Leaving Patriarchy Behind

Can we fight, and win, against an ideology that has been established and practiced for decades? In Leaving Patriarchy Behind, Leticia recounts her father’s disappointment at the birth of each daughter: “After each birth, Papa would turn to Mama and ask, ‘Mama, es un niño?’ But, out of 18 babies, Mama only had four boys.” With some challenging years behind her, Leticia considers the culture that informed her parents’ principles, those she knew she could not accept as her own. She realized from childhood that she was not one to follow the disparate rules set for boys and girls.

In these short vignettes, Leticia Aguilar recalls her life as a child in Mexico in the 1960s and as an adult in America in the ‘70s and beyond. Looking back, she reflects on her struggles as a girl, then a young woman, and the men who told her what she could and could not do. Instead, Leticia turned away from Mexican patriarchy, even as she was criticized and warned of her shortcomings in being independent. In a small mountain community in California where Leticia raised her family, she joined a variety of local organizations where she provided young women with a career, education, and family resources. Leticia’s memoir inspires others to rise above misogyny and racism.

Let Me Tell You a Story

Storytelling has been an art and form of entertainment for many cultures for thousands of years. Every family has their special stories. In this way culture is created and passed down to future generations. The stories in this collection represent five generations of our family. Our family would sit around a dinner table or a campfire and tell and retell these stories from the past. Our family loved the sharing of humor through this special communication. In this way we also shared each other’s lives. My family has asked that I record these so that they will be passed on to future generations so that they might enjoy them as well. All of the stories elicit laughter because of the humor. The stories are organized around themes. The one thing that is constant about the stories is that they are all “true stories”.

Let the Music Play On

Are you someone who revels in the resonance of melodies, whose heart beats to the rhythm of tunes? Embark on a young man’s odyssey through love, tragedy, and the enlivening world of music, underscoring the eternal bond between human emotions and musical notes. This narrative underscores the quintessence of music—it’s not just an art, but a heartbeat that continues to echo through the chambers of our lives, forever.

Discover the profound connection a musician shares with his instrument, akin to a confidant, a companion in joy, and solace in sorrow. As a teenager, our protagonist finds his heartstrings attuned to the chords of a violin accompanist, who not only complements his music but also completes his world. However, fate orchestrates a melancholy melody as he loses her, plunging him into a realm of despondence, detaching him from the music that once defined his existence.

Now adrift in a ‘free-floating’ reality, devoid of the musical notes that colored his world, he confronts the silence that ensues. The narrative strikes a chord, illustrating his journey back to the world, back to the essence of music that once cradled his soul. His path is arduous, but will the crescendo of life play a tune of hope, or will it fade into an adagio of despair? The finale holds an unexpected cadence, leaving you earnestly rooting for the young maestro to rekindle his love for music and share the eloquence of his violin with the world once more.

Stephen’s favourite saying was “When music is played, we all dance together; when music is played, we all listen as one.”

Let's Have a Parade

The countdown begins, and the band strikes to play! Those famous words are announced: "Let's have a parade!" From the lead stars, the highly popular high-kicking Rockettes, and of course, the big guy in red, Santa Claus, we kick off the holiday season down 6th Avenue as people gather in the streets of New York City to give thanks at the infamous Thanksgiving Day Parade!

Let's Move! Let's Talk! Let's Go!

Why this book now? Children sit too much. They sit in silence, hunched over a cell phone, iPad, Kindle, or computer. Their fingers are the only body part moving, and only in repetitive motions—for hours on end. Technology has contributed to children moving their bodies and using their voices less and less. Let’s Move! Let’s Talk! Let’s Go! is an antidote for these current trends and describes games supported by original poetry and illustrations. This book provides easy-to-follow guidelines for the caregiver and child.

Who is qualified to be a leader of the games? Everyone! The game leader does not need to have any special training. The leader can be a teacher, parent, sibling, or babysitter.

Where can the games be played? Everywhere! All the games can be played without any special space or equipment requirements. A living room, basement, recreation room, classroom, or backyard are all useable spaces for playing the games.

Praise for Let’s MOVE! Let’s TALK! Let’s GO!

“This is a welcome book to the children’s market. The integration between movement in body and voice to convey expression is wonderfully accessible. Many texts deal with speech and movement separately; here we are presented with the fullness of both. And, as we are more fragmented via computer technology, this book gives budding learners a chance for clear communication and action.”

– Cheryl Clark, CMA, BMC®, RSME/T, Senior Faculty member at the Laban Institute of Movement Studies, NYC, and on the faculty at the College for Performing Arts at The New School.

“This book is a terrific resource for dance teachers, classroom teachers, music teachers, and families. It is a creative and practical book that provides ideas, teacher prompts, imagery and rhymes to introduce young children to the building blocks of expressive dance and dance-making through the lens of Laban Movement Analysis. Early childhood is a pivotal time for brain and body development and this book is a wonderful addition to the field of dance in early childhood.”

