Books published by Piscataqua Press

"Black cats are not as everyone believes them to be. They are not unlucky; they are lucky. Black cats are lucky...until they die. Once they die, they give you a year of nothing but bad luck. The weird thing about my cat is that he always seems to be the same one, and yet this can't be true. In truth it is safer not to own a black cat. But in my world, they become your protectors, and every girl is given one on their thirteenth birthday - at least in my family..."- from "Black Cats"

"I talked with an older woman who has been married almost fifty years and asked her secret. 'Choose your battles,' she said, 'and know when to keep your mouth shut.' Good advice I thought, but that is only one answer. The trick is to work at it always. You can never rest from working at your marriage. Just as you accept the fact that you are a parent forever, you must believe this marriage is also forever . . .So I offer this book, no, I dedicate this book to anyone who has the curiosity, the courage, and the desire to stay married. Read it for yourself, not because I am rich or famous or remarkable in any way. Read it because I am just like you; doing the best I can, wanting to do it all better and believe that after all Love really is the answer.In the end I hope you'll say to yourself: 'If she can do it, so can I.' And you know what? You can."- Carol Hrehovcik

This is it.It's 1973 and Alva Parsons is about to begin her final year of college. After three years at the same university, Alva doesn't expect much to change in terms of her studies, but one thing is very different. For the first time since coming to the university, Alva moves out of her aunt and uncle's house and into The Cottage, an all women's dorm on campus.After growing up with a strict family, Alva is finally on her own. She's ready to grow and become the person she wants to be, but it isn't long before Alva realizes that she has much to learn when it comes to the reality of living among other college students.Luckily, Alva meets Sandra (the young woman across the hall), who is not afraid to guide Alva into a world she's never experienced before. At first Alva assumes that she is the only one who benefits from their friendship, but, as it deepens, it becomes clear how much these two young women need each other.

A trip to the magical islands, captured in pencil and watercolor. Sue Anne Bottomley brings a colorful and whimsical eye to the amazing views and creatures of the Galapagos Islands. Each page features a short description of part of her journey. Sue Anne Bottomley is a native of New Hampshire, and a graduate of the University of New Hampshire. She loves traveling, sketching on site, and putting her impressions into books: a sort of permanent exhibit that you hold in your hand. This is her fourth book.

Do you know what it's like to love to dance? More than anything?It's 1959 and in a small town in New Hampshire, 12-year-old Jo is a diligent ballerina in Mrs. Evans's Saturday morning dance class. She dreams of becoming a professional ballerina, but isn't sure it's possible, due to a birth defect that resulted in a drooping eyelid.Things only become worse when Jo's best friend, Laura, abandons her for another dancer, explaining that Jo isn't pretty enough to keep as a friend. Jo is devastated and begins wondering if she wants to dance at all.It isn't long before she finds new friends who encourage her passion, as well as a slew of adults who support her dream. Over the course of a year, Jo starts to realize that maybe she is a talented dancer, and maybe she's perfect just the way she is.

Oh no! Tim's mom isn't feeling well. Is there anything he can do to help?Join Tim as he learns all about the fascinating world of bacteria.What is bacteria and where did it come from?Why is there so much of it inside our body and what does it do there?Can bacteria be used to make us healthier?Find out!

Grab life with both hands!Volume 1 of the incredible life of Jake Sawyer, prep school sports star, U.S. Army paratrooper, Kentucky rum-runner, a less than model prisoner at San Quentin and Lewisburg Federal Penitentiary, and a champion body-builder and fitness guru to the elite and not so elite, Jake is the kind of life coach we've all been looking for!Jake always goes right at the thing he wants, and nothing can stop him. His charm, wit, and strength could have taken him anywhere in the world, but he found his passion in 1960s California, as an early member of the Hell's Angels. Read Jake, Volume One now, it's a hell of a ride!"When they saw a Hell's Angels Nomad walk into their bar they immediately glared at me like I was going to be a dead man very soon. I knew, of course, what was up and I would've turned around and walked out had that been an option, but they would've chased me down anyway, so, I just threw up my arms and yelled, 'Hi, guys!'" - From the book."I'd trust Jake Sawyer more than I would any police officer or military man I've ever served with!" -Ron Damon, highly decorated police lieutenant and early Navy Seal."Jake was one of the most influential people in my life, no question. When I heard that his life story was being written, I was absolutely thrilled." -Steve Sawtelle, a very successful Wall Street financier and celebrated Green Beret who Jake trained at Martin's Health Club.

