Intestinal Fortitude: A Memoir (Paperback or Softback)

Part autobiographical and part expose, Intestinal Fortitude weaves Earl Llewellyn Goldmann’s battles with physical injury, alcohol abuse, depression, and recovery even as he succeeds as a basketball standout, teacher, and coach.

In this compassionate and moving memoir of vignettes, Earl reveals how a not-so-ordinary young man with great potential from a small town on the Oregon Coast, faced repeated trauma and stress in his life. His brave, truthful, and detailed stories address head-on the implications of alcohol, an unhappy marriage, and tragic loss in his college years. His stories flow into our hearts and souls as we experience his unflinching optimism during a search for his identity through sports.

Earl proves that a strong man with resilience, perseverance, and gratitude can find himself in a place of immense pride in his sobriety, family, and life journey. His self-reflection and wisdom, a beacon of hope for all of us, create this must-read for anyone asking questions about their life’s purpose.

Earl Llewellyn Goldmann launched his first memoir Bounce Back in 2017 at age eighty-two. Born and raised in Tillamook, on the Oregon Coast, he now resides in Scottsdale, where he moved after retirement. He taught history and government at Canby and Estacada high schools in Oregon while coaching girl's golf and boy's track, and basketball for more than twenty-five years. Earl also sold textbooks, managed a golf course, and owned a bar/restaurant. He played basketball and baseball at Oregon State University in the 1950s, only to lose his scholarships after a horrific car wreck. After a lengthy recovery, he later earned two degrees from Portland State University, including a master's degree in education. Earl and his wife, Patricia L. Brooks, an award-winning author and his partner in their publishing company, have been together twenty years. They not only author books but consult with other writers as well. They enjoy an active lifestyle by walking daily, reading, and enjoying the arts.

Patricia L. Brooks, MAOMAward-winning Author, Speaker, Advocate, and SurvivorIn her latest memoir Sick as My Secrets, Patricia L. Brooks candidly looks at her life, that swirled around alcohol consumption, and offers solutions to a huge problem that grips many females. She is passionate about storytelling and her third foray into memoir writing as she lovingly supports other women in recovery by openly telling her story.In her second memoir, Three Husbands and a Thousand Boyfriends, she shares her story of love addiction, domestic violence, and post-traumatic stress. Patricia advocates for progress in domestic violence and recovery awareness. Her first memoir, Gifts of Sisterhood - journey from grief to gratitude is her tribute to her sister who passed away from lung cancer. Patricia earned a prestigious Arizona Authors Association Literary Contest Nonfiction award for this work. With a master's degree in organizational management (MAOM), Patricia facilitates workshops on writing memoir, and marketing and publishing books. She's also available to speak on grief, recovery, and domestic violence survival. Her goal is always to communicate wellness through writing and speaking.Patricia is the president of Brooks Goldmann Publishing Company, LLC, serving as a publishing consultant for nonfiction and memoir books. More than a dozen years ago, Patricia created the highly successful Scottsdale Society of Women Writers, and continues to serve as its president. An Arizona resident for more than forty years, Patricia is originally from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan at the Straits of Mackinac. She resides in Old Town Scottsdale with her author husband, Earl L. Goldmann, where they enjoy the arts and cultural vibe of their community.

Book shepherd, author, editor, illustrator, composerAnn Narcisian Videan guides peers through the writing, editing, publishing and word-of-mouth marketing of both fiction and nonfiction titles.A professional writer since 1981, she opened her own award-winning home-based marketing firm, vIDEAn Unlimited, LLC, in 1996. She has served as an editor for corporations, visionary entrepreneurs, and national publishers. She is also a novelist and co-founder of Absolutely Wild! Enchanted Faerie Portals & Other Whimsy, inspired by the Fae characters in her Song of the Ocarina novel. She composed and recorded an original music soundtrack to accompany her first novel Rhythms & Muse. Her three businesses support young writers and artists.Ann showed up in this world with a pen in her hand, a song in her heart, and the desire to share with you. She adores creativity of all types, and especially the people who live it. She gathers friends like flowers, including authors, musicians, artists, and her husband and two grown-up children. The Colorado native lives in Mesa, Arizona, along with numerous invisible friends including snarky mythical creatures and magical story characters.