Solitude, Community, Hope

An Anthology

Brett Peruzzi, Editor
Marianne Orlando, Illustrator
Joanne Sarkar, Art Director / Designer

Solitude, Community, Hope: An Anthology is a collection of poetry, prose, and images representing these three facets of our lives. From the pain of loneliness to the joy of voluntary solitude, to the building of community and the hope for a better future, the contributors to this compilation explore a diversity of emotions and perspectives. It is a collection that helps us recognize and appreciate that despite our differences, we all have a common need for human contact and connection. All proceeds earned for book sales will be donated to First Parish in Framingham, a Unitarian Universalist congregation, as it seeks to offer programming to end the epidemic of loneliness. uuframingham.org/

Watch the video to learn how this book became a reality.

Paperback, 6 x 9 x 0.375″, 128 pages, 24 color illustrations, $20.00, ISBN 9781941573693, published 2024. Available from Silver Street Media.

The Pumpkin Patch

A Story of Service, Creativity and Community

Margot Cheel, Author and Photographer
Ken Burg, Art Director / Designer

A successful community fundraiser has become an annual event and is showcased in a new book! Phil Lehr creates huge designs on the ground that can only be seen and understood from the air, and they are revealed in the photographs taken by pilot and aerial photographer Margot Cheel in Cohasset, MA. The new book, “The Pumpkin Patch: A Story of Service, Creativity and Community” shows 20 years of Halloween inspired designs created with thousands of pumpkins by a team of teens and adults! The photographs of the pumpkin designs are always highly anticipated and make walking in the patch a fun and intriguing experience. Phil Lehr creates a different pattern each year which is kept secret from everyone – including photographer Margot Cheel – until finally being revealed in the aerial photographs! Now in book form, all twenty years of aerial photos can be seen and enjoyed, along with the story of how the purchase of pumpkins supports a service project to Appalachia. In the book there is good humor and a heartwarming feeling that comes through the pages. It’s inspirational, creative, and spirited! Margot Cheel has also authored the fine art aerial photography books: “Sea & Sand from the Sky” and “What Do You See? Finding Shapes from the Sky,” available from margotcheel.com. A portion of the proceeds from sales of “The Pumpkin Patch” support the Cohasset Appalachia Service Project. cohassetasp.org.

Paperback, 8 x 10 x 0.125″, 28 pages, 31 color photographs, $15.00, ISBN 9781941573723, published 2024. Available from Silver Street Media.

Mother Brook and the Mills of East Dedham

Judith A. Neiswander, Author
Brett Peruzzi, Editor
David Bryant, Photographer
Rob Levine, Art Director / Designer

As one of the first two inland towns to be settled in Massachusetts, Dedham has an ancient history. One of earliest accomplishments of the town’s first settlers was the creation of Mother Brook, a channel three-quarters of a mile in length that diverts water from the Charles River through an inland stream to empty into the Neponset, creating a waterway strong enough to turn the wheel of a grist mill. Excavated by hand between 1639-41, at a time when the town consisted of fewer than 30 families, it was a feat of engineering that would be remarkable even today. Mother Brook, arguably the nation’s first power canal, has been celebrated by historians who have focused on the town’s earliest years, up to the establishment of the Norfolk Cotton Mill in 1808, and have largely ignored the later period when the fully industrialized textile factories were no longer locally owned.

In this book, Judy Neiswander tells the story of Mother Brook during the 19th and 20th centuries, when the stream was enlarged to power gigantic textile mills that drew thousands of Irish, German, & Italian immigrant workers to the area. Concentrated in a “mill village” in East Dedham and separated from the rest of the town by language and culture, these newcomers lived a highly precarious existence of relentless, exhausting labor under hazardous conditions for barely subsistence-level wages. Despite these obstacles, they created a lively, diverse, and supportive community with a strong identity that continues to this day. With persistence and remarkable endurance, they made a home for themselves and for others like them and ultimately transformed the rest of the town. Today, Dedham belongs to the heirs of Mill Village.

Paperback, 7 x 10 x 0.375″, 160 pages, 69 color/B&W illustrations, $18.95, ISBN 9781941573662, published 2024. Available from Silver Street Media.

Looking East

Short Histories and More 2004 – 2023

Walter McClennen, Author
Rob Levine, Art Director / Designer

Walter McClennen uses a “Short History” model to set forth a collection of his ideas reflecting on the deep past, and our more recent history, as well as the history we are making as we live our lives today. “Looking East – Short Histories and More, 2004-2023,” is a compact and thought-provoking read. From a ten page “Short History of the World,” to Peace Corps and Vietnam War impacts as felt five decades later, to the dual genius of the famous author, Harper Lee, and to some little-known history of his hometown, Holliston, Massachusetts, McClennen shares candid opinions and raises interesting questions that will challenge the reader.  After publishing two earlier books of historically important family letters, the author now has compiled twenty years of his short histories and commentaries initially intended for his family, the town where he raised his children, and for his closest friends. However, the eclectic mix of contemporary topics covered in this most recent book will stir the interest of inquiring readers. Supplemented by a touch of poetry and illuminating photos and illustrations, “Looking East” is both an uplifting and a challenging read.

Paperback, 6 x 9 x 0.3125″, 122 pages, 26 color/B&W illustrations, $19.95, ISBN 9781941573631, published 2024. Available from Silver Street Media.

When the World Feels a Little Scary

Dealing with Difficult Feelings

Gia Susi, Author
Brett Peruzzi, Editor
Marianne Orlando, Illustrator
Rob Levine, Art Director / Designer

“When the World Feels a Little Scary” addresses some of the major challenges that children, and their parents, face in the world today. Rather than shy away from tough topics like the tragedies reported daily on TV news broadcasts, school lockdown drills, and losing people close to us, this book helps children navigate the big feelings that may arise from scary events in life. It serves as a reminder that we are not alone and that our children are loved.

Hardcover, 10 x 8 x 0.25″, 28 pages, 15 color illustrations, $19.95, ISBN 9781941573624, published 2024. Available from Silver Street Media.

Foxborough’s Civil War Service: A History and Roster

A History and Roster

Tom A. C. Ellis, Jr., Author
Pamela W. Ellis, Editor
Rob Levine, Cover Designer

This book chronicles the history of the contributions of the Town of Foxborough in the Civil War. It describes the actions taken by the town as a municipality. It enlightens the reader as to the involvements of the Women and service of men of African descent for the Town of Foxborough, from 1861 to 1865. It contains a detailed biographical sketch of each soldier’s service that was accredited to the Town of Foxborough. This sketch, with all information found, will include when and where he enlisted and his military history; when and where he was born; his parents’ names, including his mother’s maiden name; when and where he was married, including his wife’s maiden name and their children’s names; his date and cause of death, as well as his final resting place. It incorporates a brief description of the unit he served in. The reader is able to note his dates of service and compare that to the regimental history, and then will understand that soldier’s involvement in the war. There is also a section of the book that describes the life of the soldier, when not in battle. It portrays the recruitment, camp life, conscription, commutation, desertions, executions, bounties paid and a host of other particulars of a soldier’s life. It is also a great aid to those searching genealogy of those who served in the Civil War.

Hardcover, 7 x 10 x 1.06″, 414 pages, 131 B/W illustrations, $45.00, ISBN 99781941573648, published 2024. Available from Silver Street Media.

A Good Life

Frederica Steinberg, Author
Sally Brady, Editor
Bruce Kennett and Frederica Steinberg, Designers

A Good Life by Frederica Steinberg is a moving poetic elegy to her husband of sixty years, Arthur Steinberg. Whether it’s recalling with fond memory and insight their early years together, or the pain of watching him fade away as his illness worsens, Steinberg portrays a deep love and devotion that transcends life and death. Rich with details that illuminate who Arthur was, from his precise renditions of classical music on the piano to his deft repairs to his beloved motorcycles, Steinberg provides a portrait of a multifaceted man who was not easily defined. A Good Life is a vivid study of a shared life that was well-lived and the ache of loss as it slowly slipped away. The book also lovingly reveals the many ways that dementia and Alzheimer’s impact family life, making this a valuable resource for all whose loved ones are just beginning to suffer from memory loss.

