Willoughby Hills resident and writer Kim Van Sickler has a manuscript in the Backspace Writers Conference “This Manuscript HAS to Become a Book!” Scholarship Contest, and she wants your vote.

Her novel "Muleskinner" — written for middle grade readers — takes place on the Ohio and Erie Canal. You can read an excerpt from "Muleskinner" on the contest page (it's No. 63).

Van Sickler — who says she's the only Cleveland-area entrant — writes to me:

Late in 1844, on the Ohio Canal, a 12-year-old mule driver's world is turned upside down when a mysterious dog uncovers a box of secrets that lead the orphan to discover his past, escape indentured servitude, and find a sister he never knew he had.
Bottom line is I want people to vote! A Hollywood movie memoir is in first place! What's so different or special about that? Meanwhile we've got no fictional canal era books about the Ohio-Erie canal. 

She has written more about the writing process on her post on the Swagger Writers blog: Writing is a Team Sport. 

Head over to www.backspacewritersconference.com/backspace-scholarship-contest-time-to-vote to cast your vote for Van Sickler's "Muleskinner," which is No. 63 on the list.

Van Sickler is a Girl Scout leader and the Service Unit Director of SU 762 of Girl Scouts of Northeast Ohio, serving Willoughby, Willoughby Hills, Kirtland, Eastlake and Willowick. Anyone with questions can contact her at kimvansickler@gmail.com.


-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl

Local author Terri Nighswonger will be signing copies of her new book this weekend in Chester Township. More information from a news release: 

WHEN: 3/16/13

TIME: 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

WHERE: Arabica Coffee House, 12626 Chillicothe Road, Chesterland, Ohio 44026

WHAT: Nighswonger, a resident of Novelty, OH, will be available to sign copies of her book, The Grace Assignment.

CJ Dennis is an ineffective, mediocre Christian until God begins to work in ways he doesn't understand. As a journalist, he begins to write a story on homelessness in Cleveland, where he lives and works.

While interviewing for the story, he meets Mary Ann and her three children and feels a strong pull to get them off the streets. When his story hits the presses though, he unwittingly provides Mary Ann's ex-husband with just the clue he needs. Mary Ann is murdered and her children are left without a mother. Is it God or guilt that leaves CJ with a desire to take the children in as his own? Either way, his world is turned upside down as he goes from young and single to a father of three overnight.

CJ struggles to find peace and understand God's will, but will his budding faith survive the test of learning to love three children and the threat of having them taken away from him? Will The Grace Assignment be his toughest assignment yet?

Details from a news release:

CLEVELAND — Author Sandy Rozelman announces the release of her new book, “Politics Is a Joke.”

“Politics is a Joke” is a compilation of political jokes sure to make the readers laugh away their blue (or red) state. Tackling hot-button issues of recent political campaigns, these jokes will have both sides of the aisle laughing all the way to the polling booth.

Published by Tate Publishing and Enterprises, the book is available through bookstores nationwide, from the publisher at www.tatepublishing.com/bookstore, or by visiting barnesandnoble.com or amazon.com.

Rozelman retired in her 50s due to chronic pain from fibromyalgia. As a way to keep her mind off her pain, she began sorting through the fifteen years' worth of jokes she'd collected. Her hope for readers is that they'll find, as she did, that laughter truly is the best medicine.