• Author
  • Book
  • Story behind the book
  • Media Links
  • Reviews
Brenda Mahler

Brenda Mahler

About

Brenda Mahler’s novels evolved from personal experiences. Her three published books relate life events and share lessons learned.

Lockers Speak: Voices of American Youth highlights the voices of teenagers in her classroom during her 34 years as an English teacher. With the goal to enlighten the community to the concerns and aspirations of youth, each page shares insight from a different perspective. Public schools present a microcosm of society. The voices provide snapshots of teens growing up in modern society. Collectively, they share the story of our culture.

Understanding the Power of Not Yet: Accepting the Challenges of New Beginnings shares the story of the author’s daughter who at the age of 33 experienced a violent brain trauma that altered her life. Act one begins when Kari wakes in a hospital bed surrounded by family and continues through rehabilitation. When she returns home, act two illustrates the power of hope determination, and overcoming the odds. Her experiences and the events of those around her offer encouragement for stroke victims and their support systems by revealing survival strategies that help manage the unknown.

Life a Satisfying Life By Doing it Doggy Style explains how dogs understand the path to happiness. They know the secrets to patience, faith, and unconditional love. Humans who imitate a dog live life to the fullest. Dagney and her friends demonstrate daily how to embrace each day to discover joy. The stories heighten readers' awareness of animals' ability to embrace happiness.

The Time That's Given

The Time That's Given

0.0
0 ratings

Description

<p><strong><em>Have you ever awoken from a vivid dream and wondered which side of waking was real?</em></strong></p><p>Burt Higgins' retirement is not going well. His children have grown, and his wife has gone off to earn a late-life degree, leaving him alone in his sprawling suburban home. With too much time on his hands, he broods on the state of the world, obsessively following the worst of cable news and the Internet. Increasingly angry at the state of affairs, he nurtures a fantasy that a dark lord from another realm has foisted these problems on humankind. If only he could transport to that world, he'd confront the demon and use the magic found there to defeat the beast and end despair forever.</p><p>On a particularly bad news day, while housebound in the midst of a snowstorm, he retreats to his study to shut out the world and immerse himself in his books. When, on a whim, he lights a candle purchased in an obscure Prague curiosity shop, a magical guide appears and offers to take him on whatever quest he chooses. When he asks to become a hero in a fantasy realm, he discovers a more complex world than he expected, and battling evil with magic turns out to be far from his greatest challenge.</p><p><strong>EVOLVED PUBLISHING PRESENTS</strong> a specualtive fantasy adventure sure not just to entertain you, but to make you consider your life, your dreams, your goals. [DRM-Free]</p><h2><strong>Books by David Litwack:</strong></h2><ul><li><em>Along the Watchtower</em></li><li><em>The Daughter of the Sea and the Sky</em></li><li><em>The Time That's Given</em></li><li><em>The Children of Darkness</em> (The Seekers - Book 1)</li><li><em>The Stuff of Stars</em> (The Seekers - Book 2)</li><li><em>The Light of Reason</em> (The Seekers - Book 3)</li></ul><h2><strong>More Great Fantasy Fiction from Evolved Publishing:</strong></h2><ul><li><em>The Awakening of David Rose</em> (David Rose #1) by Daryl Rothman</li><li><em>Shadow Swarm</em> by D. Robert Pease</li><li><em>Kingdom in Chains</em> by J.W. Zulauf</li><li>The &quot;Grims' Truth&quot; Series by Isu Yin &amp; Fae Yang</li></ul><p> </p>

Story Behind The Book

Lockers Speak occurs as the students exit the school to begin summer break. They leave behind the lockers who personify their thoughts and emotions. As an administrator walks the empty halls, she reflects on the events of the school year. The voices whispering, sometimes screaming from the lockers share stories of friendship, academic struggles, death, abuse, celebrations, and basic human experiences. This book is a compilation of students’ thoughts. The words presented through verse stand-alone but together intertwine to create a glimpse of society. Youth bring to school more than their backpacks. They hold a unique perspective because with them they carry memories, aspirations, and dreams as well as every emotion, event, and person who influenced their identities, complicated by issues that may not be new to their generation but are enhanced by the 24/7 broadcasting of news and social media. Public schools present a microcosm of society. The voices on these pages provide snapshots of teens growing up in modern society. Collectively, they share the story of our culture. Sometimes the speakers blatantly state facts without realizing the secrets they reveal; others share little directly. With each student, a story evolves like a puzzle, and with each voice the pieces assemble to provide a glimpse into their realities. Lockers Speak emerged from the voices of these students. Though the individuals are fictional, the events and emotions reflect experiences from the author’s thirty-four-year career in public education. With the desire to use writing as a tool for students to understand themselves and their world, the author prompted students in her classrooms to write about personal adversity. The students became excited to tell their stories, knowing someone was going to listen. Those essays became the catalyst for this text. Locker’s Speak provides adults: parents, educators, counselors, anyone invested in America's youth a glimpse into their minds. The words also provide a means for teens to hear from others that they are not alone as it shares the everyday, common experiences that provide life joy while challenging survival. Through students’ voices, it reveals the commonalities of life’s experiences.