Hardcover, 6 x 9 x 0.25″, 82 pages, 33 illustrations, $22.95, ISBN 99781941573563, published 2024. Available from Silver Street Media.

Paperback, 6 x 9 x 0.1875″, 82 pages, 33 illustrations, $15.95, ISBN 9781941573570, published 2024. Available from Silver Street Media.

Adapt to Adopt

Anna Hunter, Ed.D, Author
Brett Peruzzi, Editor
Tyler Widdick, Illustrator and Cover Designer
Rob Levine, Interior Book Designer

Technology alone is not going to solve your problems. Organizations commit endless time and money toward implementing new software, hoping each new solution will be the ticket to success. Yet a common pitfall is underestimating the importance of the people throughout and beyond the software implementation process. Adapt to Adopt offers an in depth guide for garnering buy-in from the true drivers of success… the people who will use and maintain the software. Author Dr. Anna Hunter, an expert in change management and software implementation, draws on counseling and transition theories to walk leaders through strategies that encourage employee acceptance of new technology. By incorporating the human-first approach to software implementation, organization leaders will create a transition plan that aligns people and goals by keeping change management at the core of successful adoption. Learn how to apply proven principles to foster software adoption, overcome resistance, and cultivate a change resilient team that truly becomes the muscle behind the machine. Adapt to Adopt is designed as a hands-on experience which walks you through several exercises for navigating the software implementation process. To benefit the most from the material, download a free printable workbook from the author’s website: www.anna-hunter.com/book.

Paperback, 5 x 8 x 0.1875″, 82 pages, 33 illustrations, $12.95, ISBN 9781941573891, published 2024. Available from Silver Street Media.

eBook, 33 illustrations, $6.99, ISBN 9781941573617, published 2024. Available from Silver Street Media.

Sealed With a Kiss

The World War II Love Letters of Second Lieutenant Paul E. Roberts, 320th Rifle Infantry Regiment, United States Army

Paula B. Roberts, Author
Brett Peruzzi, Editor
Rob Levine, Designer

In late 1942, as World War II raged, 19-year-old Paul Roberts left college and enlisted in the United States Army. After completed basic training and Officer Candidate School, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the 320th Rifle Infantry Regiment. He and his regiment fought their way through France, Belgium, Holland, and Germany against the Nazis until he was seriously wounded in March of 1945.

Throughout his wartime odyssey, he wrote hundreds of letters to his fiancée Bernice back home in upstate New York. His correspondence provides not only an intimate view of a relationship challenged but ultimately strengthened by separation and adversity, but a historic yet personal perspective of the war in Europe by one of the men who led troops into battle during the world’s deadliest conflict.

Read the Fox News article about the book here.

Paperback, 7 x 10″, 250 pages $19.95, 54 B/W photographs, ISBN 9781941573907, published 2023. Available from Silver Street Media.

The Great Fight of Life

Mastering The Art of Showing Up For All of Life’s Challenges

Anthony LaBate, Author
Rob Levine, Designer

In this short, inspirational meditation, Anthony LaBate distills the challenges of life and thriving in it into a struggle for control of your own mind. Personified by the concept that the core to success is just being fully present and showing up every day to do your best, LaBate uses this simple concept as the guiding principle for all of us to reach our highest potential. The Great Fight of Life helps us address our fears and push through them to enjoy a fulfilling and peaceful existence. Author Bio: Anthony LaBate is a self-made, rags-to-riches entrepreneur who has made it in life despite having to overcome numerous obstacles. His journeys range from being a U.S. Marine veteran of the Iraq War to a park bench alcoholic and addict to a successful businessman who rubs elbows with millionaires and billionaires.

Hardcover, 6 x 9 x 0.25″, 30 pages, 16 B/W illustrations, $19.95, ISBN 9781941573594, published 2023. Available from Silver Street Media.
eBook, 16 B/W illustrations, $6.99, ISBN 9781941573600, published 2023. Available from Silver Street Media.

Nine Lives and Counting

A Memoir of Hope, Caring, and Healing

Constance A. Bean, MPH, Author
Brett Peruzzi, Editor
Rob Levine, Art Director/Designer

After nearly a century of living, in Nine Lives and Counting Constance A. Bean reflects on her long and accomplished life. From her early exploits as a teenage pilot, to her decades as a passionate activist and author in the field of natural childbirth after the birth of her own two children, to overcoming several serious illnesses, Bean brings deep insight about many of the societal changes that reshaped American life in the 20th century. Whether it’s about her struggle to understand her own family’s complicated history, or her long quest for mothers (and fathers) to have more control over the births of their children, Nine Lives and Counting is a story of triumph, healing, and hope.

Paperback, 6 x 9 x 0.5″, 220 pages, 58 illustrations, $16.95, ISBN 9781941573914, published 2023. Available from Silver Street Media.

Ashland’s Civil War Service

A History and Roster

Tom A. C. Ellis, Jr., Author
Pamela W. Ellis, Editor
Rob Levine, Cover Designer

This book chronicles the history of the contributions of the Town of Ashland in the Civil War. It describes the actions taken by the town as a municipality. It enlightens the reader as to the involvements of the Women and service of men of African descent for the Town of Ashland, from 1861 to 1865. It contains a detailed biographical sketch of each soldier’s service that was accredited to the Town of Ashland. This sketch, with all information found, will include when and where he enlisted and his military history; when and where he was born; his parents’ names, including his mother’s maiden name; when and where he was married, including his wife’s maiden name and their children’s names; his date and cause of death, as well as his final resting place. It incorporates a brief description of the unit he served in. The reader is able to note his dates of service and compare that to the regimental history, and then will understand that soldier’s involvement in the war. There is also a section of the book that describes the life of the soldier, when not in battle. It portrays the recruitment, camp life, conscription, commutation, desertions, executions, bounties paid and a host of other particulars of a soldier’s life. It is also a great aid to those searching genealogy of those who served in the Civil War.

Tom Ellis discusses his book during his television interview here.

Hardcover, 7 x 10 x 0.88″, 336 pages, 109 B/W illustrations, $35.00, ISBN 9781941573525, published 2023. Available from Silver Street Media.

Through My Eyes

A Collection of Poems by a World War II and Korean War Combat Veteran

Donald A. Chase, Author
Gwen Garban, Compiler, Editor and Designer
Ellen Chase, Photographer

Donald A. Chase served as an American Combat Infantry soldier in World War II and the Korean War. Reflecting on his time in the service and his life, he used poetry to express the profound impact that these experiences had on him. Mr. Chase paints pictures of the brutality of war with his words, as well as the serenity of life’s simple pleasures. A true American hero, his collection of poems are a gift to the world.

Read the Boston Globe article describing the author, his nurse, and how this book came to be here.

Paperback, 6 x 9 x 0.1875″, 68 pages, $11.99, ISBN 9781941573532, published 2023. Available from Silver Street Media.

Like a Girl

22 Leadership Lessons For Women On The Rise

Suhaiba Neill, Author
Brett Peruzzi, Editor
Rob Levine, Designer

Growing up with three brothers and no sisters, coupled with twenty-five years of work in all male-dominated industries prepared Suhaiba Neill for often being the only female in the room in her professional life. She realized, however, that being a woman in a man’s world could be an advantage when the right approach was used. Like A Girl: 22 Leadership Lessons for Women on the Rise is a distillation of the knowledge and wisdom she gained throughout her journey into leadership. Rich with examples from her own life, these lessons are both an inspiration and a road map to success for the next generation of female leaders.

