UMPI to host authors
Gordon Hammond to hold book signing
PRESQUE ISLE — The University of Maine at Presque Isle will host a book signing for local author Gordon Hammond on Tuesday, Oct. 29, at 6:30 p.m. in the UMPI Library. Hammond will be reading from his novel “The Orphan.”
Hammond’s novel is about an orphan named Ezra Samuels who loses his parents at the age of 8. He is taken in by his aunt and uncle and his friendship with his cousin and mentor Lydia thrives. “The Orphan” shows the determination of both Ezra and Lydia, with the help of the wealthy Gladwells, as they begin their life together on a farm even while being condemned by some in the community.
“Gordon Hammond has created a cast of strong characters in ‘The Orphan’ who struggle to understand not only themselves, but their place in the small town where they live,” said Ardeana Hamlin, author of “Abbott’s Reach.”
Hammond moved to Maine in 1975 after a career as an art director in New York and a creative director in Boston. In 1981, he established the ad agency, Noah. In 1988, he co-founded the magazine Echoes with Kathryn Olmstead, and, in 1995, he returned to ad work focused on organic farming. Retired since 2000, he now devotes his time to writing and illustrating collections of illustrated short fiction such as “Lisa’s Dream” and “Leaving Home.”
John Dombek, author of “Joe and Me,” said about Hammond’s new book: “Be prepared to drift on the gentle prose of the author as he creates a deeply sensitive story of lovers who find each other, build a home and life together, and remain true in a community incensed by the thought they could be together.”
For more information about Hammond’s reading and book signing, call the UMPI Library at 768-9599.
UMPI emeritus faculty to read from latest novel
The latest novel by Dr. Richard Shain Cohen, emeritus faculty member at the University of Maine at Presque Isle, has been published by CCB Publishing this fall. “Our Seas of Fear and Love” is available in hardback and paperback, as well as an e-book. Dr. Cohen will visit UMPI for a book reading and signing on Wednesday, Oct. 30, at 2 p.m. in the UMPI Library. The community is invited to attend.
Dr. Cohen retired from the University of Maine at Presque Isle after serving as vice president of academic affairs and professor of English. His latest book “Our Seas of Fear and Love” is a romance-family saga set primarily in Maine but also in Europe, Boston and the Southwest.
“This meticulously-crafted novel reads like a family saga, spanning about 50 years. The author weaves the warp of individual characters into the woof of both national and global affairs with great clarity… A compelling must-read,” said J. Arthur Faber, professor of English emeritus at Wittenberg University.
In “Our Seas of Fear and Love,” calm and stormy seas are emblematic of the characters, their influence upon one another and the conflicts and love expressed among the four main characters: Bright, Deirdre, Gregory and Etienne Moreau, a man who searches out art treasures to sell to museums. In the end, the effects of love triumph in contrast to vainness that damages self and others as the seas of fear and love engulf all.
Bonnie Kaye, M.Ed, counselor and author of “ManReaders: A Woman’s Guide to Dysfunctional Men,” said, “…The story reminds us that even people of high moral standards and values can be corrupted through lust and money. This story will draw you in from the first chapter and keep you reading until the last word. You actually feel as if you are living the story which can only happen when the writing is superb like Cohen’s.”
Originally from Boston, Dr. Cohen holds B.S., M.A., and Ph.D. degrees. He served as editor of the journal Husson Review and was principal participant in a National Endowment for the Arts Grant for “Images of Aroostook” that was exhibited throughout the state of Maine (some of them are now housed at the Maine Historical Society). He has also penned numerous other works.
Dr. Cohen now resides in Cape Elizabeth with his wife Arla.
“I had never written a romance,” Dr. Cohen said about his latest novel, “but urged by my daughter, Candace, this book became a reality. It is a story I enjoyed writing despite the usual rigor and elation producing a work entails. I hope the reader will become involved with the characters and experience enjoyment in the reading.”
To learn more about Dr. Cohen and his books, visit www.richardshaincohen.com. “Our Seas of Fear and Love” is available on Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, and many other retailers worldwide. It is also available as an e-book.
