Books published by Sunstone Press

Myths tell us much about a people. And all cultures have creation myths. The myths collected by the author in this book tell us about the rich and varied lives and imagination of the first Americans. They vary from simple to complex and all attempt to answer the question of human origin. Native Americans are of profound beginnings. Each Tribe, Group or Pueblo hold their beginning to be truths, unique from one another. The beliefs in this book are only a sampling of the many that still exist today. "In collecting these tales," the author says, "no tape recorder was used and no notes were taken during the telling. Immediately after the session copious notes were taken and later expanded into a recreation of the myth. Subjects were located through word of mouth and after a short time people started coming forward and volunteering their stories. The people hold the stories. May they continue to tell and share with their families, communities, and the outsiders. We have much to learn from Creation, from each other, and from the holders of the stories."

For a number of years prior to 1922, one of Santa Fe, New Mexico's most colorful and famous residents was Charles Angelo Siringo (1855-1928), popularly known as "the cowboy detective." A small, wiry man, he was friends with practically everyone in town. In 1916 Governor William C. McDonald persuaded Siringo to accept a commission as a New Mexico Mounted Ranger for the state Cattle Sanitary Board. The only thing unusual about that was Charlie Siringo's age, a ripe 61. Undaunted, he saddled up and with a pack horse started for his headquarters at Carrizozo in Lincoln County. His duty was to run down outlaws and stock thieves in southern New Mexico. "During my two years as a ranger," Siringo said, "I made many arrests of cattle and horse thieves and had many close calls with death staring me in the face." Obviously, Governor McDonald had made a wise choice when he tapped this hard-riding, fast-shooting "senior citizen" for the dangerous ranger job. But Siringo was more than a law man. He put in countless nights writing up his experiences. When his book," A Texas Cowboy," appeared, its author achieved fame overnight. "A Lone Star Cowboy," published in 1919, and which Sunstone Press has chosen to include in its Southwest Heritage Series, contained many of the stories in his earlier books and the author says in his preface: "This volume is to take the place of A Texas Cowboy." Meanwhile, soon after publishing his recollections, Siringo joined the renowned Pinkerton Detective Agency, whose branch offices covered the West. He remained with the firm for two decades. After leaving the Pinkertons, Charlie Siringo did a good bit of roaming before settling in Santa Fe. Because of the name he'd made in publishing, he had access to many persons, on both sides of the law. From them he got first hand information that he later incorporated in a new book called "Riata and Spurs." In that work, the writer had wanted to include some of his own daring adventures while serving with the Pinkertons. But the Agency threatened a lawsuit if he revealed any of their professional secrets. So the cowboy detective had to delete some of his best material. Siringo's experiences as the quintessential cowboy and determined detective helped romanticize the West and its myth of the American cowboy.

The American Southwest possesses an extraordinary depth of cultural heritage and much of its history is preserved in its architecture. Particularly prominent in the region's man-made landscape are the historic structures made from the earth itself-adobe. Attention has turned to ways of preserving and maintaining the old buildings of the Southwest partly because of the growing national interest in historic preservation. However, in the Southwest there has also been an increased awareness of the inherent viability of native architecture. Adobe structures present unique challenges and require special treatment and until now, much of that information has been unpublished. AGELESS ADOBE provides practical details on methods of preservation and maintenance for old adobe buildings. The over 200 illustrations in the book along with directions on "e;how-to"e; will enable the do-it-yourself home owner as well as the professional architect or contractor to plan and carry out renovation. The author presents solutions to the problems of keeping an historic structure intact while repairing it and making it 20th century livable. The issue of energy conservation is discussed at length and the premise of the book is that historic integrity does not have to be sacrificed for energy efficiency. Rehabilitation is always preferable, usually possible and often more profitable than demolition.