Paperback, 5.5 x 8.5 x 0.1875″, 86 pages, $14.95, ISBN 9781941573884, published 2023. Available from Silver Street Media.
eBook, $5.99, ISBN 9781941573549, published 2023. Available from Silver Street Media.

We Want Solutions

The Role of Self-Interest in Resolving Disparities Between Northern and Global Southern Societies

Dr. Victor N. Accam, Author

Dr. Victor Narh Accam offers an alternative approach to seeking solutions to the problems present in the political economies of the Global South, more specifically African countries practicing multi-party democracy. Obvious causes of the developmental gaps have been shown through numerous research studies, publications, and speeches. The practice of democratic dispensations has been suggested and implemented in most of the Global South as a panacea that would lead to the expected development. But despite the promising nature of this ideology, it has instead led to frustration.

The mental faculties needed are driven by self-interest or aggregated self-interest. The author focuses on self-interest, which is a natural psychological disposition. This is the concept which can influence and shape key components of the solution, including security, revenue collection, public purchasing, law, job creation, education, local government, and political participation.

The author explains the path to a viable solution by using a basic equation that combines natural resources and mental faculties to achieve greater creation of property. At times using imagined Socratic-style dialogues between two people, Accam provides not just theory but practical examples of how his concepts can be applied in the real world.

Dr. Accam discusses his book during his television interview here.

Paperback, 5 x 8 x 0.3125″, 122 pages, $20.00, ISBN 9781941573518, published 2023. Available from Amazon.

Old West

A Fable of the Gluttony of Understanding

E.D. Evans, Author and Photographer

Journey through the Old West where time stands still and there is nothing to believe in, except silence. Take a solitary ramble through old ghost towns, abandoned mining towns and echoing expanses.

Pack light, lonesome traveler. And should you pass me by, kindly tip your hat to a lady.

Hardcover, 10 x 8 x 0.25″, 72 pages, $29.95, ISBN 9781941573433, published 2023. Available from Silver Street Media.

Paperback, 10 x 8 x 0.19″, 72 pages, $19.95, ISBN 9781941573440, published 2023. Available from Silver Street Media.

Under the Garden Gate

Upton’s Civil War Service

Unlocking the Secrets of Remote Leadership

A guide for virtual leaders to optimize performance, attract and retain top talent and improve workplace culture

Katherine Brand and Cecilia Dahl, Authors
Rob Levine, Designer

This is a handbook full of expert insights and time-tested strategies, Written by a team of virtual leaders with over 40 yrs. of combined experience, for virtual leaders at all levels.  You’ll delve into decades of real-life experiences, remarkable stories, and transformative lessons that will elevate your leadership game.This is a handbook full of expert insights and time-tested strategies, Written by a team of virtual leaders with over 40 yrs. of combined experience, for virtual leaders at all levels.  You’ll delve into decades of real-life experiences, remarkable stories, and transformative lessons that will elevate your leadership game.This invaluable resource is your key to mastering the art of virtual leadership and creating a lasting impact in the ever-evolving workplace landscape. The combination of practical skills and examples, readers will gain insights into:

• How to build a strong foundation for your virtual team including hiring, onboarding, and team infrastructure
• Mentoring and coaching in a virtual environment
• Managing conflict, building trust and resilience, and establishing team identity
• How to communicate effectively and with context

Whether you are managing a fully virtual or hybrid team, step into the future and lead with confidence – secure your copy today!”

Paperback, 7 x 10 x 0.4375″, 172 pages, $16,95, ISBN 9781941573457, published 2023. Available from Silver Street Media.

eBook, ISBN 9781941573495, published 2023. Available from Silver Street Media.

Sailing with the Wind of Freedom

Lascarina Bouboulis and the War for Greek Independence

Katherine Kaye, Author
Brett Peruzzi, Editor
Dmitri Andreyev, Illustrator
Rob Levine, Designer

In March 1821, a ragtag group of Ottoman subjects in a remote corner of the Sultan’s vast empire makes a desperate bid to reclaim a long-suppressed national identity. United by courageous leaders, they wage war against the power that has occupied their country for over 350 years. One of these leaders, a woman known as Bouboulina, helps them build a naval fleet. Sailing into battle in her own flagship, she proves that her sleek warships can defeat the cumbersome Ottoman men-of-war. But the Sultan is amassing all his forces – on land as well as sea – to crush the Greeks. Can Bouboulina save the Revolution?

This historical novel about Lascarina Bouboulis and her role in the Greek War for Independence is inspired by the life of a woman who earned the title of ‘Admiral’ in the Greek navy. It transports the reader to the seemingly quiet island of Spetses, where dreams of freedom still lived in the hearts of the Sultan’s Greek subjects. The book opens in 1786, at a fateful moment in the life of the fifteen-year-old Lascarina Lazarou. Lascarina is the subject of much gossip; no one in her small village knows who her father is, and Lascarina’s mother takes care to guard this secret even from her own daughter. Worse yet, Lascarina possesses skills considered highly inappropriate for a girl: she is a brilliant sailor and can read and write. When Lascarina competes in a hard-fought sailing race, she learns lessons that will stand her in good stead all her life. In addition, she discovers that, for one young man with an independent mind, a troublesome reputation is no obstacle to friendship. Lascarina passes into history with the name Bouboulina. She brings the battle for freedom to the door of the Sultan’s palace, winning help from a highly unlikely ally to whom she makes a momentous promise. Using her own fortune, she builds a fleet of warships. The resourceful Bouboulina navigates the intrigues of the Russian and Ottoman courts and, with a cast of other colorful Revolutionary characters, rallies her countrymen to wage their War for Independence in 1821.

Hardcover with dust jacket, 6 x 9 x 0.50″, 156 pages, $23.95, ISBN 9781941573389, published 2023. Available from Silver Street Media.

Paperback, 6 x 9 x 0.375″, 160 pages, $14.95, ISBN 9781941573396, published 2023. Available from Silver Street Media.

ebook, $6.99, ISBN 9781941573402, published 2024. Available from Silver Street Media.

Tails with Gig

Katherine L. Babson Jr., Author
Katherine K. Macdonald, Illustrator

In TAILS WITH GIG, author Pippi Babson, a Black Lab, details her escapades during the pandemic as she grows from a puppy to a young dog. The book’s stories and illustrations depict the Lab’s point of view, as mischief unfolds on every page. Enjoy the fun. You may recognize the antics of your own four-legged pal.

Net proceeds will be donated to Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University.

Hardcover, 11 x 8.5 x 0.25″, 48 pages, $20.00, ISBN 9781941573426, published 2022. Available from Silver Street Media.

Time For My Generation To DIE

The Elements of Earth

Out on the Rim of the Now

Remember me to all the friends

Civil War letters from George W. Harwood, Massachusetts 36th Regiment

Janet M. Drake, Author
Brett Peruzzi, Editor
Rob Levine, Illustrator
Lisa Breslow Thompson, Designer

During the Civil War George W. Harwood enlisted for three years with the Thirty-sixth Regiment of Massachusetts Volunteers. He was twenty years old, a graduate of the public schools in the town of North Brookfield, in Worcester County, Massachusetts. He came from a family who had farming and cattle trading interests. He had also worked in the shoe manufacturing trade, which was a prominent industry in North Brookfield at the time. This book is the collection of the letters he wrote home almost weekly for those three years.

His regiment travelled with General Ambrose E. Burnside’s Ninth Corps from Maryland, to Virginia, Kentucky, Mississippi, Tennessee and back to Virginia. Along the way there were numerous skirmishes, some major battles, and he provides an excellent description of the war and the land from a soldier’s perspective. The regiment participated in the Siege of Vicksburg, the Battle of Jackson, Mississippi, the Siege of Knoxville, the Overland Campaign, and the Petersburg Campaign. George was promoted twice, first to sergeant and then to first lieutenant. His letters home to family and friends often mention others in his regiments, friends and cousins in other regiments, and news about people back home in North Brookfield.

