New Releases by Sharon Watts

By the Time I Got to Woodstock is a look back at who I was in 1969. In this illustrated memoir, I explore "what's goin' on" in America-as filtered through the lens of a suburban teenager who was more "off the bus" than on it. I revisit the road that eventually got me to Woodstock, armed with a sketchbook and curiosity. What WAS all the fuss about? A trip to the Museum at Bethel Woods at the very end of 2017 opened the door. The resulting passion for learning more about what I missed is captured in this whimsical book for all generations. My illustrations are followed by quirky footnotes and facts, so we can all try to figure out the premise: "There's something happening here. What it is, ain't exactly clear." Maybe now it's a bit clearer.

It seems gossipy Posten Letterby will finally face his punishment for causing Cat Biggerton to run away. You'll meet Sir Vellmont Quiller Rytes, the King's royal archivist. Tildy Beane is having all kinds of problems with ruffians at the What Ales Ye Tavern. How will Puddleton Hollow's giant figure in? Finally, oh bother, there is trouble brewing in Hamelot. Serious trouble. What does wizard Warwick Mythra see in his crystal ball that has him scurrying through the night to alert the King? Get ready! Our friends in Hamelot are about to embark on a most dangerous journey in Series III!

Composed during the decade following 9/11, this collection of short, poetic essays examines the power of healing through quiet reflection and personal connection. It can stand alone, or act as a companion piece to the author's 2007 book "Miss You, Pat: Collected Memories of NY's Bravest of the Brave, Captain Patrick J. Brown," illustrating our shared return to balance through the eyes of an artist on a personal journey.

Captain Patrick J. Brown of the FDNY had an uncanny ability to be exactly where he was needed at exactly the right time, most especially on 9/11/2001, when he perished, surrounded by scores of burn victims he was trying to evacuate from the World Trade Center. Everyone who knew Pat agreed that he would have been nowhere else that day. And yet, Pat was much more than a firefighter. Pat was a yoga devotee. A Black Belt in karate who taught the blind. An accomplished boxer. A USMC Vietnam War vet. A Broadway musical theatre buff. And throughout it all, a spiritual seeker. Many people whose lives he touched shared their stories and memories with his close friend and former fiancee. The result is an intimate and moving book, with first-person narratives illustrating Pat's deep and varied life. Idiosyncratic, personal memories blend with career stories that illustrate what made him such an intuitive, beloved friend, and such a legend in the FDNY. He inspires us all. Proceeds go to Bent On Learning.

This review was written as part of the project 'developing resources to enhance the education and training of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workers in the illicit drug field'.