Media Links

Reviews

<div class="a-row" style="width:680px;color:rgb(15,17,17);font-family:'Amazon Ember', Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255);"><a class="a-link-normal" href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-reviews/R2TXN7MQYCLEOM/ref=cm_cr_dp_d_rvw_ttl?ie=UTF8&amp;ASIN=B098R5XJ8X" style="color:rgb(0,113,133);" title="5.0 out of 5 stars"><i class="a-icon a-icon-star a-star-5 review-rating" style="background-image:url(https://m.media-amazon.com/images/S/sash/ouR9NRElwmzAIev.png);background-repeat:no-repeat;vertical-align:text-top;height:18px;width:80px;background-position:-2px -2px;"><span class="a-icon-alt" style="width:80px;height:18px;line-height:normal;font-size:inherit;">5.0 out of 5 stars</span></i></a><a class="a-size-base a-link-normal review-title a-color-base review-title-content a-text-bold" href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-reviews/R2TXN7MQYCLEOM/ref=cm_cr_dp_d_rvw_ttl?ie=UTF8&amp;ASIN=B098R5XJ8X" style="color:rgb(15,17,17);font-weight:700;line-height:20px;"> <span>A Window into the Hearts and Minds of Today's Youth</span></a></div> <p><span class="a-size-base a-color-secondary review-date" style="font-size:14px;font-family:'Amazon Ember', Arial, sans-serif;background-color:rgb(255,255,255);line-height:20px;color:rgb(86,89,89);">Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on July 21, 2021</span></p> <div class="a-row a-spacing-mini review-data review-format-strip" style="width:680px;color:rgb(15,17,17);font-family:'Amazon Ember', Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255);margin-bottom:4px;"><a class="a-link-normal" href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html/ref=cm_cr_dp_d_rvw_avp?nodeId=G75XTB7MBMBTXP6W" style="color:rgb(0,113,133);"><span class="a-size-mini a-color-state a-text-bold" style="font-weight:700;font-size:12px;line-height:16px;color:rgb(196,85,0);">Verified Purchase</span></a></div> <div class="a-row a-spacing-small review-data" style="width:680px;color:rgb(15,17,17);font-family:'Amazon Ember', Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255);margin-bottom:8px;"><span class="a-size-base review-text" style="line-height:20px;">As adults, we tend to view and assess teens today from a time long gone in the perspective of our own youth. In &quot; Lockers Speak&quot; the author provides a window into the hearts and minds of contemporary youth. This is not the same world we grew up in and Mrs. Mahler provides us with a a better understanding of the struggles and challenges kids face today. This book will stimulate thoughtful compassion into anyone who cares about investing in that valuable commodity, our children.</span></div> <div class="a-row a-spacing-small review-data" style="width:680px;color:rgb(15,17,17);font-family:'Amazon Ember', Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255);margin-bottom:8px;"> <div class="a-row" style="width:680px;color:rgb(15,17,17);font-family:'Amazon Ember', Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255);"> <div class="a-row" style="width:680px;color:rgb(15,17,17);font-family:'Amazon Ember', Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255);"><a class="a-link-normal" href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-reviews/RMTE6YV2Y2KWE/ref=cm_cr_dp_d_rvw_ttl?ie=UTF8&amp;ASIN=B098R5XJ8X" style="color:rgb(0,113,133);" title="5.0 out of 5 stars"><i class="a-icon a-icon-star a-star-5 review-rating" style="background-image:url(https://m.media-amazon.com/images/S/sash/ouR9NRElwmzAIev.png);background-repeat:no-repeat;vertical-align:text-top;height:18px;width:80px;background-position:-2px -2px;"><span class="a-icon-alt" style="width:80px;height:18px;line-height:normal;font-size:inherit;">5.0 out of 5 stars</span></i></a><a class="a-size-base a-link-normal review-title a-color-base review-title-content a-text-bold" href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-reviews/RMTE6YV2Y2KWE/ref=cm_cr_dp_d_rvw_ttl?ie=UTF8&amp;ASIN=B098R5XJ8X" style="color:rgb(15,17,17);font-weight:700;line-height:20px;"> <span>It’s a reminder to be curious and aware that more is beneath the surface.