Book Talks 2025 -- David Jones

 I  saw an Facebook post about Kimberly Library was having another author, a local author. The book looked interesting and I thought it was true crime. I was excited to check him out.

David Jones was from Phoenix, joined the Air Force, and since his wife was from the U.P. ended up in WI after he retired from the military. He joined the area police forces and eventually retired. After he retired, he decided to write books all set in and around the Fox Valley. His first series, Guardians of Rockport, is a dystopia series set in Sherwood. I am not interested in dystopia. but being set in the Fox Valley, I am intrigued enough maybe one day I will check it out. However, he also wrote crime fiction books, The first one is No Perfect Crime.

David spoke about his background, his secretive military career, and his police service. He was an amazing speaker. I could have listened him for hours. He had many stories to tell. 

I did buy No Perfect Crime. It is really weird reading a book set pretty much in your backyard. It is surreal when the characters visit local places, like JD's, just like we do. 

As David says, it is high-quality fiction but it is a fun quick read. It's not going to win any awards but not cozy mystery either. I definitely can't wait to read book 2. 

You never know what you are going to discover when you go  hear a local author. This was definitely another winner. Who knows what author I will discover next. 

Book Talks 2024: Tammy Borden

 I kept seeing local bookstores and libraries hosting this author, Tammy Borden. I kept trying to get to see her because her book sounded interesting and something always interfered. Finally when Kimberly Library was hosting her, I made a point to go see her. 

Tammy Borden is the author of Waltraud: A True Story of Growing Up in Nazi Germany. The book is the story of her coming of age in and around Berlin during World War II. It is historical fiction as Ms. Borden had to make up dialogue and fill in gaps from her mom's stories but it is really her mom's biography without being a biography.

To hear Tammy Borden speak was a wonderful way to spend a Tuesday evening. To hear her speak of her mom's story, the research she did, and the family she was able to give some closure to was very inspiring. 

As she said this story told itself and she might not be able to write another book as easily since the story was already there. It was just putting down facts.

If you get a chance to hear Tammy Borden speak, do it. She is amazing story teller and captivates you from the beginning. Even if you can not, go read the book. The story is that good. It is on Amazon or if you are in the Fox Valley, your local bookstore or library should have a copy too.