Books

With Gravedigger's Daughter, Cheryl Unruh has created something so fresh and inviting - a momor of lean vignettes. Each is moving on its own, and also part of a compelling portrait of childhood in an isolated town with a dwindling population. Unruh's details are too specific for sentimntalism, but places and people are observed with a loving gaze that also feels wise and honest. Her father, especially, emerges as both haunted and quietly heroic. What a beautiful book. -Laura Moriarty, author of The Chaperone

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105 Meadowlark Reader is a real paper publication committed to including stories from every Kansas County. - 35 stories from 25 counties in issue #1 -   Our Readers Feature: - True stories we hope will remind you of the roots we share, deeply embedded in Kansas landscape. - Funny stories. Heartfelt stories. Stories that may surprise you. Stories that may inspire you to contribute your own to future issues of 105 Meadowlark Reader.

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Michael D. Graves created the character of Pete Stone as a memorial to his grandfather. The author lives with his wife in Emporia, Kansas. When life conjures its riddles, Mike turns to baseball and back roads for answers.  Meadowlark Books, LLC meadow-larkbooks.com Copyright (c) 2020 Michael D. Graves Cover photo by Dave Leiker

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Award-winning essayist, Cheryl Unruh, grounds the reader in a study of land and sky, love and life, and death and curiosity in Walking on Water, her first book of poetry. Once an inland sea, this place called Kansas now offers a wide-open prairie, covered with grasses and grains which wave in the wind, mimicking that long-gone sea. The vacant plains and open skies of her native state provide a sense of freedom for Cheryl, and it is these elements, as well as the colorful textures of this land and its people, that she draws from for her writing. Through glimpses of her childhood growing up in a tiny Kansas town, Cheryl explores finding her place in the world and examines how Midwesterners relate to family, to friends, and to their communities. Because one of her father’s jobs was as caretaker of the town’s cemetery, Cheryl spent part of her youth in the graveyard, becoming acquainted early with the concept of death. Poems in this collection reflect her varied perspectives of death, including a childhood perception that the afterlife took place underground. The book isn’t all serious, however. Readers will laugh out loud through Cheryl’s To-Do List poetry. She employs her sense of humor, creating clashes of thought and mixing together modern culture and spirituality, imagination and song. Fans of Cheryl’s two previous collections of vivid Kansas essays will delight in her poetry. New readers will be charmed. This collection leads the reader to discover the beauty in the simplest of landscapes, to revel in the always-changing seasons, and to seek magic and splendor in the everyday moments of life

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A new, up-to-date edition of the popular and comprehensive encyclopedia of acrylic painting by professional artist Hazel Harrison.   Ideal for artists of all skill levels, this exhaustive reference covers a multitude of topics concerning acrylics. The book is divided into two sections: the first provides step-by-step demonstrations that guide artists through a variety of techniques, from basic color mixing through to creating special effects such as sgraffito and wax resist. The second part focuses on themes, illustrating how individual artists tackle a number of subjects, including landscapes, buildings, portraits, animals, still life and fantasy.   With this unique A-to-Z guide, painters of all abilities will be inspired to practice blending, dry brush, glazing, masking, sgraffito, texturing, and more. Mix acrylic with other media. Choose the most suitable painting surfaces. Make collages. Dozens of paintings illustrate styles and techniques, and you can pick from a multitude of themes.

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Caryn Mirriam-Goldberg, Kansas Poet Laureate Emerita, is the author of Miriam's Well, a novel; Needle in the Bone, a non-fiction book on the Holocaust; and Everyday Magic, essays.  Founder of Transformative Language Arts, she offers writing workshops, writing coaching, and creativity consulting with businesses and organizations. 

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When Katie Myrdal's father is found dead in his Porsche, everything she knew about her family is shaken. Her uncle Len and his wife Maggie - relatives she barely knew existed - show up at the funeral and offer an escape for the summer to their Kansas farm. Katie abandons her Chicago Gold Coast high-rise life to land beneath the wider skies of the prairie. Grappling with loss and disillusionment, Katie must forge new skills and new friendships in a small town called Opulence, a town holding secrets and riches she will need before she can go back home.

