East County Magazine
Oaks from Acorns Grow
Book by Richard Opper Reviewed by Pennell Paugh November 4, 2025 (San Diego) — San Diego resident Richard G. Opper is releasing the last book in his Oakheart Trilogy, Oaks from Acorns Grow. It’s written in deep point of view of each player in the story, including the criminals. Mona Oakheart goes to Guam to find her leading porn star,
Looking for Tank Man by Ha Jin
Reviewed by Pennell Paugh October 18, 2025 (San Diego) – National award-winning author Ha Jin, who became a U.S. citizen after the Tiananmen Square uprising. explores themes of rebellion in China and the struggles of a Chinese student in America in his novel, Looking for Tank Man. His main character, Lulu, who is a young woman from China, attends an
El Presidio de San Diego: Excavating Southern California’s Lost City by Richard Carrico
Reviewed by Pennell Paugh October 19, 2025 (San Diego) – History buffs will love Richard Carrico’s new book, El Presidio de San Diego: Excavating Southern California’s Lost City. The book briefly covers San Diego area history before the first pioneers arrived. The author’s preview to European colonization is short but extensive. Richard Carrico’s greatest focus is upon the presidio in
Local children’s book author and filmmaker named finalist in San Diego Magazine’s “Celebrating Women” Awards
East County News Service October 14, 2025 (San Diego) — Anat Tour, a children’s book author, singer, documentary filmmaker, and math teacher based in East County, has been named a finalist in San Diego Magazine’s “Celebrating Women” Awards in the Education category. In addition to her writing and filmmaking, Anat is a passionate singer and host of East County Magazine’s
Linchpin encourages people to find their value in the workplace
Review by Heidi Hope October 15, 2025 (San Diego) — Linchpin focuses on the themes of changing the world for the better and making a difference in the workplace by embracing one’s individuality, artistry and uniqueness in visions and values, instead of simply following instructions and never getting to contribute creativity into any task. This New York Times bestselling book captures my
Pretty Happy: healthy ways to love your body
Book by Kate Hudson Review by Heidi Hope October 5, 2025 (San Diego) – Pretty Happy is a New York Times best-selling self-help book written by my favorite actress, Kate Hudson. She thoughtfully researched each area and provided a variety of questions to ask, as well as suggestions to reference and ideas for carrying out each lesson to take better
An anthology features San Diego authors: San Diego Writers and Editors Guild releases its thirteenth anthology in October
East County News Service September 28, 2025 (San Diego) – The San Diego Writers and Editors Guild launches Good Luck with That—the Guilded Pen’s thirteenth annual anthology. The collection includes thirty-six stories written by twenty-nine members on the theme: “Good Luck or Is It?” Sandra Yeaman. In her twenties, Sandra traveled to Tehran, Iran, where she taught English as
Lucas and Emily’s Food Bank Adventure by Dave Grunenwald
Reviewed by Pennell Paugh September 28, 2025 (San Diego) – Lucas and Emily’s Food Bank Adventure is a children’s book for 5- to 10-year-olds. It is designed to inspire children and their families to volunteer in community programs that help those in need. In the book, two friends and a grandparent visit a group that make and deliver sandwiches. Next, they
Author Tanya Harris hosts book signing Sept. 21 at Grossmont Center to benefit domestic violence survivors
East County News Service September 5, 2025 (La Mesa) — Local author, domestic violence survivor and advocate Tanya Harris will host a powerful community book signing and awareness event on Sunday, September 21, 2025, from 11:00 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the gazebo at Grossmont Center mall (5500 Grossmont Center Dr., La Mesa). The community-focused event is designed to raise
Blood in the Water: an A.J. Hawke legal thriller
Novel by Donald McInnis Reviewed by Pennell Paugh September 4, 2025 (San Diego) —Blood in the Water, though fictional, exposes a flaw in the United States’ tripartite federal government structure as established in the Constitution. The third branch of government, the Judiciary, cannot enforce its rulings, even when those rulings are necessary for protecting an individual citizen’s rights or the constitutional powers of the
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Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting — not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine’s local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.
