Tag Archives: memoir

by Jennifer Reed/ bookjunkiez | December 2, 2025 · 5:00 am

The Pink Dress Audiobook Tour

Memoir of a Reluctant Beauty Queen

Memoir

Date Published: September 30, 2025

Publisher: She Writes Press/Tantor

Narrator: Ann Marie Gideon

Run Time: 8 hours and 4 minutes

For fans of Little Miss Sunshine and Secrets of Miss America, this
memoir from a national award-winning author reveals the reality of being the
first Guyrex Girl in the 1970s. Beauty pageant stories have never been this
raw, this real.

Growing up in West Texas, Jane Little Botkin didn’t have designs on becoming a
beauty queen. But not long after joining a pageant on a whim in college, she
became the first protégé of El Paso’s Richard Guy and Rex Holt,
known as the “Kings of Beauty”—just as the 1970’s counterculture
movement began to take off.

A pink, rose-covered gown—a Guyrex creation—symbolizes the fairy
tale life that young women in Jane’s time imagined beauty queens had. Its near
destruction exposes reality: the author’s failed relationship with her mother,
and her parents’ failed relationship with one another. Weaving these narrative
threads together is the Wild West notion that anything is possible, especially
do-overs.

The Pink Dress awakens nostalgia for the 1960s and 1970s, the era’s conflicts
and growth pains. A common expectation that women went to college to get “MRS”
degrees—to find a husband and become a stay-at-home wife and
mother—often prevailed. How does one swim upstream against this notion
among feminist voices that protest “If You Want Meat, Go to a Butcher!” at
beauty pageants, two flamboyant showmen, and a developing awareness of self?
Torn between women’s traditional roles and what women could be, Guyrex Girls
evolved, as did the author.

Cami Hensley · The Pink Dress

About the Author

A NATIONAL AWARD-WINNING AUTHOR, JANE…

melds personal narratives of American families often with compelling stories
of western women. Jane is a late bloomer as an author. After teaching for
thirty years, she was honored by the Texas State Legislature by formal
resolution for her work with local history and education in 2008. She edited
and directed publishing fifteen volumes of Texas local history with her former
students before she decided to write on her own. Jane’s first book propelled
her membership on the Western Writers of America board and later as its vice
president. Jane continues to judge entries for the WWA’s prestigious Spur
Award; reviews new book releases; authors articles for various magazines; and
speaks to groups in Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Texas.

JANE’S FIRST TWO WORKS HAVE WON NUMEROUS AWARDS IN HISTORICAL BIOGRAPHY AND
WOMEN’S STUDIES…

including two Spur Awards, two Caroline Bancroft History Prizes, the Texas
Book Award, and the Barbara Sudler Award for the best book written on the West
by a woman. Jane was also a finalist for the Oklahoma Book Award, High Plains
Book Award, two Women Writing the West’s Willa Literary Awards,
Independent Book Award, Foreword Indies Book Awards, and Sarton Book Award.

Released in fall 2024, Jane’s third book—what she calls her Covid
book—is The Pink Dress, A Memoir of a Reluctant Beauty Queen, a Foreword
Indies Book Award winner in pop culture and Women Writing the West’s Willa
Literary Award finalist in creative nonfiction. The narrative brings far West
Texas to life during the 1970s’ American Counterculture era.

Jane’s newest book, The Breath of a Buffalo, A Biography of Mary Ann
Goodnight, will be released from the University of Oklahoma Press tentatively
in fall 2026.

Today Jane blissfully escapes into her literary world in the remote White
Mountain Wilderness near Nogal, New Mexico, when she is not speaking at
various events or preparing for her next nonfiction book.

Contact Links

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by Jennifer Reed/ bookjunkiez | November 20, 2025 · 5:00 am

Book of Me Virtual Book Tour

The Life and Times of Kevin Hipes, the New York Forrest Gump

Memoir

Date Published: July 24, 2025

From the streets of Queens to the deck of an oil tanker in the
Caribbean—meet Kevin Hipes, the real-life New York Forrest Gump.

Book of Me is not your average memoir. It’s a laugh-out-loud,
tear-in-your-eye, one-of-a-kind true story collection from a man who has lived
more lives than most of us can imagine. Factory worker. Hippie. Banker.
Entrepreneur. Rockstar (sort of). Preacher. Politician. Oil tanker owner.
Cancer survivor. Bipolar truth-teller. Kevin Hipes has worn all these
hats—and more.

Told with warmth, humor, and heart, Kevin’s stories come alive in this
unconventional autobiography. Originally recorded as a series of YouTube
episodes on his channel Planet Hipes, these 66 episodes have been transformed
into a compelling, easy-to-read book that invites you to laugh, cry, reflect,
and recognize a bit of yourself along the way.

