Important New Book Released

I have been in a writer’s critique group for over a year now, and I’m delighted to be a part of such a committed body.  When you’re not as experienced or as talented as others, it takes a certain amount of courage to put your writing out there to be analyzed and scrutinized.  Yet, my group could not be more supportive or helpful. 

As a retired teacher, I’ve always known about the power of collaboration.  Five and six minds working in concert are much more powerful than one who may not be able to look at his/her work as objectively.  If we can overcome the fear that our work doesn’t match up to others, the improvement will come.  Rather than comparing myself to my fellow writers, I focus on where my writing is at now as opposed to when I first started.  I can see the development and progress, and that provides reinforcement to keep working.

For the first time since I’ve been in the group, one of our members has come out with a published book.  I am so excited to tell you about Jeanne Gale and her new book, Having Everything. Gale, a former lawyer in central and northern California, has been retired for four years, and this is her debut novel.  Though the names are changed, her story originates from a specific case in which Gale represented a client in juvenile court.

Having Everything is told from the third-person point of view. It focuses primarily on Artemisia, a high school senior from the Latino community.  She is living with her father, Bonifacio, and her four younger siblings at a migrant farm in the Central Valley of California.  Bonifacio works as the foreman for Mr. Markilsen, a kind and decent man, in his grape-growing agricultural business. Artemisia’s mother lives in Mexico, but the family has not seen her in over three years.  Bonifacio wants to make a better life for his family. His dream is to send Artemisia to college, but he is working in the country illegally, so it’s uncertain whether this can ever come to fruition.

The central villain in the story is Mr. Trouckman, a competitor to Markilsen.  Trouckman has a deep-seated hatred of Latino immigrants, and yet, ironically, has no problem employing them in his competing business.  Trouckman further demonstrates his poor character by paying off and bribing local officials, including the sheriff and district attorney, as a means to gain favors.

All of her teachers respect Artemisia as an exceptional student and a hard worker.  She receives a scholarship to attend school at Fresno State.  After a school assembly recognizing those students who have earned a college scholarship, Trouckman, with the help of his son, Jimmy, devises a plan to bring down Artemisia and her father.  They frame Artemisia for a crime, and suddenly the future for her and her father is in question.  I won’t spoil the ending of the story for you, but I will say it is quite shocking.

What is particularly moving in Gale’s foreword is that she shares that Bonifacio, Artemisia, and the rest of the family took Gale and her family in after their house burned down.  Things later came full circle when she represented Artemisia in court as her attorney.

Gale’s story is fast-moving and compelling.  She does not write her book for fame or adulation but does want to bring light to a corrupt system and important problem.  I know I speak for the others in the critique group when I say how proud we are of Jeanie for writing this book.  It is hot off the press, released on May 5^th in honor of Cinco de Mayo.  I give it the highest recommendation.

Links to purchase Jeanne Gale’s book, “Having Everything”:

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/having-everything-jeanne-arlene-gale/1136602559

Jeanne’s book is also available on Amazon in paperback. Unfortunately, the link is not working here. Just type in “Having Everything” by Jeanne Gale Amazon.