rooms.

The meeting rooms are located in the library’s lower level.

Locally, Ernst’s book is being sold at The Bookcellar, in downtown Waupaca.

Those who attend her Aug. 9 talk will also be able to buy copies of it at the event.

There will be a book signing as well.

She worked on the book over the course of four years.

It is the result of someone struggling to understand and accept her, referring to it as a “choice” she made.

Ernst prepared to respond to the person by email, but never sent the message.

It turned into a 200-some page book instead.

“I’ve never met someone who decided to become a women, gay, etc.,” she said.

Ernst describes it as the “realization to becoming your authentic self” and said her journey was an imperfect, challenging process.

Read the rest…

Book Critique created by Readers’ Favorite

Hot Chocolate Happiness: Happy Cuz I Said So
Jeoffrey R. Hutcherson

Genre: Non-Fiction – Inspirational

Development
Rating: 4/5

Development refers to how effectively you told your story or discussed your topic. The dialogue should be realistic, the descriptions should be vivid, and the material should be concise and coherent. Organization is also a key factor, especially for informative books — those without plot and characters. The order in which you tell your story or explain your topic and how smoothly it flows can have a huge impact on the reader’s understanding and enjoyment of the material.

Formatting
Rating: 4/5

Formatting is the single most overlooked area by authors. The way in which you describe scenes, display dialogue, and shift point of view can make or break your story. In addition, excessive grammatical errors and typos can give your book an amateurish feel and even put off readers completely.

Marketability
Rating: 4/5

Marketability refers to how effectively you wrote your book for your target audience. Authors may include content that is above or below the understanding of their target reader, or include concepts, opinions or language that can accidentally confuse or alienate some readers. Although by its nature this rating is very subjective, a very low rating here and poor reviews may indicate an issue with your book in this area.

Overall Opinion
Rating: 4/5

Overall Opinion: The overall starred rating takes into account all these elements and describes the overall reading experience of your reviewer. This is 4 the official Readers’ Favorite review rating for your book

Author Rex Owens discussed his book Elsie’s Story: Chasing a Family Mystery with mystery blogger Doris Green. The show aired on “My World and Welcome to It,”  Sun Prairie Community Radio 103.5 FM The Sun at 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday, July 31. The date marks the 58th anniversary of my Aunt Elsie’s mysterious death in a northern Wisconsin tavern–the event that inspired the book and a decades-long quest for answers.

Chronicle staff

Sam Gingold, a Holocaust survivor who made an underground escape to raise a family on the West Side and Glendale, died July 14, 2018. He was 84.

Gingold, of Shorewood, was the subject of “Tunnel, Smuggle, Collect: A Holocaust Boy,” a book by his son Jeffrey N. Gingold.

Young Sam Gingold helped his family survive by smuggling food and medicine by tunnel under the Warsaw Ghetto, and as the war continued, was forced to work under Nazi rule there. After the family’s underground escape by tunnel, when Sam was 7 or 8, the Gestapo pursued them across the Polish countryside.

Interviewing his father for the book over three years, three times a week, Jeffrey sometimes asked, how did you survive? “One day at a time,” Sam would say, or “Just to the next day.”

It was painful for Sam to talk about the Holocaust, but he understood the importance of Holocaust education. “He made it his mission, once he shared his story and it became a book, to make sure people learned about what had happened and we could never forget,” Jeffrey said.

Sam spoke at schools where students asked for selfies. He’d never say no.

“He would always embrace and smile at people who wanted to learn more,” Jeffrey said. “They were impressed and stunned by a Holocaust survivor they were meeting in person.”

Sam continued to speak on the Holocaust while undergoing chemotherapy, walking with a four-pronged cane, but he didn’t talk about his cancer at the events. Most of the speaking engagements were arranged by the Nathan and Esther Pelz Holocaust Education Resource Center of the Milwaukee Jewish Federation. Jeffrey has 100 percent of royalties from the book going straight to HERC.

Sam worked locally as a purchasing agent for a number of companies including Hy-Hoe and Harley-Davidson. He later became a health and life insurance salesman until retirement.