What you’ll find inside:

✅ Hilarious tales from childhood in Queens

✅ Life lessons learned the hard way—and the funny way

✅ Private struggles and surprising triumphs

✅ A faith-driven journey of self-discovery and humility

✅ A reminder that we’re all “special” in our own unique way

Whether you’re looking for a good laugh, a touch of inspiration, or a wildly
entertaining ride through 70 years of true-life adventures, Book of Me will
leave you smiling, thinking, and maybe even saying, “Hey, I’ve got
a story like that too.”

📺 BONUS: After reading the book, head to Kevin’s YouTube channel Planet
Hipes and experience the stories told by Kevin himself—animated, real,
and unforgettable.

Because life’s not about the destination—it’s about the
journey. And Kevin Hipes has one hell of a story to tell.

EXCERPT

We Used to love Harry‘s press conferences when he was going to build the tallest tower in the world in Newark, New Jersey with a monorail connection to Manhattan. The reporters said, “Mr. Grant how did you decide to make the tower 121 stories?” Harry said, “Because 21 is a lucky number, blackjack!

About the Author

Kevin Hipes is a born storyteller, lifelong entrepreneur, and proud New Yorker
with a personality as big as the adventures he’s lived. Often called
“the New York Forrest Gump,” Kevin’s life has taken him from
the streets of Queens to the pulpit, to business boardrooms, and even to the
deck of his very own oil tanker in the Caribbean. As Kevin often says
“Forrest owned a shrimp boat, but I owned an Oil Tanker and my story is
true!”

With no formal writing background, Kevin still managed to turn a lifetime of
unbelievable experiences into a heartfelt, hilarious, and deeply human
book—Book of Me. Rather than writing in the traditional sense, Kevin
recorded over 100 personal episodes for his YouTube channel, Planet Hipes,
then compiled them into a unique memoir filled with wit, wisdom,determination,
and raw truth.

As an uneducated street kid from Queens, Kevin has lived many lives from
factory worker to Hippie, to rockstar (almost), banker, preacher,
restaurateur, politician and more. He shares not just the ups and downs of a
seven-decade journey but speaks intimately about being a cancer survivor who
also struggled through and dealt with a bipolar disorder, keeping the high
energy manic side while overcoming the devastating depressions that plagued
him through most of his life. You will find Kevin’s faith in God,
unrelenting positive mindset and sense of humor make for a powerful story
boldly told in his own words.

Kevin currently lives in Orlando, Florida, where he owns and runs HCB Real
Estate, a retail commercial brokerage and development firm. Book of Me is his
debut memoir and a testament to the power of authenticity, faith, and
self-deprecating humor.

Follow Kevin’s stories on YouTube: Planet Hipes and experience the
animated storyteller in action.

Contact Links

Purchase Link

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by Jennifer Reed/ bookjunkiez | October 30, 2025 · 5:00 am

Book of Me Blitz

The Life and Times of Kevin Hipes, the New York Forrest Gump

Memoir

Date Published: July 24, 2025

From the streets of Queens to the deck of an oil tanker in the
Caribbean—meet Kevin Hipes, the real-life New York Forrest Gump.

What you’ll find inside:

✅ Hilarious tales from childhood in Queens

✅ Life lessons learned the hard way—and the funny way

✅ Private struggles and surprising triumphs

✅ A faith-driven journey of self-discovery and humility

✅ A reminder that we’re all “special” in our own unique way

📺 BONUS: After reading the book, head to Kevin’s YouTube channel Planet
Hipes and experience the stories told by Kevin himself—animated, real,
and unforgettable.

Because life’s not about the destination—it’s about the
journey. And Kevin Hipes has one hell of a story to tell.

About the Author

Follow Kevin’s stories on YouTube: Planet Hipes and experience the
animated storyteller in action.

Contact Links

Purchase Link

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Tagged as Book of Me, Kevin Hipes, memoir

by Jennifer Reed/ bookjunkiez | October 9, 2025 · 5:00 am

The Princess of Wraiths Virtual Book Tour

Memoir

The Princess of the Wraiths is a captivating memoir that weaves science,
spirituality, and personal triumph into a vibrant tapestry of life’s
deepest questions. Born in Mexico City, Peregrinus Hierusalemsis confronts
childhood terrors—sparked by a chilling visit to the mummies of
Guanajuato and a fear-inducing teacher—that leave him grappling with
post-traumatic stress. A mystical experience at an ancient monastery becomes
his turning point, igniting a lifelong quest for meaning.

As a shy teenager, Peregrinus faces heartbreak over Verónica, only to
find solace in philosophy through his friend Emilio, shielding him from the
clutches of a drug cartel infiltrating his school. Relocating to the United
Kingdom, he falls for Jana, whose guidance fuels his success in biology
studies, but a toxic relationship with Birgitta tests his resolve. Armed with
philosophical wisdom, Peregrinus confronts an enigmatic “Princess of the
Wraiths,” determined to conquer his fears and reclaim his strength.

