Synopsis coming soon.......

The San Diego Memoir Writers Association is honored to present the third volume of compelling true stories drawn from our annual Memoir Showcase contest. This year's winning selections address the theme of I Didn't See That One Coming. While these stories were written before the global pandemic, they offer reflections on how unseen events shape our lives. This bold and entertaining volume is filled with riveting stories such as being kidnapped at gunpoint and solving the mystery of a father you never knew, as well as lighthearted pieces about having the best sex of your life in your eighties. In the spirit of the Shaking the Tree series, this book goes there-unapologetically. You can't make this stuff up. In this edition: Elise Kim Prosser, PHD, Chili Cilch, Krisa Bruemmer, Kenny Sucher, Laura L. Engel, Elizabeth Eshoo, Nicola Ranson, Judy Reeves, Diane L. Schneider, M.D., Tina Martin, Sandi Nieto, Cindy Jenson-Elliott, Nicole Gibbs, James Roberts, Vincentia Schroeter, Kimberly Joy, Nancy Mae Johnson, Tania Pryputniewicz, Lauren Halsted, Deborah Rudell, Jennifer Gasner, Anastasia Zadeik, Marijke McCandless, Nancy G. Villalobos, Heather M. Berberet, Chloe Sparacino, Sarah Vosburgh, Allan E. Musterer, Eileen Mathena, Suzanne Spector

The acclaimed interactive picture book about the changing seasons. “Like Hervé Tullet’s Press Here, Matheson’s Tap the Magic Tree proves you don’t need apps for interactivity,” praised the New York Times. This board book edition is perfect for little hands. Every book needs you to turn the pages. But not every book needs you to tap it, shake it, jiggle it, or even blow it a kiss. Innovative and timeless, Tap the Magic Tree asks you to help one lonely tree change with the seasons. Now that’s interactive—and magical! It begins with a bare brown tree. But tap that tree, turn the page, and one bright green leaf has sprouted! Tap again—one, two, three, four—and four more leaves have grown on the next page. Pat, clap, wiggle, jiggle, and see blossoms bloom, apples grow, and the leaves swirl away with the autumn breeze. The collage-and-watercolor art evokes the bright simplicity of Lois Ehlert and Eric Carle and the interactive concept will delight fans of Pat the Bunny. Combining a playful spirit and a sense of wonder about nature, Christie Matheson has created a new modern classic that is a winner in every season—and every story time! And don't miss the follow-up, Touch the Brightest Star!

From the very first page Shaking the Trees meets you at the edge of the forest, extends a limb & seduces you into taking a walk through the dark & light of connection. Suddenly, like a gunshot in the very-near distance, you find yourself traipsing though a full-blown love story that you can't find your way out of because the story is actually the landscape underneath your feet. It's okay though, you won't get lost- you won't go hungry. Azra shakes every tree along the way so their fruit blankets the ground before you. She picks up pieces & hands them to you but not before she shows you how she can love you so gently it will feel like she's unpeeling you carefully from yourself. She tells you that it isn't about the bite but the warm juice that slips from the lips down chin. She holds your hand when you're trudging through the messier parts, shoes getting stuck in the muck of it all, but you'll keep going with the pulp of the fruit still stuck in-between your teeth, the juice will dry in the crooks of your elbows & in the lines on your palms. You'll taste bittersweet for days.

“WHO ARE YOU AND WHERE DO YOU COME FROM? ” As a historian, Buzzy Jackson thought she knew the answers to these simple questions—that is, until she took a look at her scrawny family tree. With a name like Jackson (the twentieth most common American surname), she knew she must have more relatives and more family history out there, somewhere. Her first visit to the Boulder Genealogy Society brought her more questions than answers . . . but it also gave her a tantalizing peek into the fascinating (and enormous) community of family-tree huggers and after-hours Alex Haleys. In Shaking the Family Tree, Jackson dives headfirst into her family gene pool: flying cross-country to locate an ancient family graveyard, embarking on a weeklong genealogy Caribbean cruise, and even submitting her DNA for testing to try to find her Jacksons. And in the process of researching her own family lore (Who was Bullwhip Jackson?) she meets legions of other genealogy buffs who are as interesting as they are driven—from the boy who saved his allowance so he could order his great-grandfather’s death certificate to the woman who spends her free time documenting the cemeteries of Colorado ghost towns. Through Jackson’s research she connects with distant relatives, traces her roots back more than 250 years and in the process comes to discover—genetically, historically, and emotionally—the true meaning of “family” for herself.

US Marshal Charlie Harlow has stood in front of hundreds of doors without knowing who, or what, is behind them… When a botched assignment leaves a friend from the Buncombe County sheriff’s office dead, Charlie finds himself under the Justice Department’s scrutiny for the way things fell apart. Overwhelmed with guilt for failing to save his friend, Charlie knows the only thing he can do is keep doing the job he loves. At least while he still can. Bringing another fugitive to justice sounds just like what the doctor ordered. All he has to do is track down a sixty-something year old convict allegedly hiding out on his girlfriend’s farm. But things take a turn in the wrong direction when the deputy with Charlie, Kim Riggins, is taken hostage. And when the convict’s girlfriend steps in the way to prevent Charlie from stopping the fugitive’s escape, all he can do is watch as Deputy Riggins disappears under gunpoint. The game of cat and mouse soon turns deadly. And Charlie must apprehend those responsible before the person he cares most about pays the price for his relentless pursuit of justice…

The elementary tale of the life cycle of a tree, from its beginnings as a sapling to its demise on the forest floor, where it decomposes and becomes "a home for rabbits, and food for flowers", is also a life lesson for people. In this enhanced version, enjoy read-along, some fun animations, and a coloring page!

When tree climbing is banned at her townhouse complex, Bree assumes the role of activist and advocate in her community.

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