How Not to Fly an Airplane: A Female Pilot’s Journey, a memoir by Shirley Phillips, hits shelves on May 20th, 2025.

From former pilot and first-time author Shirley Phillips comes a thrilling memoir about life in the air, single motherhood, and never giving up, even when your dreams seem impossible. Join Shirley as she shares her experience and answers all those questions you didn’t know you had – why are there so few female pilots? What is it like to be on a plane when the engine suddenly gives out? What are pilots really thinking during those long flights? Is it possible to pursue a career, chase your dreams, and be a single parent? Filled with anecdotes – from her childhood in a small town, to being her airline’s first pregnant pilot, to becoming a single mother to two girls, to her own battle with chronic illness – Shirley pens a compelling picture that speaks to mothers, daughters, sisters, and any woman who dares to fly.

“Truly an inspirational story of courage and perseverance against all odds” said Laurie L. Gordy, PhD, Higher Education Administrator.

‘How Not to Fly an Airplane‘ is an exhilarating book… filled with white-knuckle moments and twists and turns” said Kathleen Fitzpatrick, Professor of History.

How Not to Fly an Airplane: A Female Pilot’s Journey is available wherever books are sold.

Description:

Shirley M Phillips knew she wanted to be a pilot when she was fourteen years old, thanks to an introductory flight in a Cessna that her father gave her and her twin sister at their local airport. Living in a small New England town where no one in her family had aviation experience, and at a time when only two percent of professional pilots were female, her decision to pursue aviation from the moment she left the ground set her on an unexpected path. How to Not Fly an Airplane is about learning to fly before you are old enough to drive a car, and teaching others when you are nearly always mistaken for being the pilot’s girlfriend, wife, or daughter. It’s about the many mistakes you can make in an airplane, and what it’s like to solve them, thousands of feet in the air or just a few feet above the trees. It’s about finding a sense of identity as a twin, becoming the first pregnant pilot at an airline, and losing a friend and former student in an infamous plane crash. What happens when a student pilot freezes on the flight controls just a few hundred feet in the air? How do you deal with a flight instructor who takes out a runway light during a botched landing and then let’s go of the stick? What’s it like to have an engine failure when your airplane only has one engine? Told through Phillips’s wide-ranging experience in over four decades of flying, How to Not Fly an Airplane is a memoir for anyone who has ever wondered what it’s like to fly, and inspiration for anyone who has felt compelled to do something nobody thought they could do.

About the author:

Shirley M Phillips lives in southern New Hampshire so close to an airport she can critique all the landing approaches from her deck. She shares her home and keyboard with her cat, Amina. Her writing has been published in The Atlantic, Dr. T.J. Eckleburg Review, Ravens Perch, and Chicken Soup for the Soul: Lessons Learned from My Cat, among other publications. More information can be found at her website at shirleymphillips.com.

About Apprentice House:

Apprentice House is the nation’s first and largest entirely student-managed book publisher. Students at Loyola University Maryland are responsible for every aspect of the publishing process, from acquisitions to design and publication of every book. Our mission is, first and foremost, to educate students about the book publishing process. As a program within the Communication Department at Loyola University Maryland, it is driven by student work conducted in four courses: Introduction to Book Publishing, Manuscript Acquisitions and Development, Book Design and Production, and Book Marketing and Promotion.

New author Alexandria Faulkenbury is releasing her debut novel, Somewhere Past the End, May 20th, 2025

Somewhere Past the End offers a panoramic view of an intense cult and how one involved family and how the repercussions of their choices muddy the lines between truth, belief, and delusion.

“Written with sureness and visceral emotion, Faulkenbury gives us a tense, close up view of the formation of a cult and one woman’s courageous escape, all wrapped around a gripping mystery that will have you questioning what is real. Both a vivid page-turner, and a nuanced examination of human nature, Somewhere Past the End, is a nourishing read. I highly recommend it,” said Sara Read, author of Johanna Porter is Not Sorry and Principles of (E)motion.

Somewhere Past the End is available in your local bookstore, in addition to Amazon.

Description: Alice Greene knows it’s a hoax when the leader of the cult she’s been raised in announces the end of the world. She also knows it’s the perfect chance to escape before he finds out she’s pregnant with the baby she’s not supposed to have. But as she watches his prophecy come true and over 100 members of the group disappear into a plume of smoke and light, all her plans crumble. Still reeling from the disappearance, Alice finds the other survivors and reconnects with her childhood best friend, Edwin. He’s got a message from their vanished leader: He and Alice will shepherd the remaining members. Certain she’s the wrong person for the job, but terrified she’ll lose the only family she has left, Alice struggles to find a way forward until she discovers her mother’s hidden journal. In it, she learns the secrets and lies that built their community, including one that will change her friendship with Edwin forever. As the consequences of these revelations come to light and Edwin’s convictions grow feverish, she must confront the faith of her past or risk losing the future she longs for.

