Announcing New Publication:
Having My Say
by
Charlene Ventura
About Charlene Ventura and Having My Say:
After 30 successful years as CEO of the Cincinnati YWCA, Charlene Ventura began writing poems. She wrote about everyday life, things she felt or observed, about nature and feminism, politics and love, loss and aging, and hope.
Those poems have been turned into a lovely collection published under the title, Having My Say.
A co-founder of the women's movement in 1968, Ventura joined the staff of the YWCA of Greater Cincinnati in 1973. In 1976, Ventura initiated the first community-wide forum on domestic abuse in Cincinnati, which led to the establishment of the YWCA Alice Paul House, the first shelter for survivors of domestic violence in the greater Cincinnati area, and one of the first seven in the U.S. In 1980, she established the annual YWCA Salute to Career Women of Achievement.
Charlene has received many national and local awards for her groundbreaking work supporting women, including Redbook Magazine's Ten outstanding Young Women in Ohio, and a nod from Women's e-News as one of 21 leaders for the 21st Century.
"Charlene Ventura's poetry reflects her life-long commitment to uplifting women and people of color, fighting sexism and racism, and giving power to those who have been marginalized."
- Jan-Michele Lemon Kearney, Vice Mayor, City of Cincinnati
"Charlene's poetry is a gift for the mind and the soul."
- John Pepper, retired CEO, Proctor & Gamble
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
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