</span></a></div> <span class="a-size-base a-color-secondary review-date" style="font-size:14px;font-family:'Amazon Ember', Arial, sans-serif;background-color:rgb(255,255,255);line-height:20px;color:rgb(86,89,89);">Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on October 19, 2021</span> <div class="a-row a-spacing-mini review-data review-format-strip" style="width:680px;color:rgb(15,17,17);font-family:'Amazon Ember', Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255);margin-bottom:4px;"><a class="a-link-normal" href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html/ref=cm_cr_dp_d_rvw_avp?nodeId=G75XTB7MBMBTXP6W" style="color:rgb(0,113,133);"><span class="a-size-mini a-color-state a-text-bold" style="font-weight:700;font-size:12px;line-height:16px;color:rgb(196,85,0);">Verified Purchase</span></a></div> <div class="a-row a-spacing-small review-data" style="width:680px;color:rgb(15,17,17);font-family:'Amazon Ember', Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255);margin-bottom:8px;"><span class="a-size-base review-text" style="line-height:20px;">I loved the view into internal dialogue and the occasional connections between perspectives. It was such a great reminder that perception is real and to remember that every person has their story. It’s a reminder to be curious and aware that more is beneath the surface. </span></div> <div class="a-row a-spacing-small review-data" style="width:680px;color:rgb(15,17,17);font-family:'Amazon Ember', Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255);margin-bottom:8px;"> <div class="a-row" style="width:680px;color:rgb(15,17,17);font-family:'Amazon Ember', Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255);"><a class="a-link-normal" href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZP027P8SF5C8/ref=cm_cr_dp_d_rvw_ttl?ie=UTF8&amp;ASIN=B098R5XJ8X" style="color:rgb(0,113,133);" title="5.0 out of 5 stars"><i class="a-icon a-icon-star a-star-5 review-rating" style="background-image:url(https://m.media-amazon.com/images/S/sash/ouR9NRElwmzAIev.png);background-repeat:no-repeat;vertical-align:text-top;height:18px;width:80px;background-position:-2px -2px;"><span class="a-icon-alt" style="width:80px;height:18px;line-height:normal;font-size:inherit;">5.0 out of 5 stars</span></i></a><a class="a-size-base a-link-normal review-title a-color-base review-title-content a-text-bold" href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZP027P8SF5C8/ref=cm_cr_dp_d_rvw_ttl?ie=UTF8&amp;ASIN=B098R5XJ8X" style="color:rgb(15,17,17);font-weight:700;line-height:20px;"> <span>Read this book!</span></a></div> <span class="a-size-base a-color-secondary review-date" style="font-size:14px;font-family:'Amazon Ember', Arial, sans-serif;background-color:rgb(255,255,255);line-height:20px;color:rgb(86,89,89);">Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on August 26, 2021</span> <div class="a-row a-spacing-mini review-data review-format-strip" style="width:680px;color:rgb(15,17,17);font-family:'Amazon Ember', Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255);margin-bottom:4px;"><a class="a-link-normal" href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html/ref=cm_cr_dp_d_rvw_avp?nodeId=G75XTB7MBMBTXP6W" style="color:rgb(0,113,133);"><span class="a-size-mini a-color-state a-text-bold" style="font-weight:700;font-size:12px;line-height:16px;color:rgb(196,85,0);">Verified Purchase</span></a></div> <div class="a-row a-spacing-small review-data" style="width:680px;color:rgb(15,17,17);font-family:'Amazon Ember', Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255);margin-bottom:8px;"><span class="a-size-base review-text" style="line-height:20px;">This book is a must read! The writer instantly engages the reader with a prologue that transports them right inside the school hallway. Each student locker exposes joy, hurt, hope or a their reflection on their life. This book gives the reader a creative window into the teenage mind. I loved getting to know the students and their stories!</span></div> <div class="a-row a-spacing-small review-data" style="width:680px;color:rgb(15,17,17);font-family:'Amazon Ember', Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255);margin-bottom:8px;"> <div class="a-row" style="width:680px;color:rgb(15,17,17);font-family:'Amazon Ember', Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px;"><a class="a-link-normal" href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-reviews/R1OPXHWELRH83F/ref=cm_cr_dp_d_rvw_ttl?ie=UTF8&amp;ASIN=B098R5XJ8X" style="color:rgb(0,113,133);" title="5.0 out of 5 stars"><i class="a-icon a-icon-star a-star-5 review-rating" style="background-image:url(https://m.media-amazon.com/images/S/sash/ouR9NRElwmzAIev.png);background-repeat:no-repeat;vertical-align:text-top;height:18px;width:80px;background-position:-2px -2px;"><span class="a-icon-alt" style="width:80px;height:18px;line-height:normal;font-size:inherit;">5.0 out of 5 stars</span></i></a><a class="a-size-base a-link-normal review-title a-color-base review-title-content a-text-bold" href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-reviews/R1OPXHWELRH83F/ref=cm_cr_dp_d_rvw_ttl?ie=UTF8&amp;ASIN=B098R5XJ8X" style="color:rgb(15,17,17);font-weight:700;line-height:20px;"> <span>Real feelings in real time.