As in the lives of people we all know, this story presents a dozen fictional Santa Feans trying to love, yet mistreating, each other the week before US forces invade Iraq. "e;The aggression that dominates American life today,"e; says author Michael Scofield, "e;goads them into brandishing their dark sides."e; Married realtor Maxine Morgan, for instance, coaxes conservative mortgage broker Ron Kirkpatrick (and others) into bed. Ron's not-quite-yet-psychotic wife Lila tries to seduce handyman Victor Valdez. High-tech writer Manny Barnes falsely promises his fiancee to give up in-your-face activism. CPA Chuck Ridley leaves his family for Silicon Valley CEO Bret, who changes his mind about war. In an ambiance of black humor and misfiring sex, readers will find themselves embracing Maxine's attempt to escape from nymphomania after meeting a retired war correspondent, Victor's desperate scheme to care for his mother while returning to carving Santos, Lila's plan to destroy Maxine, Manny's longing to give Joyce a baby, and Chuck's joy in discovering he's gay. You'll laugh a lot--but you'll also weep to see how our increasing turmoil at home in the United States mirrors our ongoing behavior overseas. Yale University graduate MICHAEL SCOFIELD received his MFA in Writing from Vermont College in 2002. Currently he teaches creative-writing skills to half a dozen students one-on-one. The author of two books of poems, "e;Silicon Valley Escapee"e; (2000) and "e;Whirling Backward into the World"e; (2006), he also has published books on bird-watching and do-it-yourself upholstering. Before moving to Santa Fe, New Mexico in 1995, his wife and he ran a high-tech marketing-communications business from their home in Palo Alto, California.

Many conditions, cultures, and events have played a part in the history of New Mexico. The author, a recognized authority, guides the reader from the earliest land formations into the present time and has illustrated the narrative with photographs, maps, and artwork depicting various changes that took place during the many stages of New Mexico's development. Donald R. Lavash taught New Mexico junior and senior high school history for 13 years, and at the college level for two years. This book is the outgrowth of his teaching experiences and his feeling of a strong need for a New Mexico history text. Dr. Lavash was also the Southwest Historian for the New Mexico State Records Center and Archives for five years. He is the author of numerous articles and books on history and archeology.

Why has Billy Graham, more than any other person, left his imprint on the religious life and history of our times? Why has a man who always cherished quiet conversations with ordinary people made international headlines as perhaps the world best-known "religious celebrity"? And how did Billy Graham stay free of the tarnishing Elmer-Gantry-type temptations of money and women? David Poling asks these and many other questions critics have often asked--and he offers answers as one who was an outspoken critic in the past but changed his mind and attitudes. Placing Billy Graham''s life and ministry under the journalist''s microscope, Poling examines the personal qualities and unchanging message that characterized the great evangelist. He also chronicles the triumphs and struggles of the Graham Crusades and other far-reaching ministries. Evaluating the man in the context of the global society of which Graham still remains so prominent a figure, Poling traces his ministry and its effects from the early days to his position of leadership and reveals why Billy Graham won his abiding respect and admiration and remains a shining example to be followed in his private and public life and conduct. DAVID POLING is author/co-author of fourteen books. He has been pastor to Presbyterian congregations in New York, Oklahoma, New Mexico and Texas. His weekly syndicated column on faith and ethics appeared in 600 newspapers, with an audience of 17 million. Married to Ann Reid Poling, a Wooster College classmate(and known to others as "his favorite theologian") the couple has four grown children and eight grandchildren. Next book: "The Gospel According to the Apaches."

This readable, easy-to-follow guide to physical fitness incorporates Olympic coach Carl Miller''s lifetime of experience. The book discusses the benefits of the motions used in Olympic-style weight lifting that contribute to strength, endurance and flexibility and Miller has fine-tuned his approach with decades of hands-on work with clients, both men and women, from age 9 to 90. The Miller Fitness Plan works for everyone, from athletes training for competition to reformed couch potatoes and people with physical challenges. Athletic weight training movements serve as a core for sound physical fitness, enabling people of all ages and abilities to see long term benefit, and have fun while exercising. Complete with photo illustrations, testimonials for those who have used the Miller Plan and advice on motivation, this book is a unique, user-friendly manual for getting and staying in shape that can be done at any gym or at home.

"I cannot remember a time when I was not writing," says Barbara Berkenfield. "After many years as a free-lance writer, I am very comfortable in my craft and write articles for a public audience with confidence. Throughout my life poetry has been my very personal place, where I can release and organize the words that define 'me.' I have seldom shared my poems with an audience beyond my immediate family, and only five have been previously published. Therefore in the roar of today's world, I hope that my 'mouse voice' is loud enough to evoke memories and sentimental sparks among my new audience."Barbara Berkenfield grew up amid the noise and soot of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania during its heyday as a city of belching steel mills and clanging street cars. Elected to Phi Beta Kappa at Wellesley College, she graduated Summa Cum Laude with a BA in History of Art. In New York City, she found both her niche as a research consultant at the Wildenstein Gallery and her husband John Berkenfield.Following a stint in suburbia, John's career took them abroad with two young sons and they all thrived in the vibrancy of Paris and the beauties and traditions of France. Since 1989 they have lived in Santa Fe where she is a free-lance writer and a docent at the living history museum, El Rancho de las Golondrinas. Many of her poems have been sharpened while on their treasured driving trips in the Southwest with their dog Molly.

