November|December Alumni Authors

By Alcalde Staff in Nov | Dec 2015, TXEX on October 30, 2015 at 12:02 pm | No Comments

The Naughty List
by Michael Fry, BA ’82, and Bradley Jackson, BS ’07, Life Member

Even though 12-year-old Bobbie Mendoza hates Christmas, she wants to make her little brother’s holiday perfect. She winds up getting him on the naughty list instead, however, and finds herself headed to the North Pole to clear his name. With characters like a lazy Santa and out-of-sorts elves, this quirky and clever young-adult book is a twist on the traditional Christmas tale.

 

Princess Willow & The Magic Fairy Brush
by Bundy Renfro, BS ’99

In this other-worldly children’s book, Renfro teaches the valuable lesson of inner beauty through the tale of Princess Willow, a young tree princess who is sad because she cannot tame her tangled limbs. When she arrives in a new fairy land, a fairy hairdresser may have the solution she needs.

 

 

The City in Texas: A History
by David McComb, PhD ’68, Life Member

In his third book, historian David McComb re-examines the history of urban development in Texas from the Spanish conquest to post-World War II. McCombs highlights the growth of both major cities and lesser-known small towns.

 

 

 

 

Lightning on a Quiet Night
by Donn Taylor, MA ’72, PhD ’77

Taylor’s fifth book is about a small town in post-World War II Mississippi. The citizens of seemingly idyllic Beneficent, pop. 479, become scandalized after dealing with the town’s first murder. Newcomer Lisa Kemper and resident Jack Davis team up to discover shocking truths in this mystery-romance.

 

 

 

Dusting Off A Legend: The St. Anthony Hotel
by Gaylon Finklea Hecker, BJ ’72

This coffee-table book tells the story behind San Antonio’s famed St. Anthony Hotel, which opened in 1935 and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1986. The book features photographs of the hotel and its guests, including U.S. presidents, world-famous athletes, and foreign dignitaries.

 

Last Plane Out of Saigon
by Richard Pena, BA ’70, JD ’76, and John Hagan

In May of 1972, just a year into law school, Pena abandoned his anti-war protests at UT-Austin and boarded a plane to Vietnam for a yearlong tour of service. Last Plane Out of Saigon depicts Pena’s year in Vietnam up until he boarded the last plane out. He returned to law school a different person after experiencing the war firsthand.

 

 

Zack Delacruz: Me and My Big Mouth
by Jeff Anderson, BS ’88, MEd ’94, Life Member

In Anderson’s first middle-grade novel, he tackles what makes middle school so nerve-wracking: bullies, school dances, and more. Set in San Antonio, the book has a colorful cast of characters that will help any young reader relate.

—Jillian Kushner and Marisa Martinez

Tags: alumni authors