Tate Publishing Author Chronicles Life of Silence and Success

SHAWNEE, Okla. —

Former University of Oklahoma Sooner defensive end Eric Thunander will tour the hometown public libraries of the Pioneer Library System this week to discuss his autobiography, “Silent Thunder,” released in June by Tate Publishing and Enterprises.

Thunander, a member of the 2000 National Championship team, was one of a few deaf athletes to play at the Division I level at the time.

“Silent Thunder” chronicles Thunander’s life from surviving chronic childhood abuse, unimaginable tragedy and foster care to finding acceptance and a family at The University of Oklahoma.

 
Although football helped Thunander realize his personal dreams, it ultimately contributed to the lowest point of his life when a head injury ended his career. Depressed and broken, Thunander left OU and began a downward spiral to a nearly fatal low. Through perseverance, determination, forgiveness and the timely intervention of OU coaching staff and campus friends, Thunander climbed his way back up to pursue a new set of dreams.

 
In a forward to the book, Bob Stoops calls the work “a compelling story of a man faced with many trials, none of which could extinguish his dream.”

 
At the library presentation, Thunander will speak and sign to share his personal insights on the topic, “What It Takes to Be a Champion.” He also will have copies of “Silent Thunder” available for purchase and autographing.

 
For more information about Thunander or his book, log on to www.silentthunder.net. For details about the library tour or for information about Summer Reading Programs for all ages, call or visit a hometown public library or log on to www.justsoyouknow.us.

Learn more about “Silent Thunder“

by Dennis Carter | Staff Writer

Being a stickler for saving notes paid off for Barbara Yvonne Saunders.

Saunders, a longtime Temple Hills resident, jotted down notes for a decade on lessons she taught in her Sunday school class at Greater Morning Star Pentecostal Church in Upper Marlboro.

Looking through her massive notebook collection — hundreds of papers packed in binders — she decided to translate her writings into a children’s Easter book. And in November 2007, Saunders notes were transformed into ‘‘The Story of Easter in Rhyme,” a 12-page book documenting the Bible’s Easter story in language aimed to help boys and girls understand the origins of the holiday.

 
‘‘ The word of God says nothing pleases him more than his children learning about him,” said Saunders, 57, who was encouraged by family members to use her Sunday school teachings to write a Bible-based book. ‘‘And it’s very important to put that seed in a child.”

 
The book’s cover was designed to draw children in with familiar images of a more secular Easter celebration, Saunders said. An Easter basket and Easter eggs are prominently displayed on the cover, with three glowing crosses perched in the background. Saunders said she hoped the basket and eggs would attract boys and girls —especially those unfamiliar with the story of Jesus Christ’s death on the cross and his resurrection.

 
‘‘ It is just a matter of falling in the right hands,” she said. ‘‘I did this out of a labor of love.”

 
It was a devastating chapter in Saunders’ life that brought her to Sunday school classes at Greater Morning Star. In 1994, Saunders’ 26-year-old daughter, Robin, succumbed to the HIV virus. Distraught and grief stricken, Saunders searched for a new path in life, something that would help her heal and find a sense of purpose.

 
‘‘ You go through the unspeakable grief and realize how terrible things are,” Saunders said of the months following her daughter’s death. Always having an affinity for children — and having fond memories of her own childhood — Saunders said she felt directed toward a life at the helm of her church’s Sunday school classes.

 
‘‘ That took care of the emptiness I was feeling. … I realized that I like to break things down to help children understand better,” she said. ‘‘This was absolutely part of the healing process.”

 
‘‘ The Story of Easter in Rhyme” guides readers through the sequence of events that culminated with Jesus’ crucifixion, from the Last Supper with his disciples, to his betrayal and death, and subsequent raising from the grave.

 
‘‘ So they hung Jesus up there between those other two, And He said, ‘‘Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do!” Saunders wrote. ‘‘Then the earth began to tremble and shake with fire and with sparks. For this thing made God very angry and for three hours it was dark!”

 
Saunders said she could tackle another Christian holiday for her next book.

 
‘‘ People have suggested I do a Christmas book,” she said. ‘‘And I like Christmas just like everybody else, but Easter has always been very special for me.”

 
Saunders has a book signing scheduled for 1 p.m., March 14 at Borders books store at Ronald Reagan National Airport. ‘‘The Story of Easter in Rhyme” is available at www.barnesandnoble.com.

Learn more about “The Story of Easter in Rhyme“

 Nothing makes Jamey M. Long prouder than seeing children smile when he reads his books to them.

Long, 31, of Woodbridge, came into children’s literature by way of tragedy. However, now he would like nothing more than to make it his full-time profession.

Long, who works as an operations manager at the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg and teaches business and IT classes at Northern Virginia Community College and George Mason University, once taught technology and computer classes to kindergarten through eighth-graders at Holy Cross Academy in Fredericksburg. One of his kindergarten students there, lost her father in a car accident around Christmas 2005.

“It was just a tragic thing that happened,” Long said.

Long said he helped out any way he could, even driving her to school when needed. But he wanted to see her smile for the holidays. And the way he thought to do that was through books.

“[The idea to write the book was] something she could enjoy every year, and have good Christmases after that,” he said.

She inspired his first story, “A Possum’s Christmas Tale,” which published in March 2007.

“It was a good memory for the holidays,” Long said. “It’s about an opossum that discovers the true meaning of Christmas.”

Long said he made the central character an animal for his animal-loving student.

“She was excited,” Long said. He didn’t tell her about the book until after it was published and he could give her a final copy.

His second book, “A Possum’s Happy Easter” just hit bookstores.

“I ran into a lot of kids that didn’t know where Easter came from,” Long said.