The Burnside Ninth Corps was sometimes referred to as the “wandering corps” as they travelled across a large portion of the area where Civil War engagements took place, from east to west and then back east. Because of these travels and his promotions, the reader sees a larger view of the Civil War than is often presented. The geographical coverage is extensive, and the perspective varied, as George’s experience as a private differs greatly from what he encountered as a commissioned officer.

The letters were passed down in the family from George’s parents and sister to his great niece and then to a cousin and her husband. They are now lovingly cared for by their daughter, the author of this book.

Paperback, 7 x 10 x 0.813”, 360 pages, $29.95, ISBN 9781941573679, published 2022. Available from Silver Street Media.

Hannah in Venice

Diana Stelin, Author & Illustrator
Kathryn Atkins, Editor
Rachael Studebaker, Designer

This is a story of innocence, creativity and hope for a brighter future. It takes place in the 1600s in Venice, Italy and follows a Jewish girl who get lost during the Carnival of Venice. Her ability to see beauty and reflect on all her life’s influences brings her family out of the shadows of the Jewish Ghetto.

Hardcover, 11 x 8.5 x 0.25”, 30 pages, $17.99, ISBN 9781941573341, published 2022. Available from Silver Street Media.

Sun Sinking Down Like Honey

Poems by Linda Recco O’Connell

Linda Recco O’Connell, Author and Photographer
Brett Peruzzi, Editor
Lisa Breslow Thompson, Designer

In this moving second collection of her poems, Linda Recco O’Connell writes about everyday realities and raw emotions; most importantly, family, friendships, love, death, and grief. Whether she is addressing her late parents, her sons, husband, grandchildren, or her beloved dog, her poems resonate with keen perceptions and vivid memories. From eating a grapefruit to recalling her first kiss, O’Connell’s grasp of the sensuality of life in all of its forms brings a sweet ache of recognition to the reader. Sun Sinking Down Like Honey is a journey into the life and mind of a poet for whom even the smallest details of our existence can be spun into words full of emotional truth.

Paperback, 5 x 7.75 x 0.313”, 130 pages, $14.95, ISBN 9781941573556, published 2022. Available from Silver Street Media.

Bellingham’s Civil War Service

Dover’s Civil War Service

A History and Roster

Tom A.C. Ellis, Jr., Author
Pamela Ellis, Editor
Lisa Breslow Thompson, Designer

This book chronicles the history of the contributions of the Town of Dover in the Civil War. It describes the actions taken by the town as a municipality. It enlightens the reader as to the involvements of the Women and service of men of African descent for the Town of Dover, from 1861 to 1865.

It contains a detailed biographical sketch of each soldier’s service that was accredited to the Town of Dover. This sketch, with all information found, will include when and where he enlisted and his military history; when and where he was born; his parents’ names, including his mother’s maiden name; when and where he was married, including his wife’s maiden name and their children’s names; his date and cause of death, as well as his final resting place. It incorporates a brief description of the unit he served in. The reader is able to note his dates of service and compare that to the regimental history, and then will understand that soldier’s involvement in the war. There is also a section of the book that describes the life of the soldier, when not in battle. It portrays the recruitment, camp life, conscription, commutation, desertions, executions, bounties paid and a host of other particulars of a soldier’s life. It is also a great aid to those searching genealogy of those who served in the Civil War.

Hardcover, 7 x 10 x 0.8125”, 230 pages, $35.00, ISBN 9781941573587, published 2022. Available from Silver Street Media.

Wakefield’s Civil War Service

A History and Roster

Tom A.C. Ellis, Jr., Author
Pamela Ellis, Editor
Lisa Breslow Thompson, Designer

This book chronicles the history of the contributions of the Town of Wakefield in the Civil War. It describes the actions taken by the town as a municipality. It enlightens the reader as to the involvements of the Women and service of men of African descent for the Town of Wakefield, from 1861 to 1865.

It contains a detailed biographical sketch of each soldier’s service that was accredited to the Town of Wakefield. This sketch, with all information found, will include when and where he enlisted and his military history; when and where he was born; his parents’ names, including his mother’s maiden name; when and where he was married, including his wife’s maiden name and their children’s names; his date and cause of death, as well as his final resting place. It incorporates a brief description of the unit he served in. The reader is able to note his dates of service and compare that to the regimental history, and then will understand that soldier’s involvement in the war. There is also a section of the book that describes the life of the soldier, when not in battle. It portrays the recruitment, camp life, conscription, commutation, desertions, executions, bounties paid and a host of other particulars of a soldier’s life. It is also a great aid to those searching genealogy of those who served in the Civil War.

Hardcover, 7 x 10 x 1.6875”, 616 pages, $45.00, ISBN 9781941573327, published 2022. Available from Silver Street Media.

The Bancroft Building

Where History Meets Modern Living

James L. Parr and Kevin A Swope, Authors
Lynne Damianos, Photographer
Proverb, Cover Design
Lisa Breslow Thompson, Designer

For over 120 years, the Bancroft Building on Fountain Street has been a focus of activity in downtown Framingham, Massachusetts. First, as a center of industry – the Waldorf Shoe, the Bay State Automobile, and the famous Green Beret were all manufactured here in the 20th century. Second, as a center of the creative arts – as the Fountain Street Studios with over 70 tenants made it the largest group of artists under one roof between Boston and Worcester at the turn of the millennium. Third, in its latest incarnation as Bancroft Lofts, as dynamic new living space for the 21st century with 258 fully renovated or newly constructed units. “The Bancroft Building: Where History Meets Modern Living” is a lavishly-illustrated tour through the vibrant history of this remarkable property on the shores of Farm Pond.

Hardcover, 12 x 12”, 30 pages, 99 color and B/W photographs, $35.00, ISBN 9781941573419, published 2021. Available from Silver Street Media.

Bogastowe Farms Stone House Archaeological Investigation

Mimi and Mikey’s Adventures in China and America

A Holliston Oath to Support and Defend

Bobby Blair, Author
Brett Peruzzi, Editor
Lisa Breslow Thompson, Designer

“A Holliston Oath to Support and Defend” is Bobby Blair’s second tribute to military veterans from the small Massachusetts town of Holliston, thirty miles southwest of Boston. Continuing in the tradition of his first book, “A Holliston Call to Duty,” this volume introduces us to more men and women who were called in times of peace and war to the nation’s defense. With sixty photographs and accompanying text, the book pays tribute to the service of the town’s residents. Beginning with the Civil War, it continues to global overseas wars like World War I and World War II, to the mid-twentieth century conflicts in Korea and Vietnam, and the twenty-first century wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The World War II section of the book is further enriched with excerpts from a local newsletter published in 1944-45 that provides deep insights into the lives and experiences of service members in that era.

“A Holliston Oath to Support and Defend” offers a compelling portrait of veterans who came from all walks of life to serve their country, some of whom paid the ultimate sacrifice and never returned.

Paperback, 6 x 9 x 0.313”, 128 pages, 60 color and B/W photographs, $20.00, ISBN 9781941573273, published 2021. Available from Silver Street Media.

A Holliston Call to Duty

Bobby Blair, Author
Brett Peruzzi, Editor
Lisa Breslow Thompson, Designer

“A Holliston Call to Duty” is a tribute to military veterans from the small Massachusetts town of Holliston, thirty miles southwest of Boston. Little has been previously told about the lives of these men and women who were called in times of peace and war to the nation’s defense. With over fifty photographs and accompanying text, the book pays tribute to the service of the town’s residents. It begins with existential domestic struggles like the American Revolution and the Civil War, continues to global overseas wars like World War I and World War II, all the way to the twenty-first century conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. “A Holliston Call to Duty” provides a rich portrait of veterans who came from all walks of life, from farmers to college students, from draftees to volunteers, some of whom paid the ultimate sacrifice and never returned.

