The Dog Days Of Summer are the hot, sultry days of summer. They were historically the period following the rising of the star system Sirius, referred to as the “Dog Star,” which Hellenistic astrology connected with heat, drought, sudden thunderstorms, lethargy, fever, mad dogs, and bad luck. They are now taken to be the hottest, most uncomfortable part of summer in the Northern Hemisphere.
As we roll into August and the dog days of summer, many of us are looking forward to autumn, just around the corner with its cooler temps. Kids begin thinking ahead to a new school year, and football fans eagerly anticipate the season start-up on September 7th. In this issue, we introduce three authors – two of which address our seasonal topics of school and football. The book by the third author is a reflection of his life, taken from letters he wrote while awaiting his fate on death row.
GUEST AUTHOR – CASEY GRANT
Author Casey Grant’s three-book collection celebrates African Americans in aviation, from stewardesses (now referred to as flight attendants) to pilots and all posts in between. Casey herself was one of the first Black women to serve as a stewardess for Delta Airlines, a position she held for thirty-five years
Casey’s first book, Stars in the Sky, recognizes the first African Americans in aviation. Stars and Beyond, a delightful coloring book, highlights Black people in aviation, and Stars and Beyond encourages young African Americans to aim high by choosing a career in aviation.
GUEST AUTHOR – JEFF WALKER
Avid football fans will enjoy The Last Chalkline by Jeff Walker, the colorful and exciting biography of Jack Chivney, a star football player for Notre Dame. This is a stunning account of Chivney’s football career and his calling at age thirty-five to join young men enlisting in the Marines during World War II. Walker’s well-researched biography holds appeal for football fans, regardless of college affiliation or professional team loyalty.
GUEST AUTHOR – BERNARD JOHN BOLENDER III
What would you do if someone sent you box and envelopes full of notes and letters, mostly undated, and asked you to make a book of them? First order of business would be to sort them as best as possible, type them into your computer (51,611 words+), and create some semblance of a readable book. When Joyce Bolender, widow of Bernard John “Bo” Bolender III, contacted me to do this, I agreed. The effort, although difficult at times, was well worth it.
Our third guest author is Bernard John “Bo” Bolender III. It was his wish to finish and publish this book with his wife, Joyce Bolender.
From the Author’s Note in the book:
“If it goes bad, you’ll hang out and see this book through, and that will be our final shining moment, our legacy. You will have seen it through and finished it, well on your own.”
In Letters From Death Row, Bo reflects on his life throughout the years, from early childhood to his final days on death row. Nearly twenty-eight years to the day of his execution, Joyce, with Susan’s help, saw it through and published the book.
TODAY’S QUOTE
“If you wait for inspiration to write,
you’re not a writer, you’re a waiter.”
Dan Poynter
