'The Fig District' by Jeff Shelton | Credit: Courtesy

We at the Independent get many books sent to us by local authors, sometimes too many! It’s practically impossible for us to read and review them all, but just because we are busy bees does not mean that they aren’t worth the attention. In an attempt to not completely drop the ball, we have compiled a list of books here that have a local spin. They are all either written by a local author, feature someone in our community, or have another tie to Santa Barbara. I urge you to look through this list. Perhaps you will find your new favorite read!

Scar Songs: Stories by W. Royce Adams

Flowers of Emptiness: Imaginal Haiku by Avrom Altman

Wired to Become: The Brain Science of Finding Your Purpose, Creating Meaningful Work, and Achieving Your Potential by Dr. Britt Andreatta

Stick and Ball by Kiki Astor

Everything Within and In Between, by Nikki Barthelmess

Lark Ascending: Magic, Mystery and Mayhem in a Spiritual Community by Lark Batteau

No Lessons Learned, Vietnam: The Fighting, The Dying, A Legacy Replayed by Alfredo Bonadeo

Birds of the Central Coast, by Debra Ellen Brinkman

Spies on the Sidelines: The High-Stakes World of NFL Espionage, by Kevin Bryant​

Who Is Cristiano Ronaldo?, by James Buckley Jr.

Rincon Point by Vince Burns and Stephen Bates

Off-Script: a mom’s journey through adoption, a husband’s alcoholism and special needs parenting, by Valerie Cantella

The Dark Room: A Memoir of Triumph by Claudia Chotzen

American as Apple Pie: An Autobiography, by Rodney H. Chow

Border Crossings by Sneed B. Collard III and Illustrated by Howard Gray

Flight to Armageddon by William Congdon

The Rogue Insurrection by William Congdon

Spiritual Growth Through Travels, Nature, and Living Life, by Lance Crawford

Lemons and Ladybugs, by Mike Critelli

What’s Left by Susan Read Cronin

Romeo’s Breakfast, by Gary Delanoeye

Escaping Nazi Germany: A Jewish Family’s Story by R.B. Dickinson

From Where I Sit: Essays/Art, by Judy Ann Gilder, edited by Margaret Kay Dodd

With a Kiss We Die by L.R. Dorn

Oil and Water: Stories from the Windward Shore, by Terry Dressler

The Golden Calf, by Terry Dressler

Cinema in Flux, by Roger Durling

Caddo Bend by Mary Dan Eades

Richard Eager” a Pilot’s Story from Tennessee Eagle Scout to General Montgomery’s “Flying Fortress“, by Richard Ernest Evans, Barbara Evans Kinnear

Santa Barbara and Beyond: The Photography of Mike Eliason, by Mike Eliason

Three Days at Millie Flowers’, by Leah Evert-Burks

Resetting Civilization by Patrick M. Foster

A Map to Your Soul: Using the Astrology of Fire, Earth, Air, and Water to Live Deeply and Fully, Jennifer Freed

Clara’s Secret, by Stephan R. Frenkel

The Whisper of a Distant God, by David L. Gersh

All’s Fair by David L. Gersh

Trusting the Dawn: How to Choose Freedom and Joy After Trauma, by Mary Firestone​

The Garden of Second Chances by Mona Alvarado Frazier

Boat Girl by Elizabeth Foscue

Movies & Million-Dollar Mansions: Silent Movies Made in Montecito, by Betsy J. Green

Building Community: Answering Kennedy’s Call, by Harlan Russell Green

The Color of Roses by Danielle Hahn

Murder in a Small Town, by A.J. Harris

Dancing on Waves: A True Story of Finding Love & Redemption in the Ocean, by Hillary Hauser

The ABCs for Future Country Music Stars, Written by Ashley Hayes, Illustrated by Derek Mast

Werewolf, by David Alton Hedges

Barbwire, Brothels and Bombs in the Night: Surviving Vietnam by Conrad Hogan

Mavericks, Mystics, and Misfits: Americans Against the Grain, by Arthur Hoyle

The History of the Computer: People, Inventions, and Technology that Changed our World, by Rachel Ignotofsky

YES SHE CAN: Biblical and Practical Reflections on Women in Ministry in the Church, by John Jenks

