In celebration of National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo), a writing contest will be held at the La Plata Library throughout the month of November!

On November 1, participants will begin working toward a goal of writing a 50,000 word novel by 11:59pm on November 30. Help us reach our cumulative goal of 100,000 words by submitting your progress on one of the slips of paper provided at the La Plata Library. Total word count from the entries will be tallied throughout the month and tracked on our progress thermometer.

Participants will be entered into a drawing to win an Amazon gift card! (winners will be contacted in mid-December) 

*For additional information about NaNoWriMo, please check out this blog post too!

Celebrate NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) with the Charles County Public Library this year by checking out some of our local authors, as part of our Local Author Virtual Showcase! All of the authors showcased in this series responded to a call for submissions we placed over this summer, to highlight their work throughout the month of November. At CCPL we value the contributions our local authors make in sharing their knowledge and passion with our community.  Make sure to check out our Local Author’s collection located at the Waldorf West Library. 

Mildred M. Stokes

I Can Hear You Better With My Glasses On! 

Amazon 

When many prefer to stay in the box neatly tucked away, Mildred chooses to think out, and out loud. I Can Hear You Better With My Glasses On! is a poetic roller coaster ride across a tapestry of jewel findings. Take in the surroundings and discover what the author found was simply too exhilarating to keep to herself. Treasures will bring laughter when it’s needed and pause when you have to.

Get ready to explore–aspiring poets, writers, and everyday discerning folk–you who are simply up and ready for something refreshing. Imaginative, creatively expressed, clean spoken entertainment has unfolded. And you’re invited, guests of honor!

Romancing the Beautiful Divine, A Joy Embrace Story Devotional 

Get comfy and prepare to take a healing and inspirational journal–one that will take you over life’s hurdles and bless you jubilantly along the way! Romancing the Beautiful Divine is a passionate and thought-provoking story devotional designed to help you uncover the abundance of self-worth God has for you, and the courage you will need to run the distance with it.

If you’re hungering for insight and healing–seeking confirmation that there is a destiny calling set in place for you–this devotional will move you through the uncertainties and self-doubts that can linger and hold you captive. This collection of pivotal life moments and spiritual insights will empower and refresh you in the glory of God’s favor and loving embrace. Each chapter ends with an engaging challenge and prayerful reflection.

No stranger to writing, Stokes’ first book, “Romancing the Beautiful Divine”, is a story devotional that includes meditation challenges and a prayer blessing at the end of each chapter. Stokes is a retired educator and is currently the Director of the Health and Wellness Ministry at Calvary Gospel Church in Waldorf, MD. As Certified Fitness Nutrition Specialist and health promoter, Stokes’ passion to advance nutritional health and complete wellness in communities is underway. “Writing has been a regular part of my work life journey,” she says, “and creative poetry accompanies along that continuum of health to wealth informative writing and entertainment expressions.”

Celebrate NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) with the Charles County Public Library this year by checking out some of our local authors, as part of our Local Author Virtual Showcase! All of the authors showcased in this series responded to a call for submissions we placed over this summer, to highlight their work throughout the month of November. At CCPL we value the contributions our local authors make in sharing their knowledge and passion with our community.  Make sure to check out our Local Author’s collection located at the Waldorf West Library. 

Chris Gregoire

Creek of Bones

Web site

Kev MacGuire is dying. Crabbing comforts him, and one day he catches human bones and a strange, gold medallion. When it turns out to be Incan, Kev and friends investigate how jewelry once stolen by conquistadors ended up near the Chesapeake.

If tales found on an old plantation are true, Blackbeard and his pirates looted treasure from a wrecked Spanish galleon. Along with liquid drawn from the Fountain of Youth.

Kev and friends search for the valuables yet dismiss the Fountain as fantasy. But when a centuries-old cure makes him a believer, the lighthearted quest becomes a race for survival.

Chris Gregoire lives near the Chesapeake Bay.

When not writing or having fun with family and friends, he is obsessed with catching and eating blue crabs. The proud Virginia Tech alum hung up his corporate boots a few years ago to try his hand at a novel.

Creek of Bones is the result of that effort.

Celebrate NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) with the Charles County Public Library this year by checking out some of our local authors, as part of our Local Author Virtual Showcase! All of the authors showcased in this series responded to a call for submissions we placed over this summer, to highlight their work throughout the month of November. At CCPL we value the contributions our local authors make in sharing their knowledge and passion with our community.  Make sure to check out our Local Author’s collection located at the Waldorf West Library. 