– Deborah Damast MA, Director and Clinical Associate Professor of Dance Education at NYU Steinhardt.

“This book is a useful tool to any pediatric occupational therapy practice. The book captures ways to teach clinicians, parents, and caregivers how to inspire and grow a child’s human potential through the connection to their bodies and emotions. The book’s poetry, games and fundamental use of breath are creative and playful additions to an occupational therapist’s sensory integration toolkit.”

– Carol Battistone, M.A., OTR/L, 29 years in private practice, NYC.

Letters to My Daughter

He feared escaping the daily terror of drug dealing and violence would overwhelm him, as it had so many other young men of color growing up in the housing projects. His life, and their lives, seemed destined to become more cruel statistics of the ghetto’s unforgiving reality.

Licorice and Black Jack

This fable is about Licorice and Black Jack, twin seafaring cats that lived on the Clipper Ship “The Fair Winds” during the mid-1700s. These brother cats were famous for catching rats throughout the Seven Seas. One night, they were kidnapped by a dishonest, disgruntled crew member who sold them to a witch. After ridding the old harridan’s hut of rats, there was nothing left for them to eat, so they snuck off seeking freedom, food, and hopefully their ship. They then had the misfortune to be discovered by a disreputable merchant who sold them for their beautiful pelts. Their troubles took a turn for the worst from that moment on.

Life

Life is a meditative collection of your innermost thoughts, feelings, and desires.

The poems included throughout are striking and inviting.

Readers will feel welcome to journey alongside you as you discover and find your true happiness.

Life and Times of Miss Daisy Weed

A magical and mysterious garden where the unexpected seems to take over. A dissatisfied Daisy, an adventurer, caught up in mischief and desires, bringing about a whole new world of humor, tears, and love. The wild flowers and creatures take on a new meaning, as they grow in the imagination of the reader, each new character with their special task and story blends reality and fiction into a magical world of flowers, fairies, and humans. Plants that appear in this innocent garden, pushing their way in, overtaking other more charming plants, echo similarity to what the children and adults appear to go through, in this magical, enthralling story.

Life is a Story

In Life is a Story, D.A. Bennett takes readers on a captivating journey through a collection of short stories that explore the universal themes of adolescence, adulthood, and the complexities of human relationships.

Set in southern Louisiana during the mediators, the initial stories follow hard-working rural families as they navigate life’s challenges and opportunities. From there, the book ventures into the scandalous and confusing world of 21^st century bourgeoisie, where misunderstandings, heartbreak, and even crime lurk around every corner.

Bennett’s writing is not only entertaining but also thought-provoking, resonating with readers of all ages and backgrounds. With a keen eye for detail and a unique voice, the author expertly weaves together tales that are both poignant and insightful, leaving a lasting impact on the reader’s heart and mind.

As a new and adventurous author, Bennett delivers a formidable read that will captivate and inspire readers from beginning to end. Life is a Story is a must-read for anyone seeking a fresh and unique perspective on the joys and challenges of the human experience.

Life Is More Than Lollipops and Sour Grapes

This is a story about love, strength, and the importance of family. Emily, the wife, travels solo on a pilgrimage to Israel, fulfilling one of her lifetime dreams. Due to health reasons, her husband, Peter, could not join her. Along her journey, Emily shares her trip with her husband. A few days before her Israel tour comes to an end, Emily’s husband dies, leaving his widow in a foreign country alone and shaken.

Through her travels, Emily learns she is never alone. God steps in providing comfort, support, protection, and companionship in Peter’s absence. Although the uncharted waters of widowhood are unpredictable, the reader is given insight from a fellow widow on overcoming grief and finding renewed purpose, confirming God has a plan for your life.

When an unexpected event such as death descends, the horizon grows intensely dark. But through time and chance, the dust settles, the horizon clears, the air purifies, and we learn we have what it takes to survive and succeed.

The book is an easy read and should provide needed comfort, especially to members of a very large and ever-growing group; fellow widow and widowers and many others facing life alone.

Life of the Party Girl

Life of the Party Girl is a raw and inspiring debut memoir of a top wedding planner reflecting on the moments that define us as human beings, both the traumatic and fantastic.

The author and subject, Megan Estrada, isn’t your typical wedding planner. She is tattooed, assertive, stylish, and doesn’t take no for an answer. She is reflective and decisive, in bringing a fresh and unique perspective to the special events industry. Estrada is a trailblazer in the event industry and harnesses her past experiences to create momentous occasions.

Before Megan Estrada became a nationally recognized wedding and event planner, she spent forty-years navigating a life of unexpected circumstances, one that was dictated by a twisted series of trauma and celebration. From enduring a school shooting, an unsuccessful suicide attempt, and a difficult marriage, to landing a record deal, becoming a mother of two, and leading the special events industry through the Covid-19 pandemic, Life of the Party Girl follows Estrada’s journey to self-worth and self-discovery.