My Days of Sorrow and Joy in Rwanda by Betsy Kain

​Henry, the Curious Hermit Crab by Kathy Kamel

Medicinal Herbs of California, by Lanny Kaufer

Wheels Up: A Novel of Drugs, Cartels, and Survival, by Jeanine Kitchel

The Earthquake Child by Elayne Klasson

A Hard Place, by Dennis Koenig

Wiggly Worm and Her Friends Recycle Organics, by Lissa Landry​

DON’T SAY A THING: A Predator, A Pursuit, and the Women Who Persevered by Tamara (Tammy) Leitner

Colors of Santa Barbara, a Bilingual Coloring Book, by Carlos Lomeli

Juan Felipe Herrera: Migrant, Activist, Poet Laureate edited by Francisco Lomelí and Osiris Aníbal Gómez

Mighty Bad Land: A Perilous Expedition to Antarctica Reveals Clues to an Eighth Continent by Bruce Luyendyk

The Premonition, by Michael Lewis

What Are Our Supports? edited by Joni Low and Jeff O’Brien

Growing from the Ashes by Sheila Lowe

Sex Talks: The Five Conversations That Will Transform Your Love Life by Vanessa Marin

The Thread: Six-Steps to Intentional Living After Trauma or Crisis, by Leonie H. Mattison, Ed.D.

Leo’s Lesson by Tony Navarro

Chicken Soup for the Soul: Well That Was Funny : 101 Feel Good Stories by Amy Newmark

Donny, Mary Grace and the Ugly Marbles by Cathy Pepe

A Forest Journey: The Role of Trees in the Fate of Civilization by John Perlin

At Heaven’s Door: What Shared Journeys to the Afterlife Teach Us About Dying Well and Living Better, by William Peters

The Transentients by Sergio Missana, translated from Spanish by Jessica Powell

The Angkor Abduction, by Austin I. Pullé

Serenade to the Moon by Esteban Ramirez

Front Row Rebel, by Loretta Redd

I Am Eli: Chasing the World While Being Chased: The Monty Rieck Story by Monty Rieck

First to the Front, the Biography of Dickey Chapelle by Lorissa Rinehart

Alameda, by David Russo

Beyond the Clouds The Sky is Blue, by Dennis Santos​

Wolves of Wagria, Olaf’s Saga Book 3 by Eric Schumacher

1970’s Nature Posters: The Lost Art of Rick Sharp by Rick Sharp

The Fig District, by Jeff Shelton

The 90 Day Stay Atypical Travel by Marjorie Shields

Mr. McCloskey’s Marvelous Mallards: The Making of Make Way for Ducklings by Emma Bland Smith

Meeting Mozart​: A Novel Drawn From the Secret Diaries of Lorenzo Da Ponte, by Howard J Smith

Slowly by Madison Brie Snider (available at Chaucer’s and Tecolote Books)

The Ghost and the Greyhound, by Bryan Snyder

All Hands On Deck: A Modern-Day High Seas Adventure to the Far Side of the World by Will Sofrin

A Parable of Lies, by Lawrence Spann

Water Memory by Tom Strelich

Santa Fe Psychosis, by Max Talley

A Lesson in Woo-Woo and Murder by David Unger, PhD

National Monuments of the U.S.A. by Cameron Walker, illustrations by Chris Turnham

Jemma and the Mermaid’s Call by Laura Vonracek

Letting Go of Your Ex: CBT Skills to Heal the Pain of a Breakup and Overcome Love Addiction, by Cortney Soderlind Warren PhD

Bedtrick, by Jinny Webber

​Outposts of Change – How To Create A Morally Rich, Socially Just Society In Harmony With Nature And Why We Must, by Benjamin R. Wiener

​Your Path of Best Existence: A Medical Guide’s Roadmap, by Glenn Wollman, with Tracey Davis

Montecito Style by Firooz Zahedi and Lorie Dewhirst Porter

Bipolar, A Gift of Thorns by Dale Zurawski

If you are a local author and would like us to feature your book on this page and in the All Booked newsletter, please email allbooked@independent.com with the subject line “Local Author Spotlight.”

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