Paperback, 6 x 9 x 0.313”, 136 pages, 55 color and B/W photographs, $20.00, ISBN 9781941573259, published 2021. Available from Silver Street Media.

My Dear Mother: Civil War Letters to Dedham from the Lathrop Brothers

Dedham Historical Society & Museum, Author
Transcribed by Stuart R. Christie
Lisa Breslow Thompson, Designer

Letters written by three brothers from Dedham, Massachusetts, to various family members at home describing pivotal battles, details of life in camp, and other aspects of their experiences as Union soldiers during the Civil War.

Paperback, 8.5 x 11 x 0.47”, 210 pages, 9 B/W illustrations, $25.00, ISBN 9781941573242, published 2020. Available from Silver Street Media.

Love Letters

Poems of the Aleph Bet

Sharon Singer Salinger, Author/Illustrator
Lisa Breslow Thompson, Designer
Natasha Nese, Photographer

Poems and illustrations inspired by the letters of the Hebrew alphabet.

Paperback, 6 x 9 x 0.26”, 114 pages, 41 B/W illustrations, $18.00, ISBN 9781941573501, published 2020. Available from Silver Street Media.

Hope through Community

Words and Images in Response to a Global Pandemic

Cynthia Franca and Cheryl Perreault, Authors/Compilers
Lisa Breslow Thompson, Designer (cover)
Cynthia Franca, Designer (interior)
Tom Sloan (cover), Chelsea Bradway, Lynne Damianos and Christine Strickland, Photographers

Hope through Community is an anthology of poems and stories from people writing from different communities during the global pandemic of 2020. This book offers a unique, multiperspective, and uplifting compilation addressing the concept of hope.

The anthology also includes photos of “The Front Steps Project,” where three photographers share photos of families posing in front of their homes during the pandemic/quarantine time. This book is a portrayal of the historical experience of enduring a global pandemic and offers hope, through the photos and the words of people in their communities.

All proceeds earned for book sales will be donated to charitable organizations assisting with hunger.

Paperback, 6 x 9 x 0.36”, 160 pages, $20.00, ISBN 9781941573334, published 2020. Available from Silver Street Media.

Getting Ahead of Pediatric Headaches

A comprehensive guide for Nurse Practitioners to manage headaches in children and adolescents

Victoria E. Karian, RN, MSN, CPNP Author/Photographer
Brett Peruzzi, Editor
Marianne Orlando, Illustrator
Lisa Breslow Thompson, Designer

This is a comprehensive and practical resource guide for all pediatric primary care providers, including nurse practitioners, pediatricians, physician assistants, and nurses, to help them better manage children and adolescents with all types of headaches. Headache is in the top 5 diagnoses for children and teens, occurring in 75% of teens and 25% of younger children and a common complaint seen in pediatric offices. Headaches can be challenging to manage and can have a huge impact on the lives of pediatric patients and their families.

This book reviews: primary pediatric headache diagnoses; available treatment options in primary care and in dedicated headache programs; appropriate medication strategies; the role of psychology in headache management; comorbid conditions; and the promotion the headache-healthy lifestyle. Also included are multiple worksheets for patient and family education, which can be reproduced and used as written or adapted for patient’s needs. This guide will assist the provider to manage their pediatric patients with headache more effectively with improved outcomes and provide support to all in dealing with this challenging clinical problem.

Paperback, 8 x 10 x 0.44”, 194 pages, $30.00, ISBN 9781941573235, published 2020. Available from Silver Street Media.

Writing My Way Home

Poems by Linda Recco O’Connell

Linda Recco O’Connell, Author
Brett Peruzzi, Editor
Lisa Breslow Thompson, Designer

In Writing My Way Home, Linda O’Connell’s poems are often inspired by specific moments in her own life. They project strong resonance with the experiences of others, helping readers to tap into their own wellspring of emotion.

O’Connell has trained herself, over the years, to be an observational artist. She sees the occurrences around her as an element of story; she uses that gleaning as a springboard to rekindle memories and emotions stemming from family relationships, including the celebrations, trials, and loss that accompany a full life. It is her story, but ours as well.

Paperback, 6 x 9 x 0.313”, 138 pages, $14.95, ISBN 9781941573211, published 2019. Available from Silver Street Media.

Lost & Found

Where Have All My Metaphors Gone?

Memories, Reflections, and Wordplay

Rosemary Sullivan, Author
Lisa Breslow Thompson, Designer

In “Where Have All My Metaphors Gone? – Memories, Reflections, and Wordplay,” Rosemary Sullivan offers a celebration of words – words used to share memories, words expressing her views and interpretations, and words put together for amusement, insight, or just fun. There might be Memories of – a dear aunt (Walking with a Nun), the loss of a parent (Seven Years), a life-altering experience, (Moving Day, Fire!) or Reflections – on family (Two Family Dance at Long Nook), a friend’s discernment (The Journey), or trust (Leap of Faith). Wordplay might include incorporating song titles (Thanks for the Memories), or using extreme alliteration (Retrograde Reincarnation- a rhyme resplendent with R’s).

This collection is the culmination of a life-long love of the written word – literature, song lyrics, and verse, expressed through the medium of poetry.

Paperback, 6 x 9 x 0.163”, 74 pages, $12.95, ISBN 9781941573198, published 2018. Available from Silver Street Media.

Marlborough & Hudson’s Civil War Service

A History and Roster

Tom A.C. Ellis, Jr., Author
Pamela Ellis, Editor
Lisa Breslow Thompson, Designer

Marlborough/Hudson’s Civil War history and service records were destroyed on December 25, 1902, when the Town Hall burned to the ground. Through research, they have been recreated and chronicled in this book. The pragmatic people of Marlborough/Hudson displayed their contempt for slavery 13 years before the Civil War. They held a “Free-Soil Meeting” in 1848 with over 800 attendees. In 1850, they voted, “not to aid; resist” the Fugitive Slave Law. In 1859, they invited abolitionist Reverend Henry Ward Beecher, to give a series of lectures in the Town Hall. They called for an “Indignation” meeting when John Brown was executed.

On April 12, 1861, General P.G.T. Beauregard began three days of shelling Fort Sumter, at the tip of Charleston Harbor, South Carolina. On April 19, 1861, Edward Ingraham and Patrick Kenna rushed from Marlborough to Worcester and enlisted in the 3rd Battalion of Rifles for three months.

The earliest a legal town meeting could be held was April 29, 1861, and a war committee of ten men was established that day. Thus, began a process that Marlborough/Hudson would use for the duration of the war.A Biographical Roster lists 1,033 men whose service was accredited to Marlborough/Hudson. It delineates their military service, birth, death, parents’ names (including mother’s maiden), burial place and other notable accomplishments when information was available.

Marlborough/Hudson served in almost 75% of all organizations organized by Massachusetts. 76 men were killed as a result of battle, 49 more died of disease, 68 became prisoners of war, 178 were wounded in battle, and 222 became disabled and were discharged for their disabilities. Every black organization formed by Massachusetts was served by Marlborough/Hudson men, as well as National U.S. Colored Regiments. The women of these towns formed Soldiers’ Aid Societies. They organized sewing circles known as Ladies’ Benevolent Societies. They did much more to comfort soldiers and their families. Marlborough/Hudson surpassed all duty required of her for the preservation of our Nation. It is this book’s intention that her resolute service never be forgotten.

Hardcover, 7 x 10 x 1.326”, 570 pages, 169 illustrations, $45.00, ISBN 9781941573167, published 2017. Available from Silver Street Media.

A Thousand Thugs – Special Edition for Prisoners

A Gritty Street Tale

Darryl E. Buchannan, Author
Carolyn L. Ruf, Editor
Ishan Birchett, Illustrator

This story unfolds in the streets of Lowell, MA, a city north of Boston. Harlem Valentine is the leader of the NC5’s (North Common 5’s), a local gang beefing and warring with other gangs throughout the city over drugs, drug turf, and drug money. Harlem wants to be a rap star, and spends crazy time between the studio and the block.

