Dancing on My Own Two Feet: A New Life One Step at a Time

By >> Jenn Todling

Book >> Memoir, 188 pages, jenntodling.com

Summary >> When Jenn’s boyfriend proposes after a few weeks of dating, her intuition is to say no. She spent her teenage years caregiving for family and craves adventure and freedom. She says yes — only to find herself caregiving after he becomes disabled. But it’s Morey’s volatile personality that ultimately leads Jenn to make a brave decision: to leave. Afterward, Jenn rediscovers her long-forgotten passion for dance and embarks on a transformative journey that transcends the physicality of movement. Each dance becomes a channel to tap into her inner wisdom, providing the courage to embrace new adventures and possibly new love.

Author >> Jenn Todling is an author, speaker, executive coach and adjunct instructor at the University of Denver as part of its Frontline Manager Leadership Program. She is a certified transformational leadership coach, helping clients express their soul in their work and life. She resides near her hometown of Boulder.

Behold the Bird in Flight

By >> Terri Lewis

Book >> Historical fiction, 336 pages

Summary >> Romantic 11-year-old Isi plans to marry for love and be a mistress of her own castle. But life in 1198 is full of threats. A series of tragic events teaches her that growing up is hard. When Isi falls for Hugh, a French nobleman, he consents to marry her, but only for her dowry. She longs for more. Hoping a jealous man will fall in love, she flirts with a king.

The flirtation backfires: King John abducts and marries her. Now trapped in England with a malicious husband, Isi must hide her yearning for Hugh and find her power. Inspired by real historical figures — Isabelle d’Angoulême, Hugh de Lusignan and King John of Magna Carta fame — “Behold the Bird in Flight” is set in a period that valued women only for their dowries and childbearing. Isabelle’s story has been mainly erased by men, but the medieval chronicles suggest a woman who developed her power and wielded it — in court and in bed. And as the woman behind the throne, who’s to say she didn’t influence history?

Author >> In college, Terri Lewis fell in love with medieval history, in the mysterious daily lives of the people. Building on this love, she read and traveled widely, marveling at Europe’s preserved towns and castles. Finally, two sentences in a book bought at Windsor Castle led her to write “Behold the Bird in Flight.” Her writing has been honed through workshops, and she has stories published in literary magazines. She lives with her husband and two lively dogs in Denver.

Damaged: Caught in the Undertow

By >> Cam Torrens

Book >> Mystery, 353 pages

Summary >> Veteran pilot Tyler Zahn was the Air Force’s rising star until personal and professional tragedies shattered his life and spiraled him into depression. The lesson he learned? When Zahn’s in charge, people get hurt. An escaped prisoner and a kidnapping unexpectedly thrust newly retired Zahn into the fray alongside a local deputy sheriff. As he uncovers a terrorist plot

to disrupt Colorado’s intricate water system, Zahn realizes he’s in deeper than he ever intended. Struggling with his past failures and the danger at hand, Zahn wishes he’d never gotten involved. Innocent lives are at risk, and once again, he’s at the center of the storm. Can he rise above his doubts and save a town, or will the legacy of his past compel him to back down?

Author >> Over a 30-year Air Force career, Cam Torrens served as an air mobility pilot, diplomat and university professor. Father of six, he and his wife live in Buena Vista, where he is an active member of Chaffee County Search and Rescue.