Author Sid Spurgeon’s New Book “Hard Times, Good People” Celebrates Those Who Step Up and Take on Life’s Most Demanding Challenges and Setbacks – PR.com
Bend, OR, October 30, 2024 –(PR.com)– Sid Spurgeon, a retired social studies teacher, has completed his new book “Hard Times, Good People”: a riveting work of historical fiction that introduces Homer and Ella Dickinson, who have suffered the worst of times.
Homer and Ella have lost jobs and homes as life and tragedies have caved in on them. They have been forced to relocate six times while Homer looked for permanent employment. When all that was going on, they had kids to care for, and sadly, two children to bury and mourn.
As the Depression loosens its grip, Homer finds steady work for the railroad in Pendleton, Oregon. The family starts again with their two remaining sons, George and Gibb, and then, in another turn of terrible luck, World War II strikes. The oldest son, George, goes to war in the summer of 1943 and trains as a paratrooper for the 82nd Airborne. On the night of June 5 or very early morning of June 6, he parachutes into Nazi-occupied France during the D-Day invasion. George serves as part of a very large task force of courageous young American men who fight their way into Germany.
George survives and returns to Pendleton. He soon marries his high school sweetheart, an intelligent young woman from the Umatilla Indian Reservation. Of course, there are comments, complaints, and whispered insults about the mixed-race marriage of George Dickinson and Sulema Lopez. Both families are very supportive of the marriage and head off many rude and unwanted objections that are aimed at George and Sulema. That support eases much of the tension that may have arisen, and the couple leads very fulfilling adult lives that are blessed with twins.
The person most responsible for the family’s strength and cohesion during the hardest times is Ella, who has enough love and compassion for anyone who enters her circle. Her motto, “God loves you, so do I,” was introduced to her by her father, a Baptist pastor. She lives it and takes care of her “little corner of the world,” right up to the time of her death.
Author Sid Spurgeon taught and coached in three different high schools in Oregon from 1973 to 2006. His first real job after graduating from high school was with the US Forest Service on fire-suppression crews. He went from “ground pounder” to smokejumper in the early 1970s, “the best job he ever had.” Pendleton, Oregon, is his hometown. “Rivers, Pickups, and Friends” is his first novel.
Spurgeon writes, “Homer Dickinson was a tough man living in tough times. Whoever had enough insight to put the word great in front of depression, maybe it was a journalist or a politician or just a guy who understood the times very well, described a world situation briefly but with great accuracy. The United States suffered an economic setback just like nearly every other country in the world. Homer, like millions of others, found himself in a terribly desperate predicament. He was searching for a way to take care of his family, and the prospects were grim.”
Published by Newman Springs Publishing, Sid Spurgeon’s thrilling tale follows the highs and lows of the Dickinson family, emphasizing the strength needed to get through the difficult times together.
Readers who wish to experience this mesmerizing work can purchase “Hard Times, Good People” at bookstores everywhere, or online at the Apple iBooks Store, Amazon, or Barnes and Noble.
For additional information or media inquiries, contact Newman Springs Publishing at 732-243-8512.
About Newman Springs Publishing:
Newman Springs Publishing is a full-service publishing house for serious authors. Each title produced by Newman Springs Publishing undergoes every step of the professional publishing process, including editing, layout, cover design, circulation, distribution, and publicity. All titles are made available in both eBook and print formats. Newman Springs Publishing distributes to tens of thousands of retail outlets throughout North America and internationally. All manuscripts in any genre are welcome to be submitted for review; If the manuscript meets the necessary criteria and is accepted for publication, Newman Springs Publishing will work closely with the author to bring the book to the retail market for a relatively inexpensive initial investment.