Set against the vibrant backdrop of Mexico’s cultural richness, the
UK’s academic halls, and Sweden’s serene landscapes, this memoir
vividly describes the biodiversity and ecosystems Peregrinus explores as a
biologist. While science and spirituality are thoughtfully explored, they
remain distinct, with scientific accuracy meticulously preserved. Written with
literary finesse, this accessible yet rigorously academic narrative invites
readers into a true story of resilience, love, and existential
discovery—a journey that resonates with anyone seeking to overcome fear
and embrace life’s mysteries.

EXCERPT

The next place where I went to look for ptarmigans (Lagopus muta) was a mountain that almost no one visited in the middle of the alpine tundra. It was the Carn Ban Mor. I hiked up to the summit and I was able to see and record a couple of ptarmigans, and some Eurasian dotterels (Eudromias morinellus). Once I was at the summit, there was a blizzard. It was terrible! The wind was so strong that it removed my hat from my head. It also removed a space blanket that I attempted to wear to protect myself from the blizzard. The cold was too extreme and walking in the snow made it difficult to reach the lower part of the mountain. As it was too cold, my whole body was shivering… I could only see white in front of me, on each side of me, and behind me. That was because there was so much snow in the air due to the blizzard.

As I could not see anything, I was not able to find the right path to exit the mountain. That is because the summit of Carn Ban Mor is above the tree line, as in Scotland, the tree line is too low. As a result of this, there were no trees, so everything was the same and no path was obvious. I was extremely terrified! Soon my nose and all my fingers turned numb. At that time, I was exceedingly afraid! It was clear that this would end up becoming a health problem and there was still a lot of distance to walk to go down the mountaintop!

In the middle of the whiteness of the snowstorm, I had a mystical experience. I asked that the blizzard would stop, and immediately, a voice answered me. No one was around me, but I still heard it. The divine voice that I listened to told me that the snowstorm would immediately stop and that I would not suffer any health problems. This divine voice is known as bat kol in Hebrew. A minute after listening to the message of the bat kol, the wind stopped and the cloud that was producing the blizzard left. The sky was blue, and the Sun was shining… everything was too strange.

Just a minute before, all the air was white from so much snow and the wind reached an extremely high speed. Suddenly, the atmosphere was peaceful, and no snow was falling. I ran downwards as quickly as possible! My nose and fingers stopped being numb and nothing bad happened. Until that time, I thought that mystical experiences were instances of hypnosis that were spontaneous and involuntary. I thought they were like the voluntary practices that Enríquez taught me, but by far more extreme. When I realized that mystical experiences not only hypnotized human minds, but also the atmosphere that lacks any brain or perception, I started to doubt that they were truly a form of spontaneous hypnosis.

About the Author

I studied biology, but I am also interested in philosophy and
spirituality. I have worked in some labs as a molecular biologist. I have also
been interested in systematics, so I have published some scientific papers on
such a subject. I am from Mexico, but I have also worked in labs in the United
Kingdom and Sweden.

Originally, I used to write essays at university. Later, I wrote scientific
papers. It was not until I solved a difficult issue in my life that I became a
writer of books. I was able to free myself from a toxic relationship. That was
a success because I was never able to do that during previous experiences. I
thought the messages that I wrote to finish that bad acquaintanceship were
very important, so I transferred them from my mobile telephone to a Word
document. Then I wanted to add a paragraph to explain the meaning of the
messages. A paragraph was not enough, so I ended up writing what became
chapter 28 in my book. After that, I wanted to add more background. I ended up
writing a whole memoir! I hired 5 different proofreaders in Fiverr. Four of
them were American. One was British. Then I commissioned 94 handmade paintings
to illustrate my book.

Contact Link

Website

Research Gate

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Tagged as memoir, Peregrinus Hierusalemsis, The Princess of Wraiths

by Jennifer Reed/ bookjunkiez | October 7, 2025 · 5:00 am

The Trek Continues Blitz

More Memoirs of a Rocket Scientist

Memoir

Date Published: October 7, 2025

Publisher: Pawpress

A life of adventure, science, and survival— one man’s journey from
writing for Star Trek® to exploring the edges of the world

After
co-writing “The Tholian Web,” a classic episode of the original series of Star
Trek, Chester L. Richards charted a path unlike any other—one that led
him from the wonders of science and engineering to the wilds of uncharted
rivers and exotic creatures with sharp teeth, some of them human. Now, in The
Trek Continues: More Memoirs of a Rocket Scientist, the award-winning author
of From the Potato to Star Trek and Beyond shares a Tholian Web night and the
surprising legacy of the show, and series, in his new, unforgettable
collection of true-life stories about extraordinary people, leading-edge
projects, the love of his life Sarah and oh, those wilds.

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