"Heronymus Heron Discovers His Shadow" is an unusual children's book about a clever bird, a Great Blue Heron, who felt different and unimportant - that is until his shadow convinced him otherwise. For most youngsters, feeling different is normal. But that doesn't make the experience less painful. Maybe it's larger ears or red hair, not doing well in school or not being athletic. Whatever makes young people feel even a bit awkward can isolate them. But when they learn what Heronymus discovered about himself and others, they, too, might see themselves in a new way. Through rich photographs and an engaging tale, this story encourages children to notice what is around them - differences, shadows, wildlife, friends - and to imagine what is possible. It is a story about the opportunities that lie in the everyday kindnesses and everyday heroism that make others feel included, special, and unique. This tale is part reality, part fantasy, part bird-watching, part lesson, and a whole lot of fun! A former school superintendent calls the book "a conversation starter at home and in the classroom," and a clinical psychologist says, "For every kid (and adult!) who doubts that they could be a hero, it's time for them to meet Heronymus Heron, the unexpected hero of this story."

Brimming with ideas and overflowing with feeling, Natural Religion reminds us of what is most important in life - our connection with the Cosmos, the world around us and one another. For those who ask themselves life's most profound questions, Neal Ferris is the perfect guide as he lifts out of diverse traditions the best they have to offer and points us in new directions toward the future we can claim, if only we would. Read this book, feel its power and be grateful for its wisdom.

Mr. Muffins lives a pretty normal life. He goes to school and plays with his toys.But on his birthday, he hopes his friends have not forgotten him.Join Mr. Muffins for a very unexpected party! Bill Pagum invents games, writes, and plays with Mr. Muffins.Leona Hosack is a writer and illustrator. She writes children's books and travels throughout New England.

Rob earns good money, but he squanders it and has no investments.Nathalie has insane skills for saving money, but she barely makes enough to get by.Mike works hard, spends money mindfully, and invests for the future.BE LIKE MIKE.This book will show you how. DID YOU KNOW that approximately 50% of adults in the U.S. live paycheck to paycheck? Each step forward feels like trudging through deep snow in a bitter storm. investment portfolio manager Corey Boucher wants to help you take control of your personal finances, pull you out of that snowstorm, and start you moving forward on an easier path. In language perfect for those new to finance, Corey interweaves data, tips, and anecdotes to guide readers to improved earning, saving, and investing habits. When it comes to investing your money or investing in yourself, time is your greatest ally.Are you ready to get started?

Born in Wisconsin in 1930, Dave Olson grew up in Wisconsin and Minnesota during the Great Depression. After graduating from the University of Minnesota, he served in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean Conflict. Following military service, he continued his education, earning a Masters at the University of Maine, Orono, and a Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota. In 1964, he was successfully transplanted to New Hampshire. He is Professor Emeritus of Forestry and Wildlife at the University of New Hampshire, Durham. His retirement has consisted of fishing, hunting and growing Christmas trees on his 72-acre, permanently-conserved property in Madbury, New Hampshire. To the surprise of all who know him, he wrote his first poem at the age of 74 and hasn't stopped since.

When Bailey stumbles across an opossum behind his grandfather's barn, he sees an opportunity to learn more about one of Earth's oldest living fossils, a mammal which dates back millions of years. Learn about this amazing animal in this delightful and informative picture book!