About the author:

Alexandria Faulkenbury’s story was inspired, in part, by her departure from evangelicalism and the deconstruction that followed. Her work has been featured in The Maine Review and Mom Egg Review, among others. She lives in South Carolina with her husband, two rambunctious kids, and one ornery dog. Read more of her work and stay updated on her writing journey atalexandriafaulkenbury.com.

About Apprentice House:

Apprentice House is the nation’s first and largest entirely student-managed book publisher. Students at Loyola University Maryland are responsible for every aspect of the publishing process, from acquisitions to design and publication of every book. Our mission is, first and foremost, to educate students about the book publishing process.

As a program within the Communication Department at Loyola University Maryland, it is driven by student work conducted in four courses: Introduction to Book Publishing, Manuscript Acquisitions and Development, Book Design and Production, and Book Marketing and Promotion.

Students in these courses serve as staff in Apprentice House’s acquisitions, design, and marketing departments, respectively.

Writer and researcher Amy Mackin will release her memoir, Henry’s Classroom: A Special Education in American Motherhood, on May 6, 2025.

Henry’s Classroom follows one mother’s tenacious commitment to ensure the best outcome for her child while revealing a larger story of ineffective systems that are failing millions of families across America.

“It’s a love story, a story about raising children with disabilities, and a beautifully written story about a mother’s quest to ensure that her son receives the education he deserves.” —Linda Murphy Marshall, author of Ivy Lodge: A Memoir of Translation and Discovery.

Available wherever books are sold.

Description:

Over 7 million students ages 3-21 across the United States receive special education services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Amy Mackin’s son, Henry, is one of them. As she navigates the medical, social, and educational systems that are designed to help families like hers, she discovers that staffing shortages, budget restrictions, ineffective communication practices, and a resistance to innovative ideas all threaten her son’s ability to reach his full potential.

Henry’s Classroom takes readers on Amy’s often frustrating, sometimes funny journey with her son—from the initial stages of a developmental delay, through early intervention, eventual diagnosis, and Henry’s challenges within the public education system—until they finally turn away from traditional structures and create something new instead. As much a work of cultural criticism as it is a memoir, Henry’s Classroom argues that an expanded, more flexible vision of American schools and workplaces is essential for our society to realize true equity and inclusion.

About the author:

Amy Mackin writes at the intersection of education, cultural history, public health, and social equity. Her work has appeared in outlets such as The Atlantic, Chalkbeat, The Washington Post, Witness, and The Shriver Report. She earned her MA in American Studies from the University of Massachusetts and her MFA in Nonfiction Writing from Vermont College of Fine Arts. Over the last several years, she has held leadership roles in the public health, science, and higher education sectors. Amy loves the fickle weather and spectacular landscapes of New England, where she resides with her family and always at least one friendly feline.

About Apprentice House:

Apprentice House is the nation’s first and largest entirely student-managed book publisher. Students at Loyola University Maryland are responsible for every aspect of the publishing process, from acquisitions to design and publication of every book. Our mission is, first and foremost, to educate students about the book publishing process.

As a program within the Communication Department at Loyola University Maryland, it is driven by student work conducted in four courses: Introduction to Book Publishing, Manuscript Acquisitions and Development, Book Design and Production, and Book Marketing and Promotion.

Students in these courses serve as staff in Apprentice House’s acquisitions, design, and marketing departments, respectively.

Jean Ende, celebrated for her award-winning short stories, now captivates audiences with her first full-length novel, Houses of Detention.

Set in the Bronx, N.Y., the novel follows the Rosen family, a multigenerational Jewish family that escaped persecution under the Nazi regime to build a new life in America. Their hard-won stability is shaken when Rebecca, a rebellious teenager, finds herself in the Bronx House of Detention, forcing the family to confront secrets, struggles, and survival in a changing world.

“Houses of Detention is a story that not only reflects Ende’s upbringing but is also relatable to many different audiences,” said Kevin Atticks, director of Apprentice House Press.

Mark your calendars for May 2025—Houses of Detention will be available on Amazon!

