Looking for that next great read? Here you'll find books published by UC faculty, staff and alumni.
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By David Jack Bell, PhD (A&S) '05 The world is at war. The water supply to Jett Dormer's city was contaminated in a terrorist attack, and now the city's inhabitants are condemned "City People" -- zombies in the night. Determined to rescue his partner and friend, Dormer discovers there may be more to these lost souls than meets the eye. Bell's first book, "The Condemned" puts a new spin on zombie stories in the horror genre. Order Information:
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ISBN # : 1929653905
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By Christopher Bennett, contributing author, (A&S) '93 & '02 Edited by Doug Drexler and Margaret Clark The latest installment in the "Star Trek: Mirror Universe" series, this novel again delves into the darker side of the Star Trek galaxy. In a world full of startling contradictions yet a sharp sense of familiarity, nothing is quite as it seems. This tale picks up where 2007's Glass Empires and Obsidian Alliances left off, spanning 200 years of divergent history. Order Information:
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ISBN # : 1416558500
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by Duncan Dieterly, (A&S) '61 Author Duncan Dieterly uses the first of a two-book series of short stories to spin tales that, at times, blur the line between reality and fiction; modern-day fables that will fascinate, enlighten, frighten, anger and excite the reader. Born out of the Dieterly’s perceptive eye, rich imagination and colorful life experiences, the stories found in this work range from the drug-infested inter-city slums to the world of high finance and wealth, all wrapped together in one 250-page package. Order Information:
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ISBN # : 1436302196
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by A.H. Felman, (A&S) '51, MD '55 A young physician struggles to keep his moral footing as he defends himself at a negligence hearing and confronts his new boss about false Medicare billings. Shunned by associates, Dr. Diamond finds it difficult to forgive and forget, but a surprising invitation offers him a way back. The title of Felman's fourth novel recalls a proverb about making amends for wrongdoing, a task as difficult as putting feathers back into a pillow shaken from a rooftop. Previous works are "From the Ends of the Earth," a fictional biography that describes waiting tables in the Catskills and driving cattle in Montana; "The Measure of Our Torment," a medical mystery; and "A Better Man Than I," a story about intolerance. Felman has also written "You Are Your Body's Keeper: Don't Become a Medical Mistake," a handbook of practical medical advice. Order Information:
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ISBN # : 1932158545
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by Gregg Fraley, BFA '75 An innovation consultant to Fortune 500 companies, Fraley teaches through storytelling and introspection in this conversational novel. A young, would-be photographer comes to him, wondering how to make his dream of a creative career a reality. The consultant shows Jack the value of asking himself the right questions -- writing down possible solutions in his notebook -- when he's faced with roadblocks. A bit of drama enters Jack's story to emphasize the parallels between problem-solving strategies used to fix a physical need and those used to solve a business dilemma. Jack gets mugged. His sweetheart is kidnapped. A mother returns from the dead. Jack and his supporters look at their options and choose the solution that seems best. Order Information:
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ISBN # : 1595552472
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by Jeannine Hall Gailey, (A&S) '94, MA (A&S) '99 Alternately funny, violent, wicked and sad, this first collection of poems by Jeannine Hall Gailey presents mythic archetypes in a surprising new light against a backdrop of pop culture, Ovid, Grimm’s fairy tales and the struggles of contemporary women. Order Information:
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ISBN # : 0974326437
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by Marilyn "Mert" Guswiler, MEd '65 A likeable character's quest for identity, acceptance and belonging is a universally popular theme. When the protagonist is a young orphan girl, the premise becomes even more compelling. Mert Guswiler's "All There Is" is a richly detailed novel that invites readers to come along as her appealing heroine determines to make a journey of discovery, in spite of inevitable hurdles in the path. The year 2000 was a busy one for Guswiler, who also found time to publish two additional works: "A Sock In The Eye," a first-person reflection on the challenges of being herself, and "Many Loves and Further Journeys," a collection of close-to-the-earth poetry. As these works hit print, Guswiler had already started compiling her folk and classical music compositions for publication. Order Information:
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by Earl Hamner, CCM '48, and Tony Albarella Pop quiz: What do the "Twilight Zone" and "The Waltons" have in common? Answer: A writer Because two of the longest-running television shows of all time seem to be part of such disparate genres, the fact that they shared a writer may seem a little odd. But Earl Hamner, Emmy-winning writer, producer, narrator and creator of "The Waltons," says, "I was able to bring a quality to it that hadn't been there before, which was a kind of integration of folk tales and folkish material." That flavor comes through when reading his eight scripts, which aired in the early '60s and remain in syndication today as does "The Waltons". He penned the scripts after writing "Spencer's Mountain," which became a movie and later evolved into the Walton's Mountain saga in the early '70s. Although the scripts are intriguing by themselves, Tony Albarella adds a wealth of behind-the-scene anecdotes and insider information after each script. Readers will also find additional dialogue, scenes that were never filmed and an in-depth interview with Hamner. Order Information:
