hsbWriters group celebrates 3 local nonfiction authors
Ben Castillo shares stories of his childhood experiences living in a boxcar settlement in Sterling, Illinois, in the 1940s. He wrote his book ‘Boxcar Bennie’ to motivate his grandchildren and other kids. Staff photo
Three nonfiction authors from Horseshoe Bay will share their writing journeys at hsbWriters’ first-ever Celebration of Authors from 6-8 p.m. May 4 atTthe Church at Horseshoe Bay, 600 Hi Ridge Road.
“We are hosting a gathering to celebrate what all writers know to be the end of a long and challenging road, to share their joy and relief, and to remind us all that we are not alone,” said Paloma Guerrero, president of hsbWriters, nonprofit group that supports locals in the writing industry. “We want to share joy, to slap people on the back and say, ‘Well done!’”
The three authors are Ben Castillo, who wrote “Boxcar Bennie;” Kimberly Jungkind, author of “Einstein’s Table: The Search to Find a Cure for Chronic Hepatitis B;” and Guerrero, author of “Building Lacy Oaks: A Love Story.”
Castillo’s book is a memoir of his childhood in the Silver City boxcar settlement in Sterling, Illinois, in the 1940s and ‘50s. What began as a love letter to his grandchildren and other family members soon evolved into a public tribute to the efforts, sacrifices, and contributions made by so many Latino families that helped the nation recover from World War II.
A nurse and clinical epidemiologist at the time, Jungkind wanted to support four friends who started the Hepatitis B Foundation. After she became a member of the foundation’s board, she undertook the project of writing the group’s history.
“I included how the foundation grew, all the founders’ efforts, and all the unique people and their connections that ultimately made this enormous project a success,” she said. “To start an effort like this in one state in the United States with plans for the mission to go international was a huge, courageous goal.”
The Hepatitis B Foundation is now international and has grown from three part-time scientists to more than 350 full-time scientists.
Guerrero’s book deals with the Halloween Flood of 2013 in southeast Austin and how its effects impacted families, relationships, and, specifically, her and husband Elias’ future.
“It took years for us to resettle, waiting for the city to buy out the community,” she said. “While it was really hard to go through that trauma, looking back, I realized that we had been in this beautiful space, surrounded by love and kept afloat by love the whole time. It ended up being so beautiful that I wanted to write about it.”The group invites members of the writing community in Horseshoe Bay and the surrounding area to be part of the celebration. For more information on the event or hsbWriters, visit hsbWriters.com or contact risingtide78657@gmail.com or 512-790-4748.