Description:

So, what’s a nice girl from a good family doing in a place like the Bronx House of Detention? Like all immigrants who flee persecution, when the Rosens escaped the Nazis they thought life in America would be perfect. And for a while it seemed like it was. The men started businesses and provided comfortable homes with a mink stole in every hall closet, the women served abundant helpings of high carb food and offered Nobel-worthy diplomacy and grandma preserved traditions while finishing a bottle of whiskey every week. But then cracks began to appear and the whole structure became shaky. American born, teenager, Rebecca, pushed boundaries so far the family story suddenly included the police and juvenile justice system; her father, a formerly revered Talmudic scholar mourned his loss of status in this money-grubbing society, and a woman with stricter religious beliefs married into the family causing near catastrophic rifts. Although the shadow of the Holocaust in always present, this is frequently a humorous book. People who eat frozen, pre-packaged bagels are condemned, Cossacks with fiery swords who once burned peasant villages are now Bar Mitzvah waiters carrying flaming cherries jubilee, the blonde chippie who’s dating the synagogue president has a poodle-shaped purse that barks in French and no one understands how WASPs can wear leather loafers without socks. This book has enough twists and turns and turmoil to make anyone, from any group, immigrant or Mayflower descendant, cry, Oy Vey!

About the author:

Jean Ende is a native NYer who is trying to exorcise her background by writing fiction influenced by her Jewish family in the Bronx, NY. A former reporter for daily newspapers in Westchester, NY and Jersey City, NJ, she was a press secretary in the NY City government and for several political candidates. When she left politics, Jean spent several years doing communications work for public service organizations which led to her decision to go over to the dark side. An English major with a degree from CCNY, Jean got an MBA from the Columbia University School of Business. She became a VP at a major commercial bank, wrote for business magazines and taught marketing in college management departments. Jean has had two dozen short stories published in print and online magazines and anthologies in the US and England and her work has been recognized by major literary competitions. This is her first novel. Jean and her dog now live in Brooklyn which is a foreign country to anyone from the Bronx.

About Apprentice House:

Apprentice House is the nation’s first and largest entirely student-managed book publisher. Students at Loyola University Maryland are responsible for every aspect of the publishing process, from acquisitions to design and publication of every book. Our mission is, first and foremost, to educate students about the book publishing process.

As a program within the Communication Department at Loyola University Maryland, it is driven by student work conducted in four courses: Introduction to Book Publishing, Manuscript Acquisitions and Development, Book Design and Production, and Book Marketing and Promotion.

Students in these courses serve as staff in Apprentice House’s acquisitions, design, and marketing departments, respectively.

On April 29th, 2025, dive into the gritty underbelly of Portland, Oregon with A. Molotkov’s new crime thriller, “A Bag Full of Stones”.

In 2019 Portland, Oregon, someone is targeting immigrants – someone who calls himself The Corrector. Fueled by the hate filled rhetoric and right-wing violence on the rise in a post-2016 America, The Corrector sets out to cleanse the city of all those he blames for his problems. His steps are dogged by Detectives Brenda Smith and Dmitry Volkov. When Iranian college student Azar Bayat is kidnapped, it becomes a race against the clock – will Detective Smith and Detective Volkov catch The Corrector before he makes his next kill? Will Azar outsmart her kidnapper? Or will The Corrector succeed in his hateful mission? Molotkov writes about the hatred bubbling over in America with the deftness that only someone who has truly experienced it can in this riveting novel set against the animosity of present-day America.

“Insanity is America’s default mode. And justice, like sports, is about scoring points. Taste it all in this savvy, thought-provoking detective novel about ghosts in which a Lesbian and a Russian immigrant are the investigators and an Iranian exchange student must confront her kidnapper. Ay, ay, ay: it is all a farse,” said Ilan Stavans, Lewis-Sebring Professor of Humanities, Latin American, and Latino Culture, Editor of Restless Books (where the novel was a finalist)

“In A Bag Full of Stones,” A. Molotkov has rendered a complex world that is as tender as it is dangerous. The multitude of voices in this novel are both human and monster, both flesh and ghost. Through the eyes of these characters, Molotkov shows us a society unsettled by violence, hatred, dishonesty, and political strife. Yet a path through these myriad narratives is forged with determination, love, and our undeniable need for connection with others. Rocked with tension, mystery, and unexpected twists, “A Bag Full of Stones” is a new take on the crime genre, one that readers won’t want to put down.” said Brittney Corrigan, author of The Ghost Town Collectives.

Description:

“A Bag Full of Stones” is a literary crime story that examines right-wing violence in 2019 America. Immigrants and minorities are the vehicle of humanity that animates the novel. Naseem Nazari is an elderly