Beloved husband of Jill Gingold (nee Bentley). Loving father of Jeffrey Neil (Terri) Gingold, Elaine “Lainie” Sheila (Robert) DeJong and the late Bruce Edward Gingold. Proud grandfather of Lauren Gingold, Meredith Gingold and Jacob DeJong and step-grandfather of Jackson DeJong. Dear brother of William (Phyllis) Gingold and the late Jacob Gingold. Preceded in death by dear parents, David and Lillian Gingold. Further survived by other loving relatives and friends. Sam served in the United States Army.

Graveside services with military honors were July 17 at Temple Menorah Ever-Rest Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, 200 S. Executive Dr., # 203, Brookfield, WI 53005 appreciated.  Hazzan Jeremy Stein officiated and Goodman-Bensman Funeral Home assisted the family.

About Glorious

“Marshall Cook has created a glorious cast of characters inhabiting a small Wisconsin town, from the joke-cracking radio DJ to the married owners of a diner. Beneath the surface of a town known for its Polar Plunge and Cow Chip Toss, readers will discover love and heartbreak, secrets from the past, the battle between the sexes, and even a dog named Frederick Douglass. With echoes of Sherwood Anderson and William Faulkner, Marshall Cook gives us America—and ourselves.” – Emily Auerbach

About Marshall Cook

Creative writing professor at UW-Madison, Marshall Cook is the author of several nonfiction books on various topics, and a new series of light mysteries, the Monona Quinn mysteries. Marshall J. Cook taught for the University of Wisconsin-Madison for thirty years and often speaks at conferences nationwide. He has published several books on stress management and has been a guest on Oprah to discuss the topic. Marshall edits Extra Innings, an online newsletter for writers. He has authored thirty books and hundreds of magazine articles. Marshall holds his BA in creative writing and his MA in communications from Stanford University. He has been married to Ellen since 1968, and they have one son, Jeremiah. When not writing, Marshall likes to read, jog, lift weights, and talk back to the television (not all at the same time). He is a passionate minor league baseball fan, drives the back roads, and eats in small town cafes.

Watch an interview with writer and speaker Kathy Collins onher just-published book, The Mystic Chaplain.

This memoir is a whirlwind journey that takes you through the throes of fighting cancer to an awakening of the metaphysical world, messages, visions, self-healing and synchronized events of people put on Kathy’s path to understanding the oneness through the energy of the heart.

Find out Kathy’s synchronistic event with an emergency room doctor and how the author and cancer survivor communicates through colors and numbers.

To learn more about her book or to purchase The Mystic Chaplain, visit: KathyCollinsWriter.com

Interview available here.

The Shepherd Express

Waukesha County Technical College instructor Gail Grenier gathered stories from over a dozen people who have benefited from the Urban Ecology Center. The Milwaukee institution has done good work educating local residents about the value of our environment as well as conducting hands-on work in area green spaces. Many of the voices heard in Wild Milwaukee come from disadvantaged circumstances. “I was angry and violent,” says Shawn Office, whose unarticulated love of animals grew into appreciation for nature after a cousin cajoled him into visiting the Urban Ecology Center. For Konnie Her, the Center encouraged the knowledge of plants and birds that leads to greater appreciation of the world around her. Making science fun for kids and getting them outdoors and into nature are worthy goals achieved in the lives of the young people represented in Wild Milwaukee.

KAY JAMES
Wisconsin Dells Events

Mitch Teich

WUWM 89.7 Milwaukee

Dr. Bhupendra Khatri heard a lot from doctors around the country in compiling his latest book, Healthcare 911: How America’s broken healthcare system is driving doctors to despair depriving patients of care and destroying our reputation in the world.  But the statistic that jumped out at him came from research at the Mayo Clinic, which found that more than 55 percent of physicians in this country suffer from burnout, and every year, more than 400 physicians kill themselves.

“I’ve spoken to hundreds of physicians,” Khatri says,  “and I hear the same story – that they’re not happy.  They’re not happy because their practices are being increasingly taken over by hospitals and larger corporations which put profits before patients.”

Listen to the full interview here.