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ISBN # : 1581823304
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by Lamar Herrin, PhD (A&S) '78 It's the worst news a father could hear: Ben Williamson's talented oldest daughter, Michelle, is killed accidentally by a Basque separatist's bomb while on her morning run in Madrid, Spain. In this compelling novel based on a real event, the grieving father is tormented by a need to discover exactly who is to blame, and perhaps to exact some kind of revenge. Driven like the Spanish painter Goya, who late in life was deaf to all but himself, Ben travels to Spain and eventually has his moment alone with the terrorist leader. The novelist, whose short stories have appeared in The New Yorker, Paris Review and Epoch, is the recipient of a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. "Romancing Spain," a memoir of how he met his Spanish-born wife, will be published in July. Order Information:
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ISBN # : 1932961283
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by Rome Hughes, '74 Based on a true story, a devastating murder of a homosexual man rocks a community. This book gives insight into the prejudice and injustice plaguing our daily lives. Order Information:
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ISBN # : 1436397057
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by Teri Brashear Jacobs, (A&S) '92 Jacobs discovered in grade school how much fun it is to tell a scary story. She has already had more than a dozen short stories published in the dark fiction genre and now is creating longer works that fling readers into terrifying worlds of flesh-eating creatures and bone-crunching demons. In this first macabre romance, Jacobs' heroine discovers that her disturbing dreams about a horrific underworld are not merely nightmares. She is being stalked by a human ghoul ordered to steal her soul and drag her down to a blood-drenched netherworld ruled by a vile, powerful entity. If this novel is your cup of chills, watch for her second book, "Shadow of Jezebel," accepted for publication next year. Jacobs earned her writing certificate at UC in 1992. Order Information:
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ISBN # : 0843950242
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by Peter Kaufman, (A&S) '72 Kaufman's central character, Billy McCord, is weary of failed relationships and the hypocrisy of his life in the 1970s. With nothing to anchor him to Cincinnati, he decides to try his luck in Alaska. He soon discovers that in spite of its raw beauty, abundant wildlife and towering mountains like Barometer, the north country is not quite the paradise he anticipated. Billy's affection for an emotionally fragile, sympathetic girl and the friendship of a pair of roughneck cannery workers bring him contentment only for a while. A first-time novelist, Kaufman excels at descriptive narrative. Readers will have no difficulty visualizing Billy's triumph at pulling huge salmon from numbingly cold streams, nor his muscle-wrenching exhaustion after 18-hour days of shoveling fresh-caught crabs from slippery fishing boats to the processing plant docks. Order Information:
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ISBN # : 0615126049
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by Dennis Latham, (A&S) '92 This talented storyteller takes readers on another weird and entertaining ride in his new paranormal humor novel. Original and unexpected characters, both good and evil, vie for and against an event of possibly major destruction in Greater Cincinnati. More slapstick than terrifying, each "army" in this Armageddon is burdened with very odd habits and crude expressions. Even the confused hero, Nathan Bright, is uncertain about where his loyalty lies. Latham's third novel explores Bright's character. A chronic drunk and gambler who lives in Aurora, Ind., and an unmotivated but good-hearted loser, he is totally unknown to the demon horde until his name is "writ large" by a fiery finger on a Denver cliffside. Could Nathan be the Second Coming? The finger doesn't say, and Nathan doesn't know, but the demons are keeping their eyes on him. Order Information:
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ISBN # : 0979674409
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by Dennis Latham, (A&S) '92 Latham's first novel reprinted 2007 looks into the heart of a former Marine who is convinced his body harbors an avenging "monster" capable of destroying child abusers and murderers. Michael lives in a grim, futuristic Cincinnati where authorities dispose of convicts at public beheading festivals and street gangs frequently slaughter one another to mark their racial territory. After a long, bloody battle, Michael is arrested and sent to Paddock prison to await execution. The masochistic warden, who values prisoners only as potential organ donors, orders the young man to become the city's new hatchet-man - or be prepared to die horribly. Hoping for a chance to escape, Michael agrees, but when he passes his reflection in the window glass, he knows he can never leave. Order Information:
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ISBN # : 0979674417
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by Mark Louis Lehman, MA (A&S) '70, PhD (A&S) '77 For an eight-year-old, Carrie Ann Watson has a pretty good understanding of how people should treat one another: with kindness. Those who deliberately hurt others are due for some come-uppance. So when Roy, her mother's rude boyfriend, insults Carrie's favorite uncle -- a 40-year-old gay professor of French -- the child struggles for a way to even the score. Although Uncle Mocky has no interest in "getting back" at Roy, and tells Carrie that hating others "can tear a person up inside … It's not worth it," the girl can't quite agree. She decides to get "revinge," on Mocky's behalf, by writing a book about what she witnessed, sticking strictly to the "facks." Lehman, who spent 32 years teaching English, was partially inspired to create Carrie's free-form writing voice by the inventive spelling and grammar he encountered in student papers. This novelette is his first work of fiction. Order Information:
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ISBN # : 0977032620
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by David D. M. Paule, Eng '88 Ready for a fresh start, engineer and pilot Aiden McInnis abandons Boston when he unexpectedly inherits his eccentric uncle's vintage DC-2 airplane, six-room Florida guest house and Victorian home. In Key West, his late uncle's unconventional friend and self-proclaimed "king of the Conch Republic," Louie Robideau, draws Aiden into the island's chaotic, Margaritaville lifestyle. Will he ever return to Boston, or will he be content to "waste away" in paradise? Paule, whose books include "The Sisters" and "Amidst the Brownstones," has been an aerospace engineer, marketing consultant, disk-jockey, entertainment critic, college professor, stand-up comic -- among other occupations. Currently employed by Delta Air Lines, he makes his home in Atlanta. Order Information:
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ISBN # : 0595222900
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by Charlotte Pieper, (A&S) '35, edited by Don Heinrich Tolzmann, director of German-American studies at UC Newly arrived in America, Rica Heber is welcomed by Cincinnati's German immigrant families in Wooden Shoe Hollow. Although she quickly settles into her new life, she is troubled by a secret that lies on the other side of the ocean. While enjoying Pieper's fiction, readers are treated to a taste of early 20th century life in a part of Cincinnati the late author knew well. The community's nickname comes from the wooden shoes German farmers wore for fieldwork. Originally published in 1951, this is a new, expanded version of Pieper's historically significant book. Tolzmann has added a brief history of the area, original photographs, an index, a suggested reading list and footnotes that define terms, such as "Ein Prosit" a toast and "Yankees," the term for English-speaking neighbors. Order Information:
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ISBN # : 1932250166
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by Sherri Szeman, PhD (A&S) '86 How far can you go in the name of love? That question haunts the heroine of this novel, as she and her family struggle with the devastating effects of an elderly relative's Alzheimer's. When the old woman dies, the heroine is astonished to find herself charged with murder. The New York Times calls this book "riveting" and "remarkable." Szeman's award-winning first novel, "The Kommandant's Mistress" 1993, sold more than 11,000 copies around the world and is under development for a movie starring Patrick Stewart. Order Information:
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ISBN # : 1559705957
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by James Ward, MPA (A&S) '83, PhD (A&S) '88 Although warmly welcomed to the faculty at a Louisiana university, a talented young black professor is confused when his career begins to stumble almost immediately. Several academics and students deliberately misrepresent Michael's words and actions. White supremacy symbols are displayed as a "joke" in offices of supposedly liberal faculty. When his Jewish friend, an outspoken professor, mysteriously dies, Michael is alarmed enough to ask the FBI to check out the campus. The novel's high point is the account of the agent's risky undercover pose as a Klan member. Ward is a former newspaper and television reporter who lived in New Orleans in the 1990s. This is the political science professor's Mississippi University for Women first attempt at fiction. Order Information:
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ISBN # : 142572311X
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by Jennifer Webster, Med '02 Lily Wright is a doctoral student in psychology struggling to uncover the cause of her own serious depression. As the anxiety generated by her increasingly disturbing dreams and flashbacks convinces her she has repressed the memory of some traumatic event, she finds herself clinging to the one unexpected bright spot in her life - the intoxicating and debonair Dr. Gabriel Martin. Order Information:
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ISBN # : 0981974228
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Weil, Dorothy MA (A&S) '69, PhD (A&S) '74 An adolescent girl, whose mother and father have recently separated, reluctantly joins a girls softball team that her father has agreed to coach. The other team members live in a distant neighborhood, attend different schools and have life experiences and attitudes Mercedes finds both off-putting and intriguing. She isn't that adept at softball -- as the other team members point out -- but she wants to please her dad, so she agrees to keep trying. The girl's growth, not only in ball-playing skill but also in learning to understand and appreciate the value of unexpected friendships, helps her to become more tolerant of her flawed parents, and herself, as well. This book is a satisfying read for adolescent girls and the families who love them. Order Information:
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ISBN # : 1413778267
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by Dorothy Weil, MA (A&S) '69, PhD (A&S) '74 Buoyed by river lore and legend, three long-time Cincinnati friends begin a dangerous search along the Ohio for a crossbow-wielding sniper. Struggling through an undercurrent of romance and jealousy, they follow clues to an ominous river town, a backwoods Kentucky village and the ruins of an old steamboat on the banks of the Mississippi. The killer, however, is much closer to home. Author Weil, a self-proclaimed "river rat" whose childhood was spent on steamboats and other river craft, has written widely about her Ohio River heritage, but this is her first murder mystery. "Cincinnati Horizons" reviewed her entertaining memoire, "The River Home," in November 2002. Order Information:
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ISBN # : 1413701213