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Brenda White’s verse resounds deeply, even in the dark places and in sentiments we Midwest working-class folk don’t often like to share. One might say she gives voice to the masses, her verse capturing the light and dark of those who dare to dream, even when we suspect our dreams might end in disappointment. Only a true poet can turn life’s harsh realities into line and stanza that move us to reflect, connect, and read again.Praise for:With unapologetic honesty and a masterful use of language, Brenda White, in Blue Collar Saint, cycles through whimsy, curiosity, and harsh reality. Always questioning the world around her, White writes with sharpness, clarity, and wit, leaving the reader alternately gutted and longing for more.

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When the lands of Kestrel Veil are disrupted by a menacing new threat which no one saw coming, the dragons must come together and journey to all new lands to find what they need to take the threat face on and eliminate it from existence. After the moon takes over the sun completely, leaving the sun vanquished, the dragons learn of three powerful items that can make the sun anew. They decide as a whole that there could be new meaning to their whole cave life. With the help of many different natives, including Scorvians, Lashyrians, and Cratans, can the Dragonian Sky Warriors face their new challenge and succeed? Open up this book and read to find out. Hunter lives just outside of Emporia, Kansas with his family. He loves writing fantasy and other fiction. His love for writing started when he was in fourth grade, and he began his first book in fifth grade. Hunter is now in eighth grade, and his second novel, Dawn of the Moon, the next installment of the fastasy series Sky Warriors, is his sequel, adding a new depth and suspense to the series.

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Michael D. Graves created the character of Pete Stone as a memorial to his grandfather. The author lives with his wife in Emporia, Kansas. When life conjures its riddles, Mike turns to baseball and back roads for answers.  Pete Stone, Private Investigator- Volume 4. Cocky Wright Was Pete Stone's friend since they first met on a baseball field, a couple of kids with skinned knees, lots of moxie, and not much else. Now Cocky is dead, Cocky's wife and daughter are in danger, and shady characters are after something Cocky was hiding. Was Pete's friend dealing serets to the German American Bund? Was his friend really out to threaten the safety of the country? Accident or Murder? Pete Stone is searching for the truth, once again, and he must solve the puzzle before his pal's reputation is tarnished forever. Meadowlark Books, LLC meadow-larkbooks.com Copyright (c) 2020 Michael D. Graves Cover photo by Dave Leiker

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105 Meadowlark Reader is a real paper publication committed to including stories from every Kansas County. - 32 stories from 37 counties in issue #3 -   Our Readers Feature: - True stories we hope will remind you of the roots we share, deeply embedded in Kansas landscape. - Funny stories. Heartfelt stories. Stories that may surprise you. Stories that may inspire you to contribute your own to future issues of 105 Meadowlark Reader.

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Whether it's rose quartz for love or tiger's eye fro protection, put the power of these simple, ancient tools to work for you to improve your relationships, honor those who have passed, promote self-love and -care, and make magic happen - from the bedroom to the office and everywhere in between. Beautiful watercolor illustrations demonstrate how to choose, connect with, charge, cleanse, and arrange crystals throughout your home to help you live your best life.

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Exciting tales of amazing dinosaurs and intrepid paleontologists written by Emporia State University graduate, Kallie Moore.

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Ava is an American Avocet, a breed of shorebird who leaves her home at the Laguna Madre and travels 1,000 miles to stay for a season at the largest wetland complex in the interior of the United States. Cheyenne Bottoms, in the middle of Kansas, is home to millions of birds who stop during their annual migrations in the spring and fall, as well as a diverse population of wildlife who make a home there year-round. As Ava meets her mate and starts a family, readers are introduced to one of the most biodiverse ecosystems on the planet. (Hardback)

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Marble Shorts contains eight essays, filled with sparkles of color that rival the marble images that adorn these pages. This book is a gift to the collector, the curious soul, the seeker of color in this bleary-eyed world, and the rest. Meet the Marble Lady of Kansas City. Meet the Girl Scout who uses marbles to earn her “think like an engineer” badge. Meet Bruce of the Moon Marble Company. You just never know what might happen if you plant a marble. It may grow! Published by Meadowlark Press, 2022

