Let’s welcome two new BAIPA members, who joined in May – Judy Bebelaar and Carolyn Jones!
Judy Bebelaar co-authored a non-fiction book in 2018 , And Then They Were Gone: Teenagers of People’s Temple from High School to Jonestown, with Ron Cabral, a fellow teacher. Both Judy and Ron taught at a small public alternative school in 1976, when Jim Jones, who founded People’s Temple, sent all the Temple teens to study at that school. The book has won eight honors and awards so far; recently, Nick Courtright at Atmosphere Press agreed to help publicize the book, and will distribute it through Ingram.
Judy taught in San Francisco public high schools for 37 years. Her writing students won many awards, including 8 from Scholastic Magazine on the national level. Walking Across the Pacific, a chapbook, was published by Finishing Line Press in 2014. Her poems have also been published in more than 50 literary journals and several anthologies, including The Widow’s Handbook (foreword by Ruth Bader Ginsburg, 2014) and California Fire & Water: A Climate Crisis Anthology, ed. Molly Fisk, 2020.
Judy’s website is: http://www.judybebelaar.com .
Carolyn CJ Jones was actually a BAIPA member several years ago. We’re glad she’s returned! Recently, her latest book, The Art of Forgiveness: A Promise of Peace, became an international bestseller through Amazon. Carolyn, a natural teacher, has also started examining the topic of forgiveness in her well-received course at The College of Marin in Kentfield. Along those same lines, Carolyn works as a Forgiveness Coach and a Motivational Speaker, and is starting to appear on videos and at conferences as a Forgiveness Expert.
Carolyn’s other book, Opening the Gates of the Heart: A Journey of Healing, won Honorable Mention in both the New York and San Francisco Book Festivals when it was published in 2010. Called “a tribute to the beauty and resiliency of the human spirit,” this best-selling photography-and-prose book was recently awarded a Silver Medal for World Peace.
Carolyn’s website is: http://www.carolyncjjones.com
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