September | October Alumni Authors

By Rachel Cooper in Sept | Oct 2018 on September 1, 2018 at 8:00 am | No Comments

Sammie & Budgie

By Scott Semegran, BA ’93

Simon Burchwood has always known that his young son Sammie is special—most recently after discovering the boy has eerily accurate premonitions. The novel is sprinkled with quirky illustrations by the author depicting Sammie with his imaginary friend Budgie, an Australian parakeet that he desperately wants as a real-life pet. This is Semegran’s third book following the life of Simon, a passionate single father with a rambling confessional-style narration that weaves a story about the power of familial bonds, perseverance, and imagination.

 

 

Undefeated World

By Chris Pike, BBA ’81, Life Member

The fifth and final installment in the EMP Survivor Series is set in a post-apocalyptic America after an electromagnetic pulse has taken down the entire country’s electrical grid. The characters are scattered throughout Texas, giving a glimpse into what life might be like in a dystopian version of the state. Family and patriotism is at the forefront of this punchy, action-packed finale where readers will finally discover what caused the EMP in the first place.

 

 

Anahuac: A Texas Story

By William D. Darling, BA ’65, LLB ’66, Life Member

Darling’s sequel to Morgan’s Point follows protagonist Jim Ward, a Houston-based lawyer taking on a drama-ridden murder case. The tale unfolds in the town of Anahuac, an isolated old fort outside of Houston on Trinity Bay that houses dark mysteries. The novel takes the reader on a tour of the 1970s Texas legal system as Ward grapples with the eternal struggle between good and evil.

 

 

The Complete Compliance Handbook

By Thomas Fox, BA ’78, Life Member

Fox, trademarked “The Compliance Evangelist,” set out to make compliance, something largely regarded as something only for lawyers, accessible to businesses by stripping the legalese and compiling a comprehensive handbook on the topic. Each chapter is broken into topics to be taken day-by-day, along with three key takeaways from each section to make the material digestible. The book includes the most recent instruction and material from the Department of Justice, making it a thorough and up-to-date guide of a best-practices compliance program.

 

 

Beyond Supernatural Realism: Jesus and the Call to Authenticity

By Robert High Baker, MA ’69, PhD ’79

Take a dive into Christian existentialism in this succinct 40-page read. Baker’s driving question takes into account the acceptance of a supernatural element at the religion’s core, asking: Does the existence of supernatural reality make sense in today’s world? The book offers thoughts from other philosophers and traditions and helps the reader ponder if beliefs from biblical times fit into 21st-century life.

 

 

Leading Clarity: The Breakthrough Strategy to Unleash People, Profit, and Performance

By Brad Deutser, BA ’87, Life Member

Deutser, the founder of an award-winning management consulting firm with the same name, imparts his years of wisdom and experience in the business world by focusing on a key concept: clarity. The heavily-researched methodologies and organizational structures presented in the book will help reform readers’ leadership and lay a path to a successful business by prompting self-reflection and goal-setting.