New Book of Poems by
Linda Busken Jergens
"In the memory-weaving narrative traditions of writers like Marie Howe
and Naomi Shihab Nye, each poem within this collection is a
"truth longing for itself."
- Maura O'Dea, Poet and Artist
As an adolescent, Linda Busken Jergens discovered to her surprise that her words had the power to elicit delightful responses from classmates. Soon she realized that writing poetry was an economical and efficient way to express what she was noticing around her and within her fanciful imagination.
Linda's work has been published in St Luke's Review, and A Poetry Anthology, Greater Cincinnati Writers League, where she is a member. Linda was a longtime writer and supporter of Women Writing for (a) Change, a Cincinnati writing community, and has attended writing workshops in Taos, NM and at Kenyon College.
Linda earned a PA from Denison University and a BS from Columbia University in social work. She is a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution, Daughters of the Union, Society of Descendants of the Mayflower, and Society of Colonial Dames of America.
"These vibrant poems come from a poet who seeks new ways to "jump into the present."
- John Philip Drury, author of
"The Teller's Cage: Poems and Imaginary Movies"
Nolan Kerr Publications
Nolan Kerr Press has focused on literature produced by authors in their senior years, because they have the most interesting stories to tell. Here are some of our favorite volumes:
Harry Santen has collected many stories during his lifetime as an attorney, husband, father and traveler. In The Gathering Place, he tells stories about how he learned to build, run and thrive on a farm in Felicity, OH, which became a haven and memorable venue for friends and family. In the collection of amazing and "mostly" fictitious adventures in Stories from a Literarian, Harry spins yarns that draw the reader in, while sharing fascinating facts about art, history, nature and religion.
Harry H. Santen
In the 1990s, mediation attorney Bea Larsen was a regular contributor to WVXU radio, reading essays she'd written about her life as a lawyer, and reflecting on her roles as wife, mother and friend. In 2018, she compiled her pieces into a book, The Third Person in the Room, a powerful collection of observations on the intricacies of human relationships and a reflection on how the choices we make affect ourselves and our loved ones. This book was Nolan Kerr Press' inaugural foray into the publishing world, and a perfect literary effort with which to begin the journey. Bea's viewpoint on life and relationships remains clear-eyed and compelling for every reader.
Bea and Clyde Gray in an interview for Cincy Lifestyle on WCPO TV
Retired Chief Mediator for the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, Bob Rack learned in 2022 that he had an aggressive form of leukemia. Facing Mortality is a collection of Rack's essays written while he struggled with the harsh realities of terminal illness, the decisions made and choices rejected, in service of a positive, even joyful attitude during his remaining days. Peter Block published the first edition of the book. When Rack realized he would live beyond that publication, he asked Nolan Kerr Press to publish an updated version including his very last contemplations. Proceeds from the sale of the book were donated to the Cincinnati Nature Center, for which Rack served as a board member.
Charlene Ventura was a co-founder of the second wave of the women's movement in the late 1960s. She joined the staff of the Greater Cincinnati YWCA in 1973, and is credited with founding the Alice Paul House, the first shelter for abused women in the country. She also established the Career Women of Achievement Awards, an annual tribute now in its 47th year. Having My Say is a collection of her poetry, written in the aftermath of her significant career of empowering women and seeking justice for the underserved in society. The poems address Ventura's attitudes about love, friendship, anxiety, aging and the political climate during the past decade. Retired CEO of Procter & Gamble, John Pepper, called it "a gift for the mind and soul."
Robert Rack
Charlene with Bobbie Sterne at a vigil for women who died of spouse abuse, circa 1980s
Linda Busken Jergens has had her work published in St. Luke's Review and A Poetry Anthology, Greater Cincinnati Writers League. Linda was a long-time writer and supporter of Women Writing for (a) Change, a Cincinnati writing community, and has attended writing workshops in Taos, NM and at Kenyon College. Her interests include genealogy, expedition travel, American colonial history, volunteering on Indian reservations and lineage societies. The opening poem of this collection says, "Before you can write a poem/you must lose your voice/feel the weight of words stuck together/like piles of wet leaves/remembering you are not
the person you think you are.
Nolan Kerr Consulting began in 1996 as Nolan Kerr Artist Consultants, LTD. Our primary mission then was to provide classical and jazz musicians with professional guidance in image development and marketing in order to build their performance careers. We quickly expanded our clientele to non-profit arts organizations looking for public relations and marketing support.
Over the years, Nolan Kerr has found a niche working with non-profit organizations of all stripes, finding particular reward in working for groups that provide meaningful and positive change within their communities. Most recently we have added independent publishing for new authors, and we enjoy working in particular with those over age 50, who have singularly interesting stories to tell.
About Nolan Kerr Press
In 2018, I was asked by retired attorney Bea Larsen to help edit and publish her book, The Third Person in the Room, a collection of essays about her experience in the work of divorce mediation, as well as observations of a life well lived.
That was the beginning of Nolan Kerr Press. Bea's book was a success, due to her august reputation and her elegant and incisive writing style.
Other authors followed, and Nolan Kerr Press, accidentally or otherwise, became a place for authors over the age of 80 to find their voices, and a path to immortalizing their work.
I have assisted a number of authors in placing their books on Amazon KDP, an inexpensive yet positive way to publish and make their writing a reality.
I owe all of those successes to Bea Larsen, who trusted me with her book, even though I had never worked a day in the publishing business. For her trust and her friendship, I am truly grateful.
- Nancy Nolan