In New York City in 1948, a dozen or so reporters founded the New York Press Club to improve relations between newspapermen and the judiciary and police department. One of these "e;newspapermen,"e; and the only living founder is Jeanne Toomey, a law school dropout for financial reasons. At twenty-one years of age, she joined the staff of "e;The Brooklyn Daily Eagle"e; and was sent to cover police headquarters, alternating between Brooklyn and Manhattan. What went on behind all those headlines? The inside story of the sex lives, the disasters, comic episodes, and the general mayhem of those who report the crime of a great city is faithfully recorded in "e;Assignment Homicide."e; With bail bondsmen, judges and cops, the only woman among one hundred men, the author was the envy of her female friends. When the reporters--she dated some of them--launched their press club, they also introduced the district attorneys and police commissioners to their hectic, alcohol-fueled world. Heartaches, passionate mix-ups resulting in sudden death, plane crashes, jail breaks, complex court cases--every kind of disaster--were daily fare for reporters in America's largest city. Here is their story: uncolored, unbiased, bigger than life. Working for as many as thirty newspapers, as well as the Associated Press and King Features Syndicate, JEANNE TOOMEY was a veteran wanderer and itinerant. Never caring much about pensions, benefits, and other serious concerns of many of her peers, she was more preoccupied with seeing the "e;Real America"e; (or France or Mexico). She worked both sides of the United States, carrying a notebook or tape recorder. Published by "e;Family Circle,"e; "e;Family Weekly,"e; AP Newsfeatures, and a number of detective magazines as well as newspapers, she has won the "e;Woman of the Year"e; award from the Women's Press Club of New York, as well as the Nevada State Press Association's prize as best feature writer. A graduate of Southampton College of Long Island University, she tried to hold up a strong mirror to life.

Cory is a middle-aged Easterner, long-divorced, energetic and fearlessly sensual. Pursuing a dream she has nursed for years, she moves to Taos, New Mexico and buys a famous old house and, in the tradition of its previous owner, turns it into a crucible for the transformation of her guests. Eccentric and charming, with a lover from the Pueblo and lots of turquoise and broomstick skirts, Cory finds her guests, mainly skiers and tourists, bewildered by her particular philosophy, which she calls "The School of As-If." Then her long-time friend is found murdered and Cory is suspicious of the local police''s half-hearted attempts to find the murderer. Involving herself in trying to solve the case, her unleashed power leads to surprising and even terrifying results. Part murder mystery, part adventure, this ground-breaking novel traces the mature lives of Cory and her much more conventional sister Apple, who first appeared in the author''s "Matron of Honor," described by Publishers Weekly as "A powerful novel, her best yet." Sallie Bingham''s first novel was published shortly after she graduated from Radcliffe, followed by five more novels and three collections of short stories celebrating the lives of women. This latest, "Cory''s Feast," continues to spotlight adventurous women whose challenges and choices illustrate the social changes of the twenty-first century. Her short stories and poetry have been widely published and her plays have been produced both off-Broadway and around the country. She has received fellowships from Yaddo, the MacDowell Colony and the Virginia Center, and is the founder of The Kentucky Foundation for women.

"I first saw New Mexico as a kid, in 1950," the author says. "At once I fell under its hypnotic spell, as have so many others. My commitment to become a writer about things New Mexican was born shortly thereafter. From more than a half century of prowlings along the byways of the state, I''ve managed to glean a fair knowledge of its peoples and culture."What continues to impress me is that history in New Mexico lies so close to the surface. Here one continually runs into Indians, Hispanos and fourth or fifth generation Anglos whose lives and outlook are firmly rooted in the years before yesterday. Moreover, their personal histories are enriched by the backdrop of an extraordinary landscape. These realities have provided me an abundance of material for carving out the series of short narratives compiled in the book." Marc Simmons is a professional author and historian who has published more than forty books on New Mexico and the American Southwest. His popular "Trail Dust" column is syndicated in several regional newspapers. In 1993, King Juan Carlos of Spain admitted him to the knightly Order of Isabel la Cat├│lica for his contributions to Spanish colonial history.

