STEVEN LONG

Finalist Maine Literary Awards 2024Maines Penobscot River has shaped the land, the people, and the stories of an entire region for thousands of years. Rivers of Ink: Literary Reflections on the Penobscot gathers 61 Maine writerspoets, essayists, and fiction writersto trace that legacy through essays, fiction, and poetry that move from the rivers Indigenous origins to its industrial past to its uncertain environmental future.With an introduction by Sherri Mitchell Wehna Hamu Kwassetattorney, activist, and author from the Penobscot Nationthis anthology honors both the river and the communities it sustains. The collection spans geological time, personal memory, and cultural reckoning, offering a portrait of a waterway that is as contested as it is beloved.$1 from every sale supports Friends of Katahdin Woods & Waters and their "A Monumental Welcome" campaign, funding a new visitor station and Wabanaki-directed projects."Brimming with voices as diverse as the rivers currents and the land through which it flows, Rivers of Ink is a significant addition to the literature of the Penobscot." Kristen Britain, New York Times bestselling author"The writers in Rivers of Ink speak to us about the power of place, how one river connects us all." Stuart Kestenbaum, former poet laureate of MaineBook 1 of the Literary Reflections On series.

Join Fannie, a spirited and courageous chicken with a heart as big as her dreams, on an adventure of a lifetime in Chickens Are Animals, Too! Fannie Goes to Washington. After being rescued from a bleak future, Fannie finds warmth and love in Abbies home alongside a motley crew of pets. But when she learns that her fellow chickens are not considered animals by the world, Fannies feathery heart refuses to stand by. With a dash of pluck and determination, she organizes an unprecedented march on Washington, rallying chickens and allies from every corner to fight for recognition and rights. This whimsical, heartwarming tale for middle-grade readers is a journey of friendship, courage, and the power of speaking out. Fannie and her friends will whisk you away on their quest to bend the arc of history toward justice. A story as fun as it is inspiring, Chickens Are Animals, Too! proves that even the smallest voices can echo the loudest calls for change. Will Fannie succeed in her mission, or is the world just too big for one little chicken with big dreams? Theres only one way to find out!

Lumpy is a lump of clay and is about to be taken on the adventure of a lifetime! At first, he is scared when he is taken from his home by a well-meaning potter who does "terrible" things to him. But by the end, Lumpy has become something extraordinary, something he never knew he wanted to be. This delightful tale will help children learn not only about clay and pottery but also about how all those little things people make us do (like school, exercise, and eating right) help make it possible to find our true potential.

Finalist Maine Literary Awards 2025Maines North Woods span 3.5 million acreslarger than Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon combined. North Woods at Night: Literary Reflections on Maines Largest Forest sends 38 writers into those woods after dark, returning with poems, stories, and essays that capture what the wilderness does to the human imagination when the lights go out.Campfires and loons. A moose appearing at the edge of headlights. The particular silence of a frozen lake at midnight. The fear that turns, unexpectedly, into wonder. These writers dont romanticize the darkthey inhabit it, each piece adding to a portrait of a landscape that is ancient, vast, and indifferent to human schedules.With an introduction by Ret Talbot, National Geographic contributor and award-winning science writer.$1 from every sale supports the Forest Society of Maine, conserving Maines forest heritage for future generations."This collection, lush and lyrical, so full of insight and awe, reminds us that Maines largest forest is a place of wonder, reflection, and transformation." Hollie Adams, author of Things Youve Inherited from Your Mother"An essential collection and guidebook for the spirit." Gregory Howard, author of HospiceBook 2 of the Literary Reflections On series.

"This healed a part of my heart. The illustrations are exquisite."Shri A. Verrill, principal at Sunrise Ecological"I love this! The story is heartwarming and mystical, and the lovely, authentic artwork evokes the healing elements of nature. I love the accurate yet magical paintings of the plants and animals."Cathy Schillinger, education specialist"My Earth Journey provides the room to dream and the room to let the imagination soar. I cannot think of a better story to inspire children today."Jennifer Elwell Comeau, Certified Forest Therapy Guide and author of The Inside of MEA Nature-Based Story of Emotional Healing, Friendship, and Mindfulness for KidsMy Earth Journey is a beautifully illustrated picture book that helps children process friendship challenges through the healing magic of nature. Perfect for ages 8-12, this story gently introduces emotional growth, mindfulness, and plant-based wisdomguided by spirit animals and grounded in eco-conscious values.When a young girls heart is broken, she escapes into a dreamlike journey led by playful otters, a soaring hawk, and a wise hare. Along the way, she discovers the calming powers of lavender, mugwort, and other wild plants, learning that nature can help mend the heart and awaken courage.Ideal for families seeking books that: Encourage emotional healing and resilience Introduce kids to spirit animals and plant medicine Foster mindfulness and nature connection Support gentle conversations around friendship loss Whether youre raising a nature lover, a sensitive soul, or simply want stories with heart and depth, My Earth Journey offers a comforting path back to joy.Because sometimes the best teachers have feathers, fur, and roots.

Maines coast runs nearly 3,480 miles when every bay, inlet, and tidal river is counted.Echoes in the Fog: Literary Reflections on the Liminal Spaces of Maines Coast gathers 58 poets, essayists, storytellers, and photographers to explore what it means to live and write at the edge of that shorelinewhere weather, memory, and tide shape every story.From quiet island harbors to fog-draped headlands, these pieces move between the ecological and the personal, the historical and the immediate. This is the first volume in the Literary Reflections On series to include black-and-white photography, adding a visual layer to the atmosphere the writing creates.With an introduction by Robin Aldenfounding executive director of the Maine Center for Coastal Fisheries, former Maine commissioner of marine resources, and fifty-year advocate for sustainable fishing communities.A portion of every sale supports the Maine Coast Heritage Trust, protecting the landscapes that inspired these reflections.Book 3 of the Literary Reflections On series.

How can the most sophisticated anti-missile defense system in the United States military completely fail to intercept an incoming, outdated Scud missile, resulting in the tragic deaths of 28 American soldiers? The failure of the Patriot Missile battery in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, during the 1991 Gulf War, was caused entirely by a microscopic, accumulating mathematical rounding error.The Patriots radar system calculated the speed of incoming missiles using an internal clock that measured time in tenths of a second. However, the systems 24-bit computer register could not store the fraction 1/10 perfectly, resulting in a tiny floating-point truncation error. While insignificant during a short test run, this specific battery had been left powered on continuously for 100 hours. The microscopic error compounded over time, causing the systems internal clock to drift by just 0.34 seconds. For a Scud missile traveling at Mach 5, that 0.34-second delay translated to a tracking error of over half a kilometer. The system looked in the wrong place, ignored the missile, and let it strike the barracks.This precise forensic engineering study deconstructs the intersection of military hardware and software limits. It explores the difficulty of floating-point math in binary, the tragic delays in patching the software, and the brutal reality of digital drift.Time is relative, but math is absolute. The Patriot Missile glitch proves that in high-stakes programming, the smallest fraction of an approximation can effortlessly cost human lives.