Sandra Krajewski - There Are No Lighthouses In Kentucky -- An Author Interview

It was a hectic Thursday when Sandra met with me at the Barnes & Noble in Plymouth Meeting, PA. She took time from her teaching position to speak with me about her books and future projects.

She arrived early and enjoyed a bite from the café with me. It was during the first few moments that her warm, engaging personality became evident. She spoke openly about her current job, writing goals, and publishing experiences.

Sandra’s first book There Are No Lighthouses In Kentucky was written in four months. The story is about a woman, Dee, who is in an abusive relationship. She can only escape by giving up her children. When she returns to Kentucky, the process of rebuilding her life begins. This book has a deep connection for Ms. Krajewski. As she spoke about the plot, her demeanor shifted.

Sandra stressed with great passion that psychological and physical abuse go hand-in-hand and it was the less discussed psychological abuse that spurred her to write the book. She said that one “doesn’t have to see abuse to see hurt.”

Her hope was to create awareness for her audience. Most people may not understand that the situation is surreal for someone experiencing abuse. They don’t know how they got there but realize it is most dangerous when they threaten to leave.

Sandra hopes to create the audio version of this book so that the audience can further get into the characters. This next step would be in line with her role as an advocate for education on the mental side of abuse.

As the topic became too close to her heart, we adjusted the conversation to her children’s books. She wrote six in two years. One of which, Numbers With Attitude won her the Author of the Year for Children’s Book from her publishing company. She was flown to Seattle in November 2008 for the award ceremony. Her son-in-law, Frantz Augustin, did the illustrations which also won an award.

Her hometown honored her with a community day. The town is small enough to make it personal for her. It was a proud moment for her. It helped her realize she was ready for a new challenge.

As an African-American writer her characters have shared in this ethnicity. One of her new projects titled Familiar has two Caucasian main characters. She feels this is a stretch for her as a writer. The story is about two people that fall in love and the various events that happen to them individually and as a couple. Sandra’s focus for this story is not on the love story but the role of fate. She believes that fate plays a role in all of our lives.

As the interview began its conclusion she noted that she “wants to write something that means something to someone, an important book.” If she continues to write about subjects she is passionate about, this interviewer, after meeting her, feels she will attain this goal.

You can find her books online or in stores. Look for more from her soon.

Mark Stang - Phillies Photos: 100 Years of Philadelphia Phillies Images -- An Author Interview

I met Mark as he was signing copies of his book Phillies Photos: 100 Years of Philadelphia Phillies Images at the front entrance of the Barnes & Noble in Plymouth Meeting PA. He was smiling at each customer that entered or left the store.

He stood to introduce himself and had a firm handshake. He was prepared for the interview with promotional information on his books. He has written eight - all are about baseball. This dedication to one subject made me ponder - why baseball?

Mark spoke of his father’s coaching varsity baseball during his childhood. His father put him to work. He spent many hours working on the field, hauling equipment, and interacting with players.

As Mark went away to college his focus shifted on other areas but was drawn back to the game in the early 1980’s. He was so dedicated to this sport that he joined the Society for American Baseball Research.

His first large project, researching uniform numbers, was a first taste into a literary career. He self-published the seven pound, 1152 page book. Eventually a publisher took the pitch and it was published as a reference book titled Baseball By The Numbers by Scarecrow Press in 1996.

Mark had moved to Cincinnati and found someone who did book imprinting, Greg Rhodes. Together they did the first photo history book. Mark learned quite a bit from Greg and after the success of this first project, Mark asked Greg to work on another book with him. After Greg declined, Mark moved to the Cleveland Indians alone.

Over the years Mark moved to various metropolitan areas and became a fan of that city’s baseball team. Many diehard fans would say this is not the action of a true fan, I disagree. Mark is a fan of the game and when you look at and read any of his books, you will notice this also.

He wants to give memories to his audience. The reader can use the book to show reasons they are a fan of their team. They can bond with their parents, siblings, friends, etc. by having a photograph trigger a story. Mark noted that many people do not realize the history that is also written in his books when they first glance through due to the wonderful pictures.

As the conversation concluded I had to know if there were any teams Mark disliked. The answer is yes. For information on his books, please visit his website: www.markstangbaseballbooks.com.