Briana A. Thomas

Black Broadway in Washington, D.C.

Arcadia Publishing

Before chain coffee shops and luxury high-rises, before even the beginning of desegregation and the 1968 riots, Washington’s Greater U Street was known as Black Broadway. From the early 1900s into the 1950s, African Americans plagued by Jim Crow laws in other parts of town were free to own businesses here and built what was often described as a “city within a city.” Local author and journalist Briana A. Thomas narrates U Street’s rich and unique history, from the early triumph of emancipation to the days of civil rights pioneer Mary Church Terrell and music giant Duke Ellington, through the recent struggles of gentrification

Briana A. Thomas has been published in Washingtonian Magazine, the historic Afro-American newspaper, and the Washington Post throughout her journalism career. Briana earned a Master of Journalism degree from the University of Maryland–College Park and a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and communications from Greensboro College. She is the co-pastor of a Maryland-based multisite church Open Bible Ministries.

Celebrate NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) with the Charles County Public Library this year by checking out some of our local authors, as part of our Local Author Virtual Showcase! All of the authors showcased in this series responded to a call for submissions we placed over this summer, to highlight their work throughout the month of November. At CCPL we value the contributions our local authors make in sharing their knowledge and passion with our community.  Make sure to check out our Local Author’s collection located at the Waldorf West Library. 

CiCelia Jackson

Expression’s Embrace Volume 1: From Roses to Sparrows

Amazon

(from the author: “From Roses to Sparrows is a book of poetry for teens, and both young and older adults, to be absorbed in the communication between older women, Roses, and young ladies, Sparrows. The expressions embrace the moments in life many women have journeyed, while also encouraging the understanding of one another to incite love and support. “We, each of us, are somebody’s Rose and/or Sparrow…”)

Dedicated to the Queens & Princesses, the integral communication between us as women and young ladies… I wrote this collection of poetry to give our blooming youth of little women something to ponder upon during their life’s journeys, as well as to speak to mature women to embrace the treasured privilege we have in teaching them. Whether you will need to laugh, to cry, to smile or to vent, I hope that there is something each of you can draw upon, relate to, become comforted by, or to even be inspired. I was asked, “Why did you choose the title: From Roses to Sparrows?” Well…roses have always been my favorite blossom, but the title didn’t really come into fruition until one of my “little sisters” started to call me Rose. She said it matched my mothering, nurturing and sweet side. This same “little sister” I had earlier nicknamed Sparrow. So this book, these expressions, stems from a friendship between a Rose and a Sparrow. I have many “little sisters” that I pray for on a daily basis to embrace the window of maturity and become beautiful women, spiritual women, and respected women. I know life lands us in many puddles and takes us through different courses, but I don’t want you to ever give up on yourselves, but especially and more importantly…on life. We, each of us, are all someone’s Rose and/or Sparrow and, at times, I feel we need to be reminded of such.

Currently a resident in Maryland, but I was born and raised on the south side of Chicago, IL in 1980 (which, by the way, is also the hometown of one of my favorite poets, Gwendolyn Brooks). Also among my favorite poets and writers are none other than Maya Angelou, Emily Dickinson, Langston Hughes, Dudley Randall, William Shakespeare, and Walter Dean Myers. I have been awarded for my poetry throughout my school years, including the esteemed Dudley Randall Poetry Award, presented by The Gwendolyn Brooks Center for Black Literature and Creative Writing in 1997. “Hate” was the award winning literary work and was signed by Gwendolyn herself. WHAT AN HONOR! This poem will be featured in my 3rd poetry book volume: Love to Love what Love can Be. Once an aspiring author, I am now living my passion, proud of my first published and released book, From Roses to Sparrows. Life may be like a box of chocolates, but at least you can enjoy some of the flavors!

Celebrate NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) with the Charles County Public Library this year by checking out some of our local authors, as part of our Local Author Virtual Showcase! All of the authors showcased in this series responded to a call for submissions we placed over this summer, to highlight their work throughout the month of November. At CCPL we value the contributions our local authors make in sharing their knowledge and passion with our community.  Make sure to check out our Local Author’s collection located at the Waldorf West Library. 

Kristian Faith Daniels

Kid in Q.. What a Pandemic

Xlibris – Amazon

What a surprise for us all! Everyone’s daily routine of childcare and other normalcy has been disrupted by COVID-19. Kamili finds inventive ways to cope.

Kristian is a dedicated daughter, sister and friend. She is currently a Director at a Preschool Center servicing children from ages 1 to 5. Since high school she has gained her educational background in Child Development and Early Education. She has received her Bachelor of Science at Bowie State University in Child and Adolescent Studies. This new endeavor was an organic process. During the beginning of the pandemic, it allowed Kristian to think of new ways to express her passion for children and how to impact them physically while intellectually. Covid-19 has graced her in a disruptive way to write her first children’s book. It is her exertion to show children how to cope and thrive in the new environment Covid-19 has created for us all.

Celebrate NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) with the Charles County Public Library this year by checking out some of our local authors, as part of our Local Author Virtual Showcase! All of the authors showcased in this series responded to a call for submissions we placed over this summer, to highlight their work throughout the month of November. At CCPL we value the contributions our local authors make in sharing their knowledge and passion with our community.  Make sure to check out our Local Author’s collection located at the Waldorf West Library. 

Keianna Johnson

Coming of Age: The Easy Guide to Healthy Hair Care for Teens

Amazon  –   Web site

Now that you are a teenager, everyone expects you to know how to care for your hair on your own yet forgot to set aside time to teach you. So you’ve gone day to day winging it. Some of you have cut cornrows out of your hair accidentally trying to take down crochet braids. Some of you who have Locs used creamy conditioner to moisturize your hair only to discover how hard it is to rinse out. Then there are some of you who forgot to detangle your hair before shampooing just to have a 2-hour comb out session in which you’ve lost a bunch of hair. Writing this book was essential to me because I want every tween/teenage girl to be confident in her ability to make healthy choices for her hair. I hope this book provides clear instructions that will assist you in managing your hair on your own.

Book Description:

Coming of Age: The Easy Guide to Healthy Hair Care for Teens is a magnificent book for young girls who are embarking on the journey of styling their textured (Locs, Extensions, etc.) hair for the first time. It’s also an excellent resource for teens who have been doing their hair but lack the guidance, support, and or understanding of what it takes to care for and maintain their textured hair properly. Coming of Age can be purchased via Amazon as well as Barnes and Noble.

Keianna Johnson is recognized in her community as an award-winning children’s textured hair care professional and owner of Chi Chi Sophistication Kids Natural Hair Studio, where she specializes in chemical-free, quality hair braiding services. Keianna has been fortunate enough to create Healthy Hair & Style Workshops for Teens in The Washington D.C. area. To support the youth by providing guidance and understanding of maintaining their textured hair properly, Keianna wrote a book entitled Coming Of Age: The Easy Guide to Healthy Hair Care for Teens. When she is not styling hair, Keianna writes about Unapologetic Living and encourages people to take back their power to be themselves on the Web site. Her passion for hair care has allowed her to travel, meet new people, and support her beloved family.

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Celebrate NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) with the Charles County Public Library this year by checking out some of our local authors, as part of our Local Author Virtual Showcase! All of the authors showcased in this series responded to a call for submissions we placed over this summer, to highlight their work throughout the month of November. At CCPL we value the contributions our local authors make in sharing their knowledge and passion with our community.  Make sure to check out our Local Author’s collection located at the Waldorf West Library. 

Ian Tonnessen

Critical Asset

Amazon

(From the author: “Critical Asset is adult science fiction with some YA appeal. The story is set in 2065, when an international crisis threatens to turn the Second Cold War into a worldwide conflict. Fast, tense, and rooted in the trends and moral dilemmas of today’s world, I wrote it for a commercial audience far wider than sci-fi readers. This is my debut novel.”) 

By 2065 Captain Jaana Pierce has spent her career in the Second Cold War. One of U.S. Space Command’s best officers, she and her crew train for a day they doubt will ever come. But the Seventh Arrow revolutionaries are ready to make that unthinkable day happen.

Desperate to overthrow their nation’s regime, rebel commandos seize the most valuable and secretive research station ever built. Setting up their government to take the blame for its destruction, the rebels expect the ensuing war will be quick and decisive. Unexpectedly drawn into the siege, Pierce and her crew must battle a relentless enemy.

Outmatched while the world hurtles towards disaster, she will have to risk much more than her life to end the crisis. She will also have to confront her limits of duty. The approaching war is a lie — but stopping it may be the more destructive choice.

“If Tom Clancy had written sci-fi, it would read like Critical Asset.”

“No aliens, no superpowers, no wildly dystopian societies — the realism makes it all the more thrilling.”

The debut novel of military intelligence analyst Ian Tonnessen, CRITICAL ASSET brings some projected crises of the mid-21st Century to life with realistic action and unforgettable characters. Fast-paced and rooted in the dilemmas of today’s world, trailblazing science is mixed into a rich and relatable vision of the future — a future both exciting and unsettling.

Ian Tonnessen is a D.C.-based intelligence analyst specializing in military technology developments. A former naval officer and a lifelong science fiction geek, Critical Asset is his debut novel. He welcomes all questions, comments, discussions, jokes, drink recipes, and blinding adoration.

Celebrate NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) with the Charles County Public Library this year by checking out some of our local authors, as part of our Local Author Virtual Showcase! All of the authors showcased in this series responded to a call for submissions we placed over this summer, to highlight their work throughout the month of November. At CCPL we value the contributions our local authors make in sharing their knowledge and passion with our community.  Make sure to check out our Local Author’s collection located at the Waldorf West Library. 

Melissa Face

I Love You More Than Coffee

Bookshop

Are you trying to balance raising a family with maintaining your own identity? Have you ever been so exhausted that you showed up to a meeting carrying your baby’s diaper bag instead of your briefcase? In her debut collection, I Love You More Than Coffee, Melissa Face writes about the emotions we all experience as parents: anticipation, joy, fear, guilt, and worry. Whether you are a new or seasoned parent, you will find common ground in Melissa’s heartfelt, humorous, and authentic stories of her life with two young children. If you love coffee a lot and your kids (a little) more, this book is for you. Fill your mug with your favorite brew and settle in with I Love You More Than Coffee project released by her new company, Rose of Sharon Publishing. She is a devoted wife, mother and grandmother who enjoys traveling, spending time with family and supporting charitable endeavors in her local community.

Melissa Face’s writing has appeared in numerous local and national publications, including The Myrtle Beach Herald, Guideposts, Country Woman, Farm & Ranch Living, Prairie Times, Richmond Family Magazine, Boomer Magazine, Sasee Magazine, Nine Lives: A Life in Ten Minutes Anthology, Parhelion Literary Magazine, and twenty-one volumes of Chicken Soup for the Soul.

Melissa has worked as a hostess, newspaper reporter, addictions counselor, and master control operator at a television station. She has operated a backhoe and an excavator, groomed the Clydesdales at Busch Gardens, and once marshaled in a Canadair Regional Jet at the Myrtle Beach International Airport.

Celebrate NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) with the Charles County Public Library this year by checking out some of our local authors, as part of our Local Author Virtual Showcase! All of the authors showcased in this series responded to a call for submissions we placed over this summer, to highlight their work throughout the month of November. At CCPL we value the contributions our local authors make in sharing their knowledge and passion with our community.  Make sure to check out our Local Author’s collection located at the Waldorf West Library. 

J.P. Dallas

Fade to Blacque

Amazon

Book of Fiction, Shalimar Blacque is a tall, Gorgeous Black woman who is a special agent in New York, along with her mentor/partner Roosevelt Jenkins. A new case that may be connected to an old case places them both in dangerous situations that may be hot to handle.

Description from Amazon: “The special agents who populate the offices of FICA (the Federal Investigation on Criminal Activities) are almost uniformly white and male—with one notable exception: Shalimar Blacque.

Six feet tall and as beautiful as most models, the eight-year agency veteran stands out both in FICA’s New York office and on the streets. Subtle, Shalimar most definitely is not—she’s impetuous, headstrong, and as proficient with her fists as her gun.

Very little fazes Shalimar—except that one incident. This case was the most sickening of her career, and no matter how hard she tries to block the horrors of that investigation, she can’t forget.”

J.P. Dallas is a New Yorker, even if she did originate in New Jersey and now lives in Maryland with Ochie the cat (who crops up in Fade to Blacque).
A one-time biker chick with a deep love of God, animals, and world travel, Dallas began writing when she turned fifty-six. Fade to Blacque was inspired by her interest in forensics, British murder mysteries, and all aspects of law enforcement.