GO WEST FOR LUCK, GO WEST FOR LOVE
By Mardie Schroeder Reviewed by Pennell Paugh September 1, 2024 (San Diego) — Mardie Schroeder, resident of North Park in San Diego, wrote Go West for Luck, Go West for Love, a wonderful story that depicts the adventures of a family’s members over four generations. Schroeder starts her story back in the old west. Benjamin Harrison Johnson leaves a town
THE CASE OF THE GREENSBORO GREMLINS
By Eric Martin Reviewed by Pennell Paugh August 18, 2024 (San Diego) — Erik Christopher Martin lives and writes in San Diego, California. In The Case of the Greensboro Gremlins: Dotty Morgan Supernatural Sleuth Blook Three, Gremlins and fashion don’t mix! Summer vacation before seventh grade Dotty is expanding and her girlfriend, Hannah, is getting taller. Hannah fights in a
THE CASE OF THE GREENSBORO GREMLINS
By Eric Martin Reviewed by Pennell Paugh August 18, 2024 (San Diego) — Erik Christopher Martin lives and writes in San Diego, California. In The Case of the Greensboro Gremlins: Dotty Morgan Supernatural Sleuth Blook Three, Gremlins and fashion don’t mix! Summer vacation before seventh grade Dotty is expanding and her girlfriend, Hannah, is getting taller. Hannah fights in a
THE CASE OF THE GREENSBORO GREMLINS
By Eric Martin Reviewed by Pennell Paugh August 18, 2024 (San Diego) — Erik Christopher Martin lives and writes in San Diego, California. In The Case of the Greensboro Gremlins: Dotty Morgan Supernatural Sleuth Blook Three, Gremlins and fashion don’t mix! Summer vacation before seventh grade Dotty is expanding and her girlfriend, Hannah, is getting taller. Hannah fights in a
WHISPERS IN THE SHADOWS: AN AMERICAN’S ADVENTURE TEACHING IN ROMANIA BEHIND THE IRON CURTAIN
By Sandra Wenner Yeaman Reviewed by Pennell Paugh August 11, 2024 (El Cajon) — Sandra Yeaman, a resident of El Cajon, CA, visited Iaşi, Romania in 1978. She was given a two-bedroom apartment with all the usual appliances found in U.S. apartments. She later found out her lifestyle was quite lush compared to local residents. However, on the downside
WHISPERS IN THE SHADOWS: AN AMERICAN’S ADVENTURE TEACHING IN ROMANIA BEHIND THE IRON CURTAIN
By Sandra Wenner Yeaman Reviewed by Pennell Paugh August 11, 2024 (El Cajon) — Sandra Yeaman, a resident of El Cajon, CA, visited Iaşi, Romania in 1978. She was given a two-bedroom apartment with all the usual appliances found in U.S. apartments. She later found out her lifestyle was quite lush compared to local residents. However, on the downside
WHISPERS IN THE SHADOWS: AN AMERICAN’S ADVENTURE TEACHING IN ROMANIA BEHIND THE IRON CURTAIN
By Sandra Wenner Yeaman Reviewed by Pennell Paugh August 11, 2024 (El Cajon) — Sandra Yeaman, a resident of El Cajon, CA, visited Iaşi, Romania in 1978. She was given a two-bedroom apartment with all the usual appliances found in U.S. apartments. She later found out her lifestyle was quite lush compared to local residents. However, on the downside
THE 17TH VOLUME OF A YEAR IN INK ANTHOLOGY
Edited by Kimberly Lee and Kate Manning Reviewed by Pennell Paugh August 11, 2024 (San Diego) — Published by San Diego Writers, Ink, The 17th Volume Anthology: A Year In Ink, is an anthology of the creative work of San Diegans. In the 2024 version, 281 entries were submitted from all genres. Of those, 46 pieces were selected to
THE 17TH VOLUME OF A YEAR IN INK ANTHOLOGY
Edited by Kimberly Lee and Kate Manning Reviewed by Pennell Paugh August 11, 2024 (San Diego) — Published by San Diego Writers, Ink, The 17th Volume Anthology: A Year In Ink, is an anthology of the creative work of San Diegans. In the 2024 version, 281 entries were submitted from all genres. Of those, 46 pieces were selected to
THE 17TH VOLUME OF A YEAR IN INK ANTHOLOGY
Edited by Kimberly Lee and Kate Manning Reviewed by Pennell Paugh August 11, 2024 (San Diego) — Published by San Diego Writers, Ink, The 17th Volume Anthology: A Year In Ink, is an anthology of the creative work of San Diegans. In the 2024 version, 281 entries were submitted from all genres. Of those, 46 pieces were selected to
Search by Specific Date
Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting — not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine’s local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.
East County Magazine
Pretty Happy: healthy ways to love your body
Book by Kate Hudson Review by Heidi Hope October 5, 2025 (San Diego) – Pretty Happy is a New York Times best-selling self-help book written by my favorite actress, Kate Hudson. She thoughtfully researched each area and provided a variety of questions to ask, as well as suggestions to reference and ideas for carrying out each lesson to take better
Lucas and Emily’s Food Bank Adventure by Dave Grunenwald
Reviewed by Pennell Paugh September 28, 2025 (San Diego) – Lucas and Emily’s Food Bank Adventure is a children’s book for 5- to 10-year-olds. It is designed to inspire children and their families to volunteer in community programs that help those in need. In the book, two friends and a grandparent visit a group that make and deliver sandwiches. Next, they
Author Tanya Harris hosts book signing Sept. 21 at Grossmont Center to benefit domestic violence survivors
East County News Service September 5, 2025 (La Mesa) — Local author, domestic violence survivor and advocate Tanya Harris will host a powerful community book signing and awareness event on Sunday, September 21, 2025, from 11:00 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the gazebo at Grossmont Center mall (5500 Grossmont Center Dr., La Mesa). The community-focused event is designed to raise
Blood in the Water: an A.J. Hawke legal thriller
Novel by Donald McInnis Reviewed by Pennell Paugh September 4, 2025 (San Diego) —Blood in the Water, though fictional, exposes a flaw in the United States’ tripartite federal government structure as established in the Constitution. The third branch of government, the Judiciary, cannot enforce its rulings, even when those rulings are necessary for protecting an individual citizen’s rights or the constitutional powers of the