Mrs. Loris Edwards, author of the historically-significant Journey from the Land Under the Cross, was recently featured on an episode of "Hometown Heroes," a Central Texas radio show featured on 106.9 FM, 93.9 FM, and 1330 AM. Her interview aired on February 24, 2024. 

Born in the formerly German (now Polish) province of Silesia and survivor of WWII, Mrs. Edwards, now in her nineties, spoke on the collection of stories that she published through Emerging Ink Solutions and the countless life lessons she acquired from her parents while growing up in the midst of World War II. 

Mrs. Edwards explained in her usual quiet but self-assured tone the thematic elements that comprised her book and how her faith and the concept of forgiveness guided her and her family through bombings, daring escapes, and atrocities perpetrated both by Germany and Russia. 

Listen to the interview! ​

Loris Edwards was a refugee during World War II. After settling with her family in West Germany, Loris married and moved to Texas in the late sixties. 

She holds an interpreter-translator’s diploma and a licentiate in Comparative Linguistics, as well as Master’s Degrees in German Literature and Administration. Loris dedicated her life to education. She taught German and English for the overseas branches of the University of Maryland and was the editor of The Chronicle, an English-language magazine for American troops in Germany with approximately 60,000 copies in circulation at the time. Loris served as principal of St. Mary’s School in Temple for 26 years and has written numerous children’s stories and poems that have been published in various magazines.

Although retired, she continues to be active within St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Temple, TX and has served on a number of committees and boards.
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In her spare time, Loris enjoys listening to classical music, traveling, and reading literature on an array of topics that include theology, archaeology, Greco-Roman classics, belles-lettres, and history. ​

Ann Margaret Walsh, based in Ireland, published her book Bedtime Meditations for Children in November 2022 to help parents soothe restless children to sleep. It was organically created over the course of two years without Ann even realizing it as she conjured meditations for her own kids just before bed.

“The first collection was guided relaxation meditations. The second collection was meditations designed to let children shape the nighttime adventure themselves by using their own ideas. Once I had the meditations on paper, I was very fortunate to find Kara at Emerging Ink solutions.”

Since the publication of Ann’s book, her meditations have been used by local teachers, adults in forest bathing sessions led by a local guide, and wellness coaches as a part of their meditation work with clients, all in Dublin.

In July 2023, Ann was longlisted for the Carousel Aware Prize for Independently Published Authors in Ireland, which aimed to showcase the best of self-published authors and bring attention to book shops and distributors in Ireland and abroad.
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Ann is currently working on a series of bedtime meditation books for children with varying nature themes. She plans to release the next one mid-2024. 

You can follow Ann on Instagram ​@annmargaretwalshauthor.

In the spring of 2023, Rochelle (familiarly called Shelley) published Lies, Naps, and Road Signs: Memories and Thoughts of an Octogenarian, a memoir that explores some of life's most ubiquitous conundrums, such as the quandary of growing old and the universality of death. 

"When I set out to publish a collection of my writings," explains Shelley, "I never expected the result to be great fame or wealth. To be honest, I wasn't thinking about the end result at all. My goal, or purpose, was to preserve my memories and thoughts for myself while I could still remember them. And to give my family and friends insight into my life, my feelings, and my perception of aging." 

Trina published her first book, They Call Me Weener: 55 Short Giggle-Producing Chinwags, in 2020 with the help of Emerging Ink Solutions. Years of cultivating a strong following with her weekly columns that appeared in newspapers across the nation set her up for success. When her beloved husband died in 2018, Trina fought to process his sudden absence. Only after the success of her first book did she feel empowered to write Life After a Death, a roadmap for wives who had recently been widowed. The memoir was published in 2022.

Since the release of her two books, Trina has appeared at local events across Nevada, including Arts in the Park. She writes, “That weekend, I think I finally realized how my book about becoming a widow had touched so many lives. Life After a Death brought tears and smiles and laughter galore. People I’ve never met suddenly knew me and wanted me to know that they knew me! My words helped so many people through some rough times.”

In the summer of 2021, Dr. Steven Goldberg--a U.S. Marine veteran and practicing psychotherapist--published his debut novel Catch a Cuban by the Toe, the story of a POW's investigation into the seedy underbelly of the American government, which was inspired by actual events. The book explores what it means to be a patriot and delves into the enduring psyche of mentally-ill soldiers and veterans struggling to not only return to society, but to come to terms with all that their government did during those bitter years. 

Since the publication of his book, Dr. Goldberg has been invited to speak at Amvets Savannah (American Veterans), Marine Corps Vets-Atlanta, and the Savannah Writers Group. 

He also entered his book in the Military Writers Association Writing Contest in Richardson, TX and the W.Y. Boyd Literary Award for Excellence in Military Fiction. ​

In March 2023, Ms. Loris Edwards (who is in her nineties) published her memoir Journey from the Land under the Cross, which details her life in East Germany prior to, during, and after World War II and the Russian occupation.

Shortly after the publication of her awe-inspiring story, she and fellow author and friend Karl Kuykendall (author of Faith & Perseverance: The History of the Catholic Church in Central Texas) teamed up to market their books. They signed and sold over 50 copies between them at the St. Mary's Parish Festival in Temple, TX.

Their fellow parishioners supported them well that day, and with over 1,000 people in attendance, they were able to get the word out about their works. In subsequent weeks, orders ramped up for both Kuykendall and Edwards.

If you have a chance, please support Ms. Edwards' lifelong work and keep the history of previous generations alive! ​

Karl Kuykendall (and Karen Kuykendall) published their historical monolith, Faith & Perseverance: The History of the Catholic Church in Central Texas, in October 2022. Karl immediately gave the book wings. The book was highly anticipated in the Catholic community and was endorsed by the Diocese of Austin. Msgr. Louis Pavlicek of St. William Catholic Church in Round Rock, TX wrote the foreword for his work. 

Karl and Karen's book was featured in the December 2022 issue of the Austin Diocese Periodical just after the Diocese of Austin's 75th anniversary as well as in the Temple Daily Telegram for Temple, TX. A radio ad was distributed for the local religious radio stations and can be heard below! 

The Kuykendalls held a book signing at the Czech Heritage Museum shortly after its publication. The book was subsequently picked up by F.C. Ziegler Co. in Austin and can be found on their book shelves! 

In December 2020, Ross Berg published his book Jewish Warriors: A Compact Introduction to Real-Life Action Heroes from the Tribe. Shortly afterward, it gained the attention of Daniel Swindell, writer for The Times of Israel. Mr. Swindell was kind enough to recommend the book to be included in a Jewish book festival in Missouri.

Berg’s book, which is aimed at young adults, was a smash among the college-aged attendees and subsequently began being featured in more Jewish book festivals across the country, including those in Washington, Minnesota, and Los Angeles. Many such events garnered local television coverage.

Readers began requesting that his book be made available at local libraries as it continued to receive positive reviews.
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“Emerging Ink Solutions Editor Kara Wilson was critical in this process as she provided priceless feedback and counsel throughout—and was always available as a valued sounding board,” Berg writes. “If you are a writer dreaming of getting your book out there, it can be done—and very successful—with the aid of this incredible editor. As I start on my follow-up book, I look forward to once again working with Kara to make my next dream a reality.”