Growing up in an environment where his role models are pimps, gang members, criminals and drug addicts, everything around him tells him he is nothing, and will never be nothing. He has a father he barely knows serving a life sentence at the state prison for killing a man over $40 of heroin. His drug addicted mother is in and out of detoxes and rehabs battling her own demons. Still, he struggles to keep his dream alive of one day standing on stage at the Tsongas Arena rocking the mic. Instead the streets pull him closer to his nightmare, and he finds himself locked inside of an 8 x 12 prison cell fighting for his life.

As you read this story, a kid is killing another kid for as little as stepping on his Jordans. Darryl Buchannan writes Harlem’s story hoping to convince kids to make the RIGHT CHOICES!

Special Edition for Prisoners Paperback includes educational component, 6 x 9 x 0.415”, 180 pages, $19.95, ISBN 9781941573174, published 2017. Available from Silver Street Media.

A Thousand Thugs

This story unfolds in the streets of Lowell, MA, a city north of Boston. Harlem Valentine is the leader of the NC5’s (North Common 5’s), a local gang beefing and warring with other gangs throughout the city over drugs, drug turf, and drug money. Harlem wants to be a rap star, and spends crazy time between the studio and the block.

Growing up in an environment where his role models are pimps, gang members, criminals and drug addicts, everything around him tells him he is nothing, and will never be nothing. He has a father he barely knows serving a life sentence at the state prison for killing a man over $40 of heroin. His drug addicted mother is in and out of detoxes and rehabs battling her own demons. Still, he struggles to keep his dream alive of one day standing on stage at the Tsongas Arena rocking the mic. Instead the streets pull him closer to his nightmare, and he finds himself locked inside of an 8 x 12 prison cell fighting for his life.

As you read this story, a kid is killing another kid for as little as stepping on his Jordans. Darryl Buchannan writes Harlem’s story hoping to convince kids to make the RIGHT CHOICES!

Paperback, 6 x 9 x 0.369”, 160 pages, $19.95, ISBN 9781941573150, published 2017. Available from Silver Street Media.

The Saxonville Mills: Three Centuries of Industry in Framingham

Kevin A. Swope, Author
Lynne Damianos, Author/Photographer
James L. Parr, Editor
Lisa Breslow Thompson, Designer

A compelling history of the mills from the 17th century through the 20th century, with a colorful and fascinating section devoted to the current tenants of the nine buildings that make up the Saxonville Mill Industrial Park of 2012.

The history of the mills has been carefully researched and wonderfully written by former Framingham History Center Board Member Kevin Swope, and is packed with hundreds of historical photographs. Award winning photographer Lynne Damianos has explored the mill complex from deep underground to high above the streets of Saxonville to capture unique images of these historic buildings.

Color edition, Paperback, 8.5″ square, 206 pages, 300 B/W and color photographs, $29.95, ISBN 9780578102979, published 2012. Available from Damianos Publishing and Framingham History Center.

Monochrome edition, Paperback, 8.5″ square, 206 pages, 300 B/W photographs, $19.95, ISBN 9781941573143, published 2017. Available from Silver Street Media and Amazon.com.

Natick’s Civil War Service

Dark Matters

Seven Variations on a Theme

Benet S. Kolman, Author
Lisa Breslow Thompson, Designer

Dark Matters: Seven Variations on a Theme is a collection of seven short stories, written in diverse styles, depicting diverse characters in diverse times and situations, whose diverse fates are united by a common theme: the power of illusion.

The characters include: an impecunious waitress in post WWII Wisconsin; an easygoing American twenty-something in a despotic Latin-American fiefdom; a deceased neer-do-well Vietnam veteran; an elderly post-Depression female mountain recluse who befriends a youthful hillbilly fugitive; a newly-rich retired plumber in early 20th-century New England, whose penchant for philosophy is no match for the irrational onslaught of love; a benevolent teacher of English, whose gesture of piety becomes a latter-day parable of human fate; a proud Midwestern prep-school pedagogue, whose life and precarious dignity are overturned in one mad self-revelatory morning.

In these seven tales, the episodic futility of human striving is matched against the episodic nobility of the human heart.

Paperback, 6 x 9 x 0.4”, 148 pages, $12.95, ISBN 9781941573099, published 2015. Available from Silver Street Media.

Hopkinton through Poetry

Celebrating 300 years – Hopkinton, Massachusetts

Compiled by Authors Cynthia Franca and Cheryl Perreault
Tom Sloan, Photographer
Lisa Breslow Thompson, Designer

Hopkinton through Poetry: Celebrating 300 years, Hopkinton, Massachusetts is a multigenerational poetic anthology dedicated to the town, as part of the Hopkinton 300th Anniversary Celebration. Hopkinton residents Cheryl Perreault and Cynthia Franca invited the community to ponder, give tribute and write poetry about town for an exciting anthology project. This anthology consists of poetry written by residents and friends of Hopkinton that celebrates Hopkinton’s past, embraces its present and inspires its future; capturing in poems what people love about the town of Hopkinton, whether it be about the natural beauty of its ponds, lakes, trails and parks, the people and sense of community, historical events, town celebrations, etc.

This project not only offers Hopkinton its first anthology of poetry specifically about the town, but is also a gift to the town and its people by the contributors and the people who purchase the book. All proceeds will be divided and donated to three local Hopkinton organizations offering services to community including The Michael Lisnow Respite Center, Serenity House and Project Just Because.

Paperback, 6 x 9 x 0.2”, 64 pages, $20.00, ISBN 9781941573105, published 2015. Available from Silver Street Media.

Sue’s Strategies: How to Create Effective Sentences Ages 10+

Fresh from the Source

Pushing for Cushing in War and Peace

A History of Cushing Hospital 1943 -1991 Framingham, MA

Frederic A. Wallace, Author
Lisa Breslow Thompson, Designer

During World War II, many hospitals were built for the U.S. Army throughout the United States. This book chronicles the history of one such hospital, built in the town of Framingham, Massachusetts. These hospitals were designed to receive wounded from the various theatres of war, and often specialized in one or another form of injury. This one, named Cushing General Hospital after the famed neurosurgeon and World War I medical officer, Dr. Harvey Cushing, was to specialize in neurosugery.

When the war ended in 1945, it was turned over to the Veterans’ Administration and continued its work in this field until 1953, when the doors closed. In 1954 it was acquired by the State of Massachusetts, and reopened in 1957, as a geriatric care center (hospital) with a full staff, including medical doctors. The heart of the story is about the people of Framingham, and surrounding towns, and how they embraced the facility, giving it their full support for almost fifty years. In the late 1980’s plans were developed to build a new diversified geriatric care center and elder housing complex on the site. Why that did not come to pass is a story unto itself.

Paperback, 6 x 9 x 0.2”, 96 pages, $16.95, ISBN 9781941573082, published 2015. Available from Silver Street Media.

There’s a Creature in My Kitchen

Hopkinton’s Civil War Service

A History and Roster, Tercentennial Edition

Tom A.C. Ellis, Jr., Author
Clair Wright and Pamela Ellis, Editors
Lisa Breslow Thompson, Designer

Hopkinton acted early in the defense of our nation. Fort Sumter was attacked April 12, 1861. On April 19, 1861, Massachusetts troops were fired on in Baltimore, Maryland. It was the “Pearl Harbor” of that generation; the town’s people were appalled. The earliest Hopkinton could hold a Town Meeting was April 29, 1861. They did, and formed a War Committee. That committee acted to appropriate funds for soldiers and their families, as well as form a Militia Company.

