Welcome to the inaugural “Oregon Books” column, where we highlight fresh titles from our own writers. Mark your calendars for Dec. 12‑13, when five authors will be on hand at the Authors & Artists Fair in the Lane Events Center for signings and conversations.
Anthea Kreston – memoir of a violinist
World‑renowned violinist Anthea Kreston released her memoir Crescendo: Chronicles of an Adventurous Violinist last month. The book traces her journey from a difficult Chicago upbringing, through a high‑profile career that included touring with Yo‑Yo Ma, to a period of burnout and a commune stay in Portland. After a tragic opening in the Artemis String Quartet, she moved to Berlin and became the only American in a major European quartet. Now based in Corvallis, Kreston performs about 100 concerts a year and serves as artist‑in‑residence for All Classical Radio in Portland.
Susan Palmer – thriller set in Oregon’s Coast Range
Former Anchorage Daily News and Register‑Guard reporter Susan Palmer, now a Eugene resident, is releasing The Booker Rebellion later this month. The thriller follows two teenage sleuths and their younger sister as they uncover a violent right‑wing plot in the remote Coast Range. Their parents serve in the National Guard, fighting wildfires in Alaska, while the kids confront armed vigilantes in the woods. Palmer dedicates the novel to families who “didn’t sign up, yet they also serve.” The book launches at 5:30 p.m. on Nov. 20 at Wordcrafters, 469 Charnelton St., and Palmer will also appear at the December fair.
Jennifer Chambers – true‑crime history
Jennifer Chambers of Veneta, author of the memoir Learning Life Again, has turned her research toward Oregon true‑crime. Her latest work, The Murder of Sheriff W.W. Withers and Other Historic Eugene Cases, draws on a century‑old box from the Lane County Historical Museum that contained the noose used in Lane County’s final public hanging. Chambers plans a series of mysteries centered on Sheriff Withers, a pioneering Eugene lawman noted for his handlebar mustache and swift justice.
Isaac Hunter – supernatural suspense
Living south of Florence, Isaac Hunter has published nine supernatural suspense novels. His newest title, Beautiful the Meadow, debuted last week on Halloween as the third entry in a trilogy. The story follows 18‑year‑old Dawn McKensie in Oakridge, where a ghost‑watching prologue hints at looming danger. Readers are warned not to trust the handsome stranger at the local Shell station. Hunter’s other works include the “Ashen Monk Chronicles” and a tale of a witch‑covens foster family.
Donna McFarland – bilingual picture book
Retired piano teacher and former Bushnell University instructor Donna McFarland has released I Lost My Monkey, a bilingual English‑Nepalese picture book. It joins her popular series that also features “I Lost My Elephant,” “I Lost My Penguin,” and “I Lost My Kangaroo.” Each book follows a child searching for a missing pet, with adults often being the last to spot the hidden animal. Proceeds benefit a nonprofit founded by McFarland’s father that provides humanitarian aid in rural Nepal.
All five titles will be available at the Authors & Artists Fair Dec. 12‑13, offering Eugene and Lane County readers a chance to support local talent and find holiday gifts. Stay tuned for the next “Oregon Books” roundup on Dec. 3, featuring more winter‑reading suggestions.
Original reporting: Homepage – Lookout Eugene-Springfield — read the source article.
