Karen Strine had an epiphany in her early twenties — she loved racquet sport and she played racquetball and tennis for a combined 25 years. She fell in love with pickleball seven years ago, after the death of a close friend. She loves the sport and enjoys its social aspect, too.
Karen earned a BA in History and worked in geriatric nursing, volunteering with a hospice and caring for her aged parents. She also earned a health coach certification and has taught the American Red Cross
Born in Panama, Stuart Katz is the epitome of a global adventurer. With his infectious wit and insatiable wanderlust, he has become a prominent figure in the world of travel. Leading a long-standing boutique travel company (TAL Tours) and having overseen the North American wing of Israir, he’s the go-to guy for unforgettable adventures and witty recommendations. Stuart’s op-eds and blogs have graced the pages of many publications worldwide, but this book marks his debut as an author. Alongside his travels to over one hundred countries, he’s become a vocal advocate for mental health, spreading education, advocacy, and acceptance wherever he goes. If you enjoyed this book, you might also enjoy Stuart’s podcast, also called Travel Therapy, and available where podcasts are found.
Kathleen J. Shields is a prolific writer of multiple genres and has won numerous awards and recognition for her work. Born and raised in Houston, Texas, an only child, Shields’ developed a very active imagination in order to keep herself entertained. This imagination has helped her in every aspect of her adult life. Flash forward a few decades, and you will find a tenacious woman with a can-do attitude, determined to keep her mind open to learn new things, think out of the box, and accomplish set goals. Having attended the ‘School of Hard Knox’ Shields’ studied and trained herself in graphic design, website creation, being an author, editor and publisher. Kathleen’s motto is: If I don’t know it, I will learn it and/or figure it out. With more than 30 published books, Shields’ is using that imagination, creativity, hard work, decades of learned experience, and a desire within, to help your book become a child’s next favorite.
Mauricio Vargas Ortega was born in Santa Ana, Costa Rica in 1971. He is a writer, researcher, and professor. As one of the authors of this book, his task was to give a literary structure to the faithful transcriptions of the life stories of Abraham Gutreiman.
Chana Gutreiman Goldberg was born in Munich, Germany in 1949. She is a sociologist, who previously worked for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. She currently lives in San José, Costa Rica.
Max Gutreiman Goldberg was born in La Paz, Bolivia in 1955. He currently lives in San José, Costa Rica where he practices as a Medical Internist.
Jeff Gress is a talented novelist, screenwriter, and movie producer who has been writing for over twenty years. He recently started his own production company, Landing Hill Pictures, hoping to turn many of his stories and novels into movies or TV series. Jeff is married with three children and currently living in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Paul A. Wagner is a Ph.D., University of Missouri. He has taught courses in psychology, business management, philosophy, and education. He has held a number of senior-level positions in national academic and scholarly organizations. He has also held positions on a number of Boards of Director in various organizations within the city of Houston and as Vice-
I was born a year after the end of World War II when my parents made their way from Russia to an immigrant camp in Germany. Two and a half years later their way led them back to our fatherland, Israel. From the age of four, I carry with me the first memories of the neighborhood of small huts in Afula. That desolated hut neighborhood amidst the fields nourished me with the entire materials for the dreams that attend me to this day.
Ron Mumford is the author of one non-fiction book, Finding Your Soul Mate, God’s Way, one action thriller novel, Gray Justice, a screenplay entitled For Every Child (How Santa Claus Got His Elves) and a Fantasy trilogy entitled Wayne’s Angel, Betwixt, Z-Gen. He is the Publisher at 3rd Coast Books, LLC, (www.3rdcoastbooks.com) a hybrid publisher that specializes in Books-to-Film with many Film/TV contracts.