</span></a></div> <span class="a-size-base a-color-secondary review-date" style="font-size:14px;font-family:'Amazon Ember', Arial, sans-serif;line-height:20px;color:rgb(86,89,89);">Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on July 8, 2021</span> <div class="a-row a-spacing-mini review-data review-format-strip" style="width:680px;color:rgb(15,17,17);font-family:'Amazon Ember', Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px;margin-bottom:4px;"><a class="a-link-normal" href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html/ref=cm_cr_dp_d_rvw_avp?nodeId=G75XTB7MBMBTXP6W" style="color:rgb(199,81,31);"><span class="a-size-mini a-color-state a-text-bold" style="font-weight:700;font-size:12px;line-height:16px;color:rgb(196,85,0);">Verified Purchase</span></a></div> <div class="a-row a-spacing-small review-data" style="width:680px;color:rgb(15,17,17);font-family:'Amazon Ember', Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px;margin-bottom:8px;"><span class="a-size-base review-text" style="line-height:20px;">As a middle school educator for 25 years I found &quot;Lockers Speak&quot; (Voices of America's Youth) a great read. It stirred memories of those students who could drive me crazy, all the while finding a special place in my heart to remain forever. The author was able to write in such a way that I often felt like I was walking the halls with her. A fun summer read.</span></div> <div class="a-row a-spacing-small review-data" style="width:680px;color:rgb(15,17,17);font-family:'Amazon Ember', Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px;margin-bottom:8px;"> <div class="a-row" style="width:680px;"><a class="a-link-normal" href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-reviews/R3660FIZW2W6OO/ref=cm_cr_dp_d_rvw_ttl?ie=UTF8&amp;ASIN=B098R5XJ8X" style="color:rgb(0,113,133);" title="5.0 out of 5 stars"><i class="a-icon a-icon-star a-star-5 review-rating" style="background-image:url(https://m.media-amazon.com/images/S/sash/ouR9NRElwmzAIev.png);background-repeat:no-repeat;vertical-align:text-top;height:18px;width:80px;background-position:-2px -2px;"><span class="a-icon-alt" style="width:80px;height:18px;line-height:normal;font-size:inherit;">5.0 out of 5 stars</span></i></a><a class="a-size-base a-link-normal review-title a-color-base review-title-content a-text-bold" href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-reviews/R3660FIZW2W6OO/ref=cm_cr_dp_d_rvw_ttl?ie=UTF8&amp;ASIN=B098R5XJ8X" style="color:rgb(15,17,17);font-weight:700;font-size:14px;line-height:20px;"> <span>Boise fan</span></a></div> <span class="a-size-base a-color-secondary review-date" style="font-size:14px;line-height:20px;color:rgb(86,89,89);">Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on October 24, 2021</span> <div class="a-row a-spacing-mini review-data review-format-strip" style="width:680px;margin-bottom:4px;"> </div> <div class="a-row a-spacing-small review-data" style="width:680px;margin-bottom:8px;"><span class="a-size-base review-text" style="font-size:14px;line-height:20px;">What an amazing writer. She has captured the perspective Of these middle schoolers using the lockers as their voice. Great read And powerful poems That any middle school teacher, student, or all those who have ever been middle schoolers can relate to.</span></div> <div class="a-row a-spacing-small review-data" style="width:680px;margin-bottom:8px;"> <div class="a-row" style="width:680px;color:rgb(15,17,17);font-family:'Amazon Ember', Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px;"><a class="a-link-normal" href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-reviews/R3NJW9WET9WXXF/ref=cm_cr_dp_d_rvw_ttl?ie=UTF8&amp;ASIN=B098R5XJ8X" style="color:rgb(0,113,133);" title="5.0 out of 5 stars"><i class="a-icon a-icon-star a-star-5 review-rating" style="background-image:url(https://m.media-amazon.com/images/S/sash/ouR9NRElwmzAIev.png);background-repeat:no-repeat;vertical-align:text-top;height:18px;width:80px;background-position:-2px -2px;"><span class="a-icon-alt" style="width:80px;height:18px;line-height:normal;font-size:inherit;">5.0 out of 5 stars</span></i></a><a class="a-size-base a-link-normal review-title a-color-base review-title-content a-text-bold" href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-reviews/R3NJW9WET9WXXF/ref=cm_cr_dp_d_rvw_ttl?ie=UTF8&amp;ASIN=B098R5XJ8X" style="color:rgb(15,17,17);font-weight:700;line-height:20px;"> <span>Perspective of an experienced educator.