Books from local authors
Want to add to a friend’s book collection? Here are some recent releases from local authors. Look for them at your favorite bookstore.
• The True and Lucky Life of a Turtle,written by Sy Montgomery and illustrated by Matt Patterson, is the story of a real-life 42-pound snapping turtle named Fire Chief. Montgomery has written many other books about animals, including some for adults and other picture books illustrated by Patterson. Kirkus Reviews named this 40-page hardcover one of the Best Picture Books of 2025 for Animal Lovers.
• Frankie the Ghost Train, written by LaBelle Winery co-owner Cesar Arboleda, “is a heartwarming tale of a quiet boy, a mysterious train, and the power of imagination,” according to the book’s description on LaBelle’s website. “Set in the forgotten corners of Milltown, this story reminds readers young and old that sometimes the places we stumble upon are the ones that shape us the most.” About the author, the website says this: “Cesar Arboleda immigrated as a young boy from Colombia, South America, to Lowell, Massachusetts. He is a proud American citizen, a storyteller, dreamer, husband, father, and lifelong believer in the quiet magic found in unexpected places.” This 40-page hardcover children’s book is available for $20 at labellewinery.com/shop.frankie-the-ghost-train-book-by-cesar-arboleda.
• The Shopkeeper of Alsace is the debut novel from former NHPR host Laura Knoy. It’s based on a true story and “brings to life a little-known corner of wartime history — and an inspiring real-life heroine you’ll cheer for,” says the book description at lauraknoy.com. Visit the website to read about the background behind the book and to order a copy. (Michael Witthaus talked to Knoy about the book; see the story in the Nov. 6 Hippo on page 14. Find the issue in the digital library at hippopress.com.)
• A Better Loser is a collection of short stories set in southern New Hampshire, written by Manchester resident and high school teacher Nate Graziano. “Whether facing romantic troubles, addiction, or struggling to rein in their passions, these characters will not allow their failures to define them — instead, they become ‘better losers,’” according to the author’s website, nathangraziano.com, which has links for purchasing the book.
• Grenier Air Base: A Beacon on the Home Front, by Leah Dearborn, is “a non-fiction military history of a vanished air base,” says the author’s website, leahmdearborn.com. Dearborn is associate director of the Aviation Museum of New Hampshire; the book is available at the Museum’s website, aviationmuseumofnh.org/shop, where it goes for $35. The author’s website says a portion of all proceeds goes to AMNH programming.
• The Weight of Snow and Regret, by Elizabeth Gauffreau, is a novel that “tells the story of the closure of the last poor farm in Vermont in 1968,” according to a press release from Paul Stream Press. “The Weight of Snow and Regret tells the poignant story of what it means to care for others in a rapidly changing world.” Gauffreau grew up in Vermont and lives in Nottingham, New Hampshire.
• The Gospel According to Jack: Tracking Kerouac In My Life is written by Rev. Steve Edington, a retired Unitarian Universalist minister and Minister Emeritus of the UU Church of Nashua. “Through meditations on Kerouac’s life, art and restless searching, Edington weaves together literary reflection and personal journey. The Gospel According to Jack offers an uplifting and wise exploration of faith, creativity, and what it means to seek meaning in a vast, mysterious universe,” said the website for Balin Books in Nashua (balinebooks.com), where Edington will discuss the book on Saturday, Jan. 10.
• Courtship in Purgatory, by Robert Perreault, is described as “an intimate look at the difficulties faced by two middle-aged lovers” and “a sincere look back at family and Franco-American traditional attitudes and constraints following World War II.” Perreault is a bilingual writer of books and articles about the New England Franco-American experience and the history of his hometown, Manchester. This is his first novel in English. He holds a B.A. in Sociology from Saint Anselm College (1972), including a year of study in Paris; an M.A. in French/New England Franco-American Studies from Rhode Island College, and an M.F.A. in Creative Writing (Fiction/Nonfiction) from Southern New Hampshire University, according to a press release, and Manchester’s Franco-American Centre proclaimed him Franco-American of the Year in 2012.
• Perfidy: The Silver River Series 2, by Emily Siems, is the second book in a planned romantasy trilogy. Visit the author’s website, emilysiems.com, to read Siems’ blog and an excerpt from Springhaven, the first book in the series.
Featured Photo: The Shopkeeper of Alsace by Laura Knoy