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Michael D. Graves created the character of Pete Stone as a memorial to his grandfather. The author lives with his wife in Emporia, Kansas. When life conjures its riddles, Mike turns to baseball and back roads for answers.  Meadowlark Books, LLC meadow-larkbooks.com Copyright (c) 2017 Michael D. Graves Cover photo by Dave Leiker

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The Eaton Hotel, built in 1886, is a location frequented by our favorite 1930s detective, Pete Stone. Fun fact: you can still visit the Eaton today. It is home to Urban Interiors, a delightful store featuring unique gift items, local artisan products, and designer furniture. You can also purchase your very own copies of the books set in 1930s Wichita: To Leave a Shadow, Shadow of Death, and All Hallow's Shadows.  

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Artful Techniques for Fabric Embellishment Pigment Patchwork introduces the reader to the world of coloring on fabric using pigments. This book contains basics about pigments, color theory, and fabrics with a guidbook for projects using supplied patterns, giving the reader an opportunity to learn and practice Rhonda's approach. There are tips, guidelines, suggestions, lessons learned, and how to fix mistakes, illustrated with examples of Rhonda's own artwork.  This book is for anyone wanting to boost their confidence and gain insights into mastering the art of coloring on fabric to expand their creative design potential. 

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Houseplants is a comprehensive guide to choosing, growing, and troubleshooting houseplants and includes how-to-plant information; growing tips; soil, watering, location, and light information; and species recommendations.

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Everything from selecting the best plants to suit your home, how to nurture and care for them to keeping them thriving with expert care and advice.

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A Memoir by Edna Bell-Pearson A 2020 Kansas Notable Book--When World War II makes her way to southwest Kansas, Edna Bell-Pearson’s life was forever changed. After meeting her husband Carl Ungerer—a pilot stationed in Liberal for the war— Edna’s life whirled around her, as she moved to the opposite corner of the state, and she became one of the first private female pilots in Kansas. Edna’s story, taking place over the course of five short years, tells of Ungerer Flying Service, a family-owned and operated business stationed in Marysville. As the business is born and takes on the challenges of life, Edna learns to appreciate the importance of the little things: hunting and fishing trips, a good housekeeper, and crisp, autumnal days without wind. Published by Meadowlark Press

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from Chasing Tigers Press: When Jeni returns to her childhood home in western Kansas, she never imagines that she'll be hunting a white tiger escaped from the circus or competing with an ape for the affections of the boy she once loved. While she waits for the man she's left behind to notice she's not coming back, she reconnects with her family and works to pick up the pieces of her life. Tiger Hunting was selected as the J. Donald Coffin Memorial Book Award Winner at the Kansas Authors Club Annual Convention and Writers' Conference, Wichita, Kansas, October 2013.

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In this collection of short fiction stories, Simmons captures slices of life, glimpses of everyday people and everyday thoughts and actions, and the many moments—touching, amusing, happy, and sad—of lives in progress. This book is an intimate peek into a writer’s stash, written across the decades, an experience of timelessness and the human condition. Through fiction, these stories reveal relatable truths.

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Book 5 of the Pete Stone Private Investigator Series, by Michael D. Graves Pete’s pal, Professor Ethan Alexander, has a friend in hot water, and Ethan is eager to get Pete on the case. Pete is convinced the friend is guilty, but Pete values friendship and loyalty. He agrees to help. The investigation leads Pete to call on the help of a few old friends, as well, and trouble with his lady-friend encourages him to pause and examine more than just the suspects at large. Are his intentions enough to turn the relationship around? Will he find Ethan’s friend before the cops do? Some stories, like friendships, are deeper and filled with more complications than can be seen and heard in the moment.

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This is a children's book for adults. For the grown-ups who thought adulting ould be easy and with to make it easier.    Written and Illustrated by Laura Scheving

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