Hopkinton was there from the beginning to the end. The first soldier to enlist was Edward Dove, on May 13, 1861. He was a sergeant in the 3rd Battalion of Riflemen known as “Dodd’s Riflemen”. Ironically, he would be among the last as on April 14, 1865, he accepted an appointment as Captain in the 103rd U.S. Colored Infantry. The last soldier to enlist from Hopkinton was Emory Watkins, February 17, 1865, into the 17th Mass. Vol. Inf. Throughout the war, Hopkinton’s quota would be 409 men. Still, twenty-six men would be killed in action, thirteen would die from wounds they received in battle, twenty-seven would die of disease, seventy-nine were wounded, and seventy-seven would become disabled and discharged. The Commonwealth, throughout the war, would raise two black infantry and one black cavalry regiment. Hopkinton would provide black men to serve in the two Infantry units, and an officer for the cavalry unit. Hopkinton also provided white men as officers in National black regiments. On the home front, the women of Hopkinton would also exceed expectations. They created an Auxiliary Association of the United States Sanitary Commission, through which they provided much needed supplies for the comfort and survival of the soldiers in the field. Hopkinton’s contributions to the Civil War should never be forgotten; it is this book’s intention to ensure that never happens.

Hardcover, 7 x 10 x 1”, 404 pages, $40.00, ISBN 9781941573044, published 2015. Available from Silver Street Media.

Scenes from an Ordinary Life

The Instant Photograph

Polaroid Photographs 1962-1996

Paul A. Camello, Author/Photographer
Lisa Breslow Thompson, Designer

The Instant Photograph presents a collection of photographs created by Master Photographer Paul A. Camello between 1962 and 1996 as a Technical Specialist in Polaroid’s Research and Engineering Division’s using a variety of Polaroid film products. The photographs display the one of a kind quality Polaroid became known for. Black & white and some very early color photographs describe six areas Camello worked in during his 36 years at Polaroid. They include People, The Sepia Project, SX70, Creative, Commercial, Image Transfer and Emulsion Transfer processes.

Paperback, 8 x 9 x 0.2”, 74 pages, $29.95, ISBN 9781941573037, published 2014. Available from Silver Street Media.

The Naked Truth About Aging

Aging men and women respond to some of the issues encountered by living in a culture at war with the aging body and with aging itself

Hugo “Holly” Hollerorth, Author
Lynne Damianos, Photographer
Lisa Breslow Thompson, Designer

There is an awareness among aging people that we live in a culture that is at war with the aging body and with aging itself. This book is an account of the responses of twenty-four aging women and men during individual interviews, carried out by the author, inquiring what it is like to live on a daily basis in a pro-youth, anti-aging culture. It describes their responses to some of the issues that have arisen while living in such a culture. Prior to the interviews, the twenty-four participants – twelve men and twelve women – participated in two fund raising projects for a church to which they belonged. The project carried out by the women was the creation of a 2006 calendar celebrating the spirit and beauty of older women. In a similar effort, the men created a 2012 calendar celebrating the spirit and beauty of older men. Each month of the calendars showcased a photograph of a senior woman or man engaged in an activity significant to her or his life as well as a biographical sketch. A unique feature was that the participants were photographed “tastefully” and “strategically” nude. But it was not for shock value that “tasteful” nudity was employed. Rather, the women and men wanted to respond in a positive way to society’s belief that beauty lies only in the youthful, curvaceous or muscular body. They wanted the world to know that older bodies have a beauty of their own and that older people, too, are proud of their bodies.

Intrigued by the responses, Hollerorth and Damianos wondered what attitudes the calendar men and women, themselves, had toward their aging bodies and toward aging in general. To find out they solicited the participation of the calendar men and women in the interviews referred to above. The photographs, also referred to above, are interspersed in two groups among the interviews.

Paperback, 10 x 8 x 0.2”, 98 pages, 24 color photographs, $19.95, ISBN 9781941573020, published 2014. Available from Damianos Publishing (please call 508.872.4880) and Silver Street Media.

Love Mary B

A Teacher’s Gift

Alan O’Hare and Mary B., Authors
Meg Carlton and Tim Carlton, Illustrators
Lisa Breslow Thompson, Designer

Love Mary B: A Teacher’s Gift is an inspiring and challenging journey through twentieth century American schools and society as narrated through the letters of a gifted teacher and impassioned advocate for social justice. At its heart it is also a celebration of all who respond to the calling to be a teacher so eloquently honored through Leonard Bernstein’s quote, “Teaching is the noblest, most unselfish, most honorable profession.” In her letters Mary B guides us through her life beginning in the early nineteen hundreds as it mirrors the educational evolution in America. Through her charming and poignant tales we are welcomed into a world where she weaves threads and conversations with her grandmother, a teacher from the nineteenth century with her own experiences. Mary B’s story is also dramatically heightened by a life-changing encounter with Martin Luther King, Jr. who inspired her work as an urban community activist, and also culminated in being a first-hand witness to the September 11 tragedy in New York City.

Against this background we are invited to find our seat in her classroom with countless students in learning the alphabet, our numbers, our place in the world and most importantly how to share our gifts with one another. Through these recollections a tapestry of humor, tragedy and hope unfolds to spark readers’ memories of long forgotten and cherished school days and teachers. Over the past several years this gifted teacher has touched countless lives in her letters of hope and joy, as well as the dramatic stage re-enactment of her life by award winning actress, Barbara Bourgeois. As you now open the door to her classroom through these pages, you too will be welcomed into this new world to learn how to Love Mary B.

Kindle, 4971 KB, print length 53 pages, simultaneous device usage unlimited, $6.99, ISBN 9781941573006, published 2014. Available from Amazon.

Paperback, 6 x 9 x 0.2”, 46 pages, published 2014, $14.95, ISBN 9780988229549. Available from Silver Street Media.

Sue’s Strategies: 28 Grammar Flashcards

The quick and easy way to improve reading and writing

Susan B. Kahn, M.Ed, Author
Bernadette L. Quirk, Illustrator

Sue’s Strategies’ 28 amazing, colorfully illustrated, grammar flashcards will help you express your personality as well as improve your image and self-esteem through writing. Each element of syntax is correlated with card symbols: hearts for adjectives; clubs, for nouns; spades, for verbs; diamonds for adverbs. Pictures and examples are provided on each flash card. Nothing surpasses these research based flashcards for clarity, brevity, and originality. Although designed to meet the needs of dyslexic students and English language learners, these flashcards should benefit everyone!

Cards, 5.5 x 4.2 x 0.5”, 29 pages, $34.99, ISBN 9780989303019, published 2014. Available from Silver Street Media.

The Common Uncommon

Stories of the Past – Hopkinton, Massachusetts

James F. Ward, Author

As tens of thousands of runners line up to begin a famous road race and spectators and news media converge on the Hopkinton Common each April, little do they know, or indeed care at that moment, how foreign the scene would look to those who lived and worked here in the past. Yet, so much was accomplished by these forgotten residents!

One of the largest industries in Massachusetts history developed here. Another essential industry was centered here. English gentry from Boston were attracted by its beauty and settled here. One was a Baronet with estates in England. One went on to command one of the most famous ships in history. Another became Privy Councillor and Chief Justice of Nova Scotia. Then there was the celebrated Madam Price – a woman of independence and a large estate, at a time when women did not own property. Later, the anti-slavery movement found much support here. Famous institutions, such as Harvard University, are closely tied in to the history of this area. Connections to famous people of American history abound – people with names like Daniel Webster and Harriet Beecher Stowe.

The houses which surround the Common and line the adjacent streets serve to connect us with these and less famous, but hardworking, people. Each house tells a different story. By combining deed research, genealogy, family histories, numerous historical sources, and some two hundred and fifty photographs, the author has unearthed these stories and presents them here.

Paperback, 8.5 x 11 x 0.783”, 304 pages, 250 B/W illustrations, $35.00, ISBN 9781941573013, published 2014. Available from Silver Street Media.