</span></a></div> <span class="a-size-base a-color-secondary review-date" style="font-size:14px;font-family:'Amazon Ember', Arial, sans-serif;line-height:20px;color:rgb(86,89,89);">Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on August 25, 2021</span> <div class="a-row a-spacing-mini review-data review-format-strip" style="width:680px;color:rgb(15,17,17);font-family:'Amazon Ember', Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px;margin-bottom:4px;"> </div> <div class="a-row a-spacing-small review-data" style="width:680px;color:rgb(15,17,17);font-family:'Amazon Ember', Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px;margin-bottom:8px;"><span class="a-size-base review-text" style="line-height:20px;">Excellent perspective of an experienced educator. Brenda shares stories that anyone who has spent time in education can personally relate to encountering or hearing at some point. Brenda does a nice job of connecting the student voices to remind us of the impact students have on one another. Lockers Speak is an easy enjoyable read which shares the author's insights and ideas of how to shape our most valuable commodity - students.</span></div> <div class="a-row a-spacing-small review-data" style="width:680px;color:rgb(15,17,17);font-family:'Amazon Ember', Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px;margin-bottom:8px;"> <div class="a-row" style="width:680px;color:rgb(15,17,17);font-family:'Amazon Ember', Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px;"><a class="a-link-normal" href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-reviews/R1EOZEI512P3AY/ref=cm_cr_dp_d_rvw_ttl?ie=UTF8&amp;ASIN=B098R5XJ8X" style="color:rgb(0,113,133);" title="5.0 out of 5 stars"><i class="a-icon a-icon-star a-star-5 review-rating" style="background-image:url(https://m.media-amazon.com/images/S/sash/ouR9NRElwmzAIev.png);background-repeat:no-repeat;vertical-align:text-top;height:18px;width:80px;background-position:-2px -2px;"><span class="a-icon-alt" style="width:80px;height:18px;line-height:normal;font-size:inherit;">5.0 out of 5 stars</span></i></a><a class="a-size-base a-link-normal review-title a-color-base review-title-content a-text-bold" href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-reviews/R1EOZEI512P3AY/ref=cm_cr_dp_d_rvw_ttl?ie=UTF8&amp;ASIN=B098R5XJ8X" style="color:rgb(15,17,17);font-weight:700;line-height:20px;"> <span>Excellent for parents and teens</span></a></div> <span class="a-size-base a-color-secondary review-date" style="font-size:14px;font-family:'Amazon Ember', Arial, sans-serif;line-height:20px;color:rgb(86,89,89);">Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on August 20, 2021</span> <div class="a-row a-spacing-mini review-data review-format-strip" style="width:680px;color:rgb(15,17,17);font-family:'Amazon Ember', Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px;margin-bottom:4px;"> </div> <div class="a-row a-spacing-small review-data" style="width:680px;color:rgb(15,17,17);font-family:'Amazon Ember', Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px;margin-bottom:8px;"><span class="a-size-base review-text" style="line-height:20px;">I have been waiting a long time for this! It is an excellent book and definitely give it 5 stars<br /> The teenage years are so difficult these days especially with all that is going on today. Brenda has written so eloquently, and I will also be sharing this with my teenage grandchildren<br /> A must to any collection</span></div> </div> </div> <div class="a-row review-comments cr-vote-action-bar" style="width:680px;"> <div class="cr-helpful-icon-button cr-vote-component" style="color:rgb(15,17,17);font-family:'Amazon Ember', Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px;"> <div class="cr-helpful-button aok-float-left" style="float:left;margin-right:5px;vertical-align:middle;"> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div>