East County Magazine
Book review:The Mission at Home: Navigating Military Assignments, TRICARE, Education, Benefits and Everyday Life with Your Child on the Autism Spectrum
Book by Jaime B. & Elizabeth Tracy Parent Reviewed by Pennell Paugh April 20, 2026 (San Diego) – Local authors Jaime and Elizabeth Parent have written a major reference for persons who have disabilities, with particular focus on those who have autism. While the book specifically addresses the services and needs of families in any of the military services,
Review of Ethan Talks to Animals: Eat Your Food Fussy Filo, by Nico Waters
Reviewed by Pennell Paugh April 20, 2026 (San Diego) — San Diego author Nico Waters has written a series of books for children. In Ethan Talks to Animals, second grader Ethan can talk to animals. Together with his dog, Chewie, Ethan helps their next-door neighbor’s cat eat his new diet. Printer-friendly version
Sarah Foles: A Short Story Collection by Travis Lee provides rich social commentary
Reviewed by Pennell Paugh March 22, 2026 (San Diego) — San Diego author Travis Lee has released a collection of short stories currently displayed in…
Irish Secrets and Lies by Debbie Wastling
Book by Debbie Wastling Reviewed by Pennell Paugh March 18, 2026 (San Diego) – Irish Secrets and Lies by Southern California author Debbie Wastling is…
‘I’m Adopted’ by Cynthia R. Gould is the cat’s meow
Reviewed by Pennell Paugh March 16, 2026 (San Diego County) — San Diego author Cynthia R. Gould has released her second chidren’s book, and second…
Cognitive behavioral therapy: healing through poetry
CBT Self-Therapy Poetry: A Right Brain Approach to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and DBT Self-Therapy Poetry: A Right-Brain Approach to Dialectical Behavioral Therapy Books by Dharlene…
The Bloodstones of Power: The Norwesis Chronicles, Book 3 by Alain Lescart
Reviewed by Pennell Paugh February 25, 2026 (San Diego) — Alain Lescart, a resident of San Diego, entered his latest fairy story in the San…
San Diego poet shares secrets and solace of a psychotherapist in The Best Sex I Never Had
Book by Susan Black Allen Reviewed by Pennell Paugh February 2, 2026 (San Diego) — San Diego resident and psychotherapist, Susan Black Allen has written…
Down to the Bone: A Missing Family’s Murder and the Elusive Quest for Justice
Book by Caitlin Rother Review by Paul Levikow December 2, 2025 (San Diego) – San Diego-based New York Times bestselling author Caitlin Rother takes on the mysterious disappearance of the McStay family of four, who were last seen in their Fallbrook home in February, 2010. Joseph, Summer, and their two sons, Gianni and Joseph Jr. were killed and their bodies
Operation Masquerade: A Rent Beacham Mystery
Novel by Larry M. Edwards Reviewed by Pennell Paugh November 28, 2025 (San Diego) — Larry Edwards, a San Diego resident, has written another Rent Beacham mystery. San Diego journalist Rent receives information about a cold-case homicide in Washington State. His investigation leads him to investigate links between illegal disposal of hazardous waste from a San Diego boatyard in 1995
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.
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