At the End of Meadow Street

A Most Rash but Magnificent Charge

Frederic A. Wallace, Author
Lisa Breslow Thompson, Illustrator/Designer

The Story of General George H. Gordon and his Brigade at the Battle of Antietam

In the early days of the Civil War, loss after loss dogged Union forces in the east. By the end of the summer of 1862 Confederate General Robert E. Lee, emboldened by his successes, launched an invasion into the North, hoping to force a settlement that would recognize the Confederacy. The events that followed are known today as the Maryland Campaign of 1862. This work describes in detail the role played by Framingham’s General George H. Gordon, and his brigade (3rd. Brigade, 1st Division, 12th Corps, Army of the Potomac) in that campaign, and more specifically in the battle of Antietam. This was the bloodiest single day of that war.

Paperback, 7 x 10″, 72 pages, 27 illustrations (color and B/W), $17.95, ISBN 9780988229570, published 2014. Available from Silver Street Media.

Painting by Lyrics

Mark Stevens, Author
Sumiyo Toribe, Artist
Jennifer Aumiller, Designer

Painting by Lyrics is a portrayal of song lyrics written by Mark Stevens and painted by Sumiyo Toribe. Sumiyo reflected on Mark’s lyrics and then painted whatever emotion and image they conveyed to her. With the beautiful language of Stevens’ lyrics and the ethereal brush strokes of Toribe, Painting by Lyrics is an inspiring and lovely work of art.

Paperback with French flaps, 8 x 10″, 62 pages, 27 color illustrations, $27.95, ISBN 9780988229563, published 2013. Available from Silver Street Media.

Sue’s Strategies: Best Reading Spelling Method Ages 6 – 60

Medway & Millis’ Civil War Service

Finding Light in the Darkness

Dot Walsh, Author
Andrea LeBlanc, Photographer
Lisa Breslow Thompson, Designer

Finding Light in the Darkness is a collection of short stories from the author’s prison experiences working both in the inside and the outside. The values of faith, trust, and a belief in humanity filter through the bars of confinement and leave us with a glimmer of hope. All the stories are authentic and present to the reader, who may not be familiar with the prison system, a picture of the human pain of incarceration. This is not an excuse for the crimes that may or may not have been committed but rather to bring some understanding to this world behind the wall. The decision to place the beautiful pictures of nature taken by Andrea LeBlanc in the middle of the book is an attempt to create as an oasis of hope and a resting place for all who open their hearts and minds to the messages of the book. This book is dedicated to all my brothers and sisters who still remain on the inside and are actively working to change their lives, and for all who have returned to the community with the support and help of many dedicated people.

Paperback, 6 x 9″, 88 pages $16.95, color and B/W photographs, ISBN 9780988229532, published 2013. Available from Silver Street Media.

Framingham’s Civil War Service

A History and Roster, Revised Edition

Tom A.C. Ellis, Jr., Author
Jonathan K. Cohen, Editor
Lisa Breslow Thompson, Cover Designer

Years ago, Tom A.C. Ellis Jr. realized Framingham’s Civil War history had never been chronicled. Framingham’s tercentennial approached so he researched and wrote “Civil War Service of the Men and Women of Framingham, Massachusetts 1861 – 1865 a Memorial History” That book sold out in a two-week period, but remained in demand. His revised edition titled “Framingham’s Civil War Service, A History And Roster” concisely details, with relevant illustrations and a comprehensive index, the plight of the town of Framingham during that national cataclysm.

Ellis records when the town created a militia, long before Fort Sumter was attacked. It details how the town called its first meeting in May of 1861, and organized its War Committee of nine citizens. He provides information regarding the States’ quota of 407 men from Framingham, how that quota would be reduced to 386 men through exemptions, and that Framingham provided 530 men for the war effort.

Ellis explains the stroke of luck Framingham experienced when Governor Andrew disbanded the militia it had created that dispersed those men to many different regiments the governor was organizing. The result was that no one company from Framingham was decimated in a single battle. Other towns had lost scores of their able body, healthy men in one battle.

The book details how Framingham men served in over 77% of Military Units created by the Commonwealth. It describes how Framingham men were active in over 85% of the major battles of the Civil War, how twenty-eight men would be killed in action, and how another nine were wounded and died from those wounds. It details how fifteen would die from diseases, and how another eighty-two would become so disabled, that they would be discharged because of those afflictions.

Ellis explains how Framingham provided black men to serve in all three black regiments organized by the Commonwealth and details how Framingham women created three distinct Auxiliary Associations for the United States Sanitary Commission. He provides a biographical sketch of all 530 men that served, as well as cemetery records.

Hardcover, 7 × 10”, 370 pages, $39.95, ISBN 9780988229525, published 2013. Available from Silver Street Media.

Crumbs from the Table of Life

Kathy Kenney-Marshall, Author
Lisa Breslow Thompson, Designer

Teacher, Mother, and Columnist Kathy Kenney-Marshall shares humorous and often insightful views about parenthood, teaching, and descriptions of every day life. In essay form, Kathy views the mundane, the annoying, and the absurd in ways that make you laugh, cry, or at least nod your head in agreement.

Life is like a roller coaster and these essays will take you along on a ride through lives that we all live but in a way that makes you realize that in the end, almost everything can be laughed at if we look at it through a different lens.

Paperback, 6 x 9″, 168 pages, $19.95, ISBN 9780988229518, published 2012. Available from Silver Street Media.

My Name is James and other poems for all ages

James L. Parr, Author
Eva Burns, Illustrator
Lisa Breslow Thompson, Designer

A collection of witty and whimsical rhymes on a variety of topics from animals to school to growing up to the mundane activities of life/illustrated with line drawings and doodles.

Paperback, 6 x 9″, 72 pages, 33 B/W illustrations, $16.95, ISBN 9780988229501, published 2012. Available from Silver Street Media.

The Bancroft Building and Its People: 100 Years of History

Lynne Damianos, Author/Photographer
Lisa Breslow Thompson, Designer

This book celebrates the mill building’s history and its residents, including artists that called Fountain Street Studios their business, creative escape or artistic community through 2017.

The former automobile and apparel factory was transformed into a creative community that many were proud to call home. It includes environmental portraits and stories about the building from 72 artists, business owners and staff. (Currently, the mill is being renovated into residential loft apartments).

Full color edition, Paperback, 8.5″ square, 164 pages, 198 color photographs, $55.00, ISBN 9780578056869, published 2010, updated 2019. Available from Silver Street Media and Amazon.com.

Monochrome edition, Paperback, 8.5″ square, 164 pages, 198 B/W photographs, $19.95, ISBN 9781941573136, published 2017. Available from Damianos Publishing, Silver Street Media and Amazon.com.

Complete.Done.Finished.

The joy of doing, the freedom when done.

Martha Ringer, Author and Illustrator
Shelley Nobel, Designer
Patricia Moore and Mary Vaessen, Editors

One of the best demonstrations of loving ourselves is the action of completing things we tell ourselves we will. We all love to get to the end – the completing of a project, the submitting of a proposal, our email in-box, cleaning out the garage, etc. The simple satisfaction of finishing, the celebratory feeling that “we did it,” and the gratitude of doing what we said we would do are the rewards of completing. This book is about finding the joy in doing and creating greater relaxation and focus, and most important to celebrate and love ourselves by acknowledging who we are and what we do.

Hardcover, 7 x 7 x 0.25″, 86 pages, $24.95, ISBN 9781941573488, published 2023. Available from Silver Street Media.

The Hearts That Fell Out of the Sky

The Hearts That Fell Out of the Sky

A Story of the Heart Heads

Janis Luedke, Author/Illustrator
Brett Peruzzi, Editor
Lisa Breslow Thompson, Designer

A story about the Heart Heads, who venture down to earth from outer space, on a special mission. Through their adventures, they teach us a valuable lesson about living in our hearts.

Paperback, 11 x 8.5 x 0.125”, 42 pages, $19.95, ISBN 9781941573228, published 2020. Available from Silver Street Media.