Local author Janet Sierzant recently hosted a book-signing event at the Heritage Center with some of the Treasure Coast authors she represents through La Maison Publishing, which she founded about 10 years ago.
“I actually wrote my first book about 11 years ago, ‘Gemini Joe, Memoirs of Brooklyn,’ about my father growing up in Brooklyn, and I went to New York and tried to get a publisher,” said Sierzant.
Finding no takers, she decided to start her own publishing company.
“Once I did that, I couldn’t stop writing. I’ve written about 14 books since then,” said Sierzant, noting that her genre includes children’s books, poetry, fiction and nonfiction, and, after learning that she had 100 cousins in Sicily, a book about her ancestry.
Other authors began to approach her for help, and she now has about 75 clients, spanning a broad range of genres. She also started Writer’s Windowpane, a writers’ critique group that meets at the main library.
“They trust me. I’m here in Vero and I make house calls, because a lot of my clients are older,” she said.
Her advice to budding authors: “Don’t ever give up. Write because you love it and you have a story to tell.”
Two nonprofits were also at the event: Literacy Services of Indian River County, which is seeking additional tutors to reduce a wait list of some 80 students seeking to learn the English language and/or improve their literacy skills; and the Indian River Genealogical Society, which can assist potential writers, or anyone else, to research their ancestry.
Among the authors at the book signing, Ellen Gillette of Fort Pierce wrote and illustrated “She-Bear in the Beautiful Garden,” which she described as a “retelling of the Garden of Eden Story from the perspective of the first mother bear,” that she said has a lesson about trust in the face of adversity that can help children deal with their own trust issues.
A 27-year resident of Vero Beach, Barbara Hoover, author of “Let’s Have a Conversation: Respect, Truth, Trust Matter,” said she interviewed 800 people and “settled on 500” of those for the book.
“We had conversations; it’s all conversations about all kinds of interesting things.”
Gene Hull, a prolific Fort Pierce author, had an impressive 30-year career as a professional musician, and later as music director for Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines. “After 15 years I got bored with that and started writing,” said Hull, whose books includes fiction, poetry, short stories and memoirs. He said his latest, “Brainwaves,” is “by far the best one.”
Sebastian author Karen Hiltz, Ed.D., writes nonfiction books about education. “The Apple Report: Diary of a Public School Board Member” was initiated as a way to communicate with her constituents while serving on public and private Virginia school boards. “The Case for Choice: One Size Fits All,” she said, is a compilation of 12 interviews relating difference perspectives about the education system.
A Vero Beach resident since 1987, Jerry Nashel’s memoir “Subbing” relates to his time as a substitute teacher, including 22 years in this district, primarily at the middle and high school level.
And while students and teachers may recognize themselves, Nashel said “there are no formal names in this book; not even the word Florida.”
Another prolific author, Peter Haase of Stuart, has written in a variety of genres. Several books describe his own experiences and those of his family during the World War II Nazi regime, how they survived the post-war years, and the reunification of Germany 50 years later.
A writer of nonfiction books, Ron Chicone of Hutchinson Island said his most acclaimed book is “Winners and Losers: Secrets of the Roaring Twenties and the Prodigality of the Gilded.” “It’s nine separate chapters of people who made it big and lost it big.”
Robert Fisher of Jensen Beach writes action thrillers. His “Shadow World” series – his fifth book is due to come out later this year – pays homage to spy thrillers such as the early James Bond movies.
“I’ve always liked those kinds of stories and I decided to pen my own version of those.”
A writer of historical fiction, Dennis Kennelly of Port St. Lucie has written the “Nelson’s Men” trilogy, about the first 17 days of the Korean War. “The timeline is based on fact, but I fill it in with fiction to make it interesting.”
“In the Sky: A Retired Captain Looks Back over 59 Years” chronicles the experiences of former Delta Airlines pilot Jerry Farquar of Okeechobee, whose late wife was a captain with Miami Air. He said his logbook shows that “there were at least 2.5 million people that I carried and every one of them was delivered without a scratch or a bruise.”
Photos by Kaila Jones