Culture, politics, education, religion, flora, fauna, and vivid descriptions of many exotic landscapes are explored with a large dash of humor as the author takes us along for a fascinating tour of twelve countries that have been a vital part of his life and career.Starting in India in 1984 with the assassination of Indira Gandhi, the author ignores the usual "tour" theme and concentrates on people and events that provide substantive meaning and a place in history. In the Sudan, the Sharia legal system comes alive in a Moslem country. We have a front row seat as the author describes fundamental changes in Kenya where he served as American Ambassador. In Niger, he joined his wife, Patti, where she was assigned as an arts and crafts consultant at the National Museum. As a consultant to the Executive Service Corps, Mr. Ferguson prepared a definitive plan to launch a new university in Uruguay. In China, as a member of the first accredited bird-watching excursion, he watched the throbbing culture of the rural areas. He enjoyed the flora and fauna in the rain forests of Costa Rico, the mountains and coasts of the South Island in New Zealand, and the rare Orangutans in the independent country of Sabah in northern Borneo. In a short visit to Hungary, as the former President of Radio Free Europe--Radio Liberty, he experienced the impact of lifting the Iron Curtain. After a gap of forty years, he author absorbs the remarkable changes in Bangkok, Thailand where he directed the exciting Peace Corps program. In the exciting last chapter, he brings to life the snow capped Himalaya Mountains and the beautiful valleys of culturally exciting Bhutan. Come along. You''ll enjoy the trip and acquire an enhanced understanding of the complex world in which we live and enjoy a few laughs along the way. GLENN FERGUSON served as President of four universities (Long Island, Clark, Connecticut, and the American University of Paris); Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty in Munich; Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, and President and founder of Equity for Africa. He was an Associate Director of the Peace Corps in Washington, and the first Director in Thailand. He was also the first Director of Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA); American Ambassador to Kenya (Arthur Flemming Award); and a management consultant with McKinsey & Company. As an Air Force Psychological Warfare Officer, he served in Korea and the Philippines. Since his retirement, Ambassador Ferguson, and his wife Patti, have resided in Santa Fe, New Mexico where he has written five books relating to travel, religion, essays, aphorism and sports. He received two degrees from Cornell University and a law degree from the University of Pittsburgh.

Santa Fe offers plenty of fun for children. Although best known for its arts and culture, the city has museums, parks, hikes, special attractions and seasonal events sure to charm children of any age. This newly updated Sunstone Press classic presents an enticing menu of places to go, things to see and activities to entertain and amuse children visiting Santa Fe as well as those fortunate enough to live in the city, all in an easy-to-read format. Addresses, phone numbers and websites to make the information more accessible are also included. The guide opens with a child-friendly chapter on Santa Fe''s history designed to help parents and children get the most out of their exploration of this unusual and fascinating place known for its three cultures. The book also offers a family-focused calendar of events designed to guide visitors and residents as they plan their time to enjoy the area''s annual events that have special appeal to children. Also included is information about recommended day trips, as well as child-friendly places and events in nearby Albuquerque. Author Anne Hillerman grew up and raised her own children in Santa Fe. A professional journalist for more than 20 years, Anne is the author of other books including "The Insiders'' Guide to Santa Fe (Globe Pequot)" and Sunstone Press''s "Done in the Sun," a children''s book of solar energy projects. She is the daughter of Southwest mystery writer Tony Hillerman and lives in Santa Fe with her photographer husband.

It''s possible that Billy the Kid escaped the gunfire from Pat Garrett''s pistol. And, under the name of John Miller, he could have lived the rest of his life as a cattle rancher and horse breeder in the Zuni mountains of Western New Mexico, and as a farm worker in Buckeye, Arizona. His adopted son, Max Miller, said so. So do most of the Indians and the Mormon pioneers who knew John Miller. Could this be? Our book presents some convincing evidence. You decide.

"I am particularly fond of this book," Muth says. "Because it combines the two major interests of my life--poetry and art. They have been the focus of my life for many years. Although I am now in my mid-eighties, my outlook is still filled with the same enthusiasm as when I was ten years old. Reading is what I do in my spare time and I enjoy the present and look forward to the future. My words and images all come from somewhere inside me, from my heart and my imagination. They are meant to be shared with others."MARCIA MUTH was born in Fort Wayne, Indiana in 1919 and grew up in Indiana and western New York State. She received degrees from the University of Michigan and has lived in Santa Fe, New Mexico for the past thirty-eight years. Her work is in private and public collections including The Jewish Museum (New York), The Albuquerque Museum, Museum of Fine Arts (Santa Fe) and the Art Museum of Southeast Texas (Beaumont). This is her fourth book of poetry.