Mr. M's Notebook is a trilogy tracing Mark Blenchard's career as a high school teacher over a fifty-year period, starting in 1970. The book contains Mr. M's story, and the stories of the teachers and students he works with at Bailey T. S. Memorial High School in fictional Gorham, Massachusetts. In Book 2, Mr. M. and his colleagues confront issues facing teachers and students from 1986 to 2000. Although a fictional account, the issues are relevant and contemporary.If you are a teacher, a prospective teacher, a parent, a school administrator, or any member of the public, Mr. M's Notebook informs readers about the passion teachers bring to events happening every day in schools and society.

Diplomatic service at its best mixes adventure with duty, bestows education through service, and makes friends out of employees.On the front cover, Bob is on his first trip to Timbuktu in his capacity as US Ambassador to Mali. With him are Sékou, his driver en brousse as well as in the country's capital, Gaoussou, a senior embassy employee who accompanied Bob on official visits all over the country, and Barbara. Those grooves in the sand were, in the late 1980s, the most direct route north, which lay between the Niger, West Africa's greatest river, and the vast Sahara: "Just stay between the river and the scraggly line of telegraph poles and you will get there," we were told. And we did.The black rhino (below) is a rare and hard to see species. We surprised her, and vice-versa, in one of South Africa's less visited game parks as she was finishing breakfast and we were returning from a visit to the US Consulate in Durban. Our assignment to South Africa, immediately after the end of apartheid, was an unforgettable end to our joint career as a diplomatic couple.

In Friendly Fires, Volumes I and II, Bob and Barbara Pringle describe their lives during Bob's assignments to six US Embassies in Asia and Africa over three decades. In addition to pre-Foreign Service PhD research in Sarawak, Malaysia, these volumes cover tours in Indonesia, the Philippines, Burkina Faso, Papua New Guinea (plus Solomon Islands and Vanuatu), Mali (where Bob was the US Ambassador) and South Africa. Their story makes the case that although accompanying spouses, whether wife or husband, are not paid, their partnership adds an invaluable, underrated component to US diplomacy.The Pringles explain in detail how such a partnership works. Different in temperament and skills, they complemented each other in learning about the countries where they lived and building bridges to new friends from all walks of life. Despite dangers and discomforts the family encountered throughout the years-planes making flat landings, spiders in hotel rooms, thick blowing dust as a third element, and bouts of malaria-luck played its fickle part, and coups d'état and serious health issues missed them. With their two children, they enjoyed their diplomatic years, and the memories they gained were for life.

In a variety of voices, Truax tells the never-before-told story of the first two elephants to come to America and their enslaved keeper, William.In the autumn of 1795 on board a ship from Salem, Massachusetts an enslaved boy named William finds himself tasked with caring for the first elephant to be brought to America. Upon arrival in the city of New York, he and the elephant are sold together. They walk back and forth across the growing country for years so that everyone may see the elephant. A second elephant and owner replace the first and again William is with the elephant every hour of every day, until she too dies. Now a grown man, William has a fleeting moment to decide if he will remain a bondman, or walk off on his own. Tammi Truax has worked as a teacher in a variety of settings from preschool to prison, always with an emphasis on literacy. She has lived and worked throughout New England and Germany. Her writing has appeared in ten anthologies, including The Widows’ Handbook: Poetic Reflections on Grief and Survival, edited by J. Lapidus and L. Menn, with a foreword by Supreme Court Justice Ginsburg (Kent State University Press, 2014) Truax is a writer, teacher, and historian with a passion for truth telling. She is serving as the Maine Beat Poet Laureate 2018-2020 and resides in Eliot, Maine, not far from where the elephant once walked.

This story is a journey of love: love of self, love of life, love of the light within. A girl discovers the joy of nature when she discovers a small tree. What if she nourished and loved that little tree?Could her breath and her strength and her love be the key?