He said the book starts with the fun parts, such as eggs and bunnies. But, he struggled when he got to the bit about the Crucifixion and the Resurrection. The book teaches that Jesus may have left, but is still in people’s hearts.

“It kind of puts a lighter spin on what’s going on,” Long said, adding that he was trying to get the meaning across, but not make it so depressing that a kid wouldn’t understand the idea.

The book also includes visual references to the cross and Da Vinci’s “The Last Supper.”

Although only two Opie the Opossum adventures are available in bookstores, about 10 others can be ordered online through Tate Publishing & Enterprises. Long said they should be in stores by the end of the year.

Each book is meant to get to the true meaning of each holiday or historic event. For example, in the birthday book, Long said that adults can learn new information, such as the symbolism of the cake and candles. The cake, he said, symbolizes baby Jesus and his swaddling clothes. The candles represent the lights of life, wishes to heaven.

Each book, even the historically based ones, features a moral lesson. The book about the Titanic features stories about giving up seats on the lifeboats for people more in need.

“They all have a good moral story,” Long said. “You see it through the possum’s eyes, but he doesn’t impact history or make it so it’s not true.”

Long said he sent a copy of the Titanic title to Doctor Robert Ballard, the man who found the Titanic.

“He said it was a very good book,” said Long, adding that Ballard replied with an autographed picture.

Long said future historical titles will be about pirates and the Fourth of July.

Before he tried to publish his stories, Long solicited help from Melissa D. Reedy, a friend from a Mary Washington MBA program. Reedy, 27, of Fredericksburg, is an internal auditor at the Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star.

Reedy said because of his work at Holy Cross, she wasn’t shocked when Long approached her.

“He really just said ‘I had written this children’s story, would you read it and give me your opinion on it,’ so I did,” Reedy said. She also contributed the forward in each opossum story.

“I really liked it,” Reedy said. “They’re not only entertaining, but they’re educational too.”

To navigate the world of children’s book publishing, Long said he spent multiple hours in the Woodbridge Borders and Books-A-Million, leafing through books and collecting information about publishers. He sent a bunch of queries, but didn’t hear back for a few months. Even then, they were mostly rejection notices.

“I received an e-mail from Tate,” Long said. “It said ‘publishing offer’ and I thought it was a joke, so I almost deleted it.”

But it was a legitimate book offer.

Long got interest from other publishers, but ultimately decided on Tate Publishing, a well-established Christian book publisher.

“Tate’s been very good to me,” Long said.

He dedicated the book to the kindergartener. But, because other students were jealous, he said he dedicated the St. Patrick’s Day volume to all the kids at Holy Cross. Since he no longer teaches at Holy Cross, he doesn’t see the student—now in third grade—anymore, but sends her autographed copies of all of his new books.

The books also contain a link to download a free audio version.

He’s not sure about writing for adults, but said he’s thinking about maybe writing a business book.

“If anyone’s got a story out there, it’s worth writing it and submitting it, seeing what’ll happen,” Long said.

Staff Writer Josh Eiserike can be reached at 703-878-8072 or jeiserike@potomacnews.com.

Learn more about “A Possum’s Happy Easter“

Author tells story of seeing eye human

Maryland author Jennifer A. Carle tells the true story of a rescue dog that needed a second chance in her new book releasing nationwide titled Seeing Eye Human: How an Overprotective Dog Came to Need Protection.

Published by Tate Publishing and Enterprises, Carle’s book follows her journey as she sets out from her childhood home only to return and find companionship from an unlikely source, a former rescue dog named Winsome, or Winn.

According to the publisher, the author employs a warm sense of humor to explain the relationship between a woman and man’s best friend as the roles reverse and the overprotective dog needs protection himself.

The book is available at any bookstore nationwide or can be ordered through the publisher at orders@tatepublishing.com, or by visiting barnesandnoble.com, amazon.com or target.com. Audio versions of the book are also available.

Learn more about “Seeing Eye Human“

Rick Hathaway Review

A Fresh Look at Blessing, Morality, Self-Worth and Mentorship

Author: Rick Hathaway
Publisher: Tate Publishing
Available At: Bookstores everywhere
Publishing Date: Available Now
Genre: Nonfiction: Christian Living
Format: Trade paper
Price: $14.99
ISBN-13: 978-1-6024727-7-8
Author Email/Website: http://rickhathawayonline.com/
Reviewer: Joyce Handzo
Rating: 9 Gargoyles

Rick Hathaway knows what it’s like to be abased and to abound. Because of his life experiences and his faith in Jesus Christ, he has also learned to be content with what he has. If these words sound like something the Apostle Paul might have said in the Bible, you’re absolutely right. Rick Hathaway has developed his mindset around the Scriptures, proving their wealth and wisdom in countless ways and for many years.

This book is a collection of his thoughts, as he blows through the smokescreen society has swirling around the current definition of the American Dream. In our real world, where people are struggling in the quicksand of debt and despair, Rick Hathaway reaches out a hand and invites them to sit beside him. His words are honest, thought-provoking and definitely not for those with “itching ears”. These pages are filled with genuine admonitions and advice, the kind of stuff your best friend should be telling you over a cup of coffee.

The book is divided into four parts, with each one exposing another lie. As the author examines such myths as “Blessings Means Having” and “Morality is Relative”, there will be nodding of heads and perhaps some grinding of teeth as well. The author truly understands the current culture and the attraction it presents, but he is also able to show the way of escape — into the boundaries of a loving God whose Word is as profitable as when it was first written. Insightful questions follow each chapter, making this book a great resource to study with a group.

Do you want to be challenged? Do you want a change in your life? A Legacy of Faith gives you something you don’t hear all the time: truth without the sugar coating, just 100% Spirit-filled.

Learn more about “A Legacy of Faith”