Bookshelf - Common Thread

Alo Johnston ‘15

After thousands of hours of research, conversations with hundreds of trans people, and a personal journey through transition, Alo Johnston ‘15 (Los Angeles, MA in Clinical Psychology) announces the publication of his first book, coming February 21, 2023, through Jessica Kingsley Publishers. Am I Trans Enough?: How to Overcome Your Doubts and Find Your Authentic Self is a work that explores historical narratives that fuel internalized transphobia and reveals the effects of a transphobic world on those coming out or questioning a life as a trans person. Johnston hopes to cultivate a space with this text for readers to engage with

Kristine (Kristina) Bak ’91

Kristine (Kristina) Bak ’91 (Seattle, MA in Psychology) had her young adult fiction novel Cold Mirage published by Luminare Press. A cinematic, multi-layered novel, the second in a series starring Stevie, who heals pain with her touch. Secrets are slippery things, and the most dangerous people already know hers or think they do. Metaphysical gifts, hauntings, and natural phenomena blend in this near-future adventure with Stevie, her friends, and animal companions. Kristina Bak writes stories and novels for readers age 12 to 112. Her work has been described as “cinematic,” which makes sense to her since she sees what she

Gayle Brandeis ’01

Gayle Brandeis’ ’01 (Los Angeles, MFA) forthcoming essay collection, Drawing Breath, Essays on Writing, the Body and Loss, will be released on February 7, 2023 (Overcup Books). Her ninth book to be published, Drawing Breath spans 20+ years of writing and “explores both the writing life and the embodied life, while fluidly fashioning the potent intersection between the two.” The collection features essays published throughout Brandeis’ career, including in The New York Times, Longreads, The Rumpus and viral essays in Modern Love and The Washington Post. Brandeis is an affiliate faculty member in Antioch’s MFA in Creative Writing program, a

Mike Young ’14

Dr. Mike Young ’14 (GSLC, PhD) published Nuclear Vigilance: The Creation of the Atomic Energy Detection System and its Impact on Nuclear Arms Control Goals during the Eisenhower Administration (Airforce, 2022). As the Command Historian for the Air Force Technical Applications Center, Young was able to tell this story about the initial creation of the nation’s treaty monitoring system and organization tasked with surveilling nuclear detonations worldwide, based on recently declassified documents. The story illustrates how the innovative leadership of two key scientists working in a highly classified organization could have a far-reaching influence over the formulation of American foreign

Kate Carter ’94

Kate Carter, ’94 (Midwest, MA) passed away of Covid in 2020. Her book, Covenant, was published posthumously in Kate’s memory, by her partner of 25 years, Yvonne Lutter ’99 (New England, PsyD) in her memory. This never-before-published collection of elegantly crafted, masterful poems was written over 30 years ago by a then-aspiring graduate student. Covenant is a story of love and redemption. Carter’s impressive poetic talent transforms the ugly banality of personal confession into a sublime gift of love with a capital L. Drawing on Celtic traditions, Carter weaves the commonplace story of our brokenness through the strength of human resilience

Sue Fagalde Lick ‘03

Sue Fagalde Lick’s ‘03 (Los Angeles, MFA) novel Seal Rock Sound was published by Blue Hydrangea Productions. It is a sequel to her novel Up Beaver Creek.

Susan Vespoli ‘10

Susan Vespoli’s ‘10 (Los Angeles, MFA) second book of poems Cactus as Bad Boy was published by Kelsay Books.

Abby Templeton Greene ‘10

Abby Templeton Greene’s ‘10 (Los Angeles, MFA) book of poetry, A Blue House to Sleep, will be published by Finishing Line Press in November.

Adrian Ernesto Cepeda ‘16

Adrian Ernesto Cepeda‘s ‘16 (Los Angeles, MFA) sixth poetry collection La Lengua Inside Me will be published with FlowerSong Press in 2023.

Jose Hernandez Diaz ‘15

Jose Hernandez Diaz‘s ‘15 (Los Angeles, MFA) poetry collection Bad Mexican, Bad American will be published by Acre Books in Spring 2024.

Daniel Bisaccio ’84

Daniel Bisaccio ’84 (New England, MST) had his book: All Children Smile in the Same Language: A Teacher’s Journey published by Gatekeeper Press. With over 40 years’ experience in the most important profession, Bisaccio offers guidance to educators as they navigate the uncharted waters of teaching – all those things not taught in teacher preparation programs. Personal essays that focus on the four traits of passion, flexibility, community, and intellectual engagement; this book will help all educators, no matter their years of experience, to sustain the passion that first made them answer the call to teach. “As I write this

John Whittier Treat ‘20

John Whittier Treat ‘20 (Los Angeles, MFA) will have his first novel, First Consonants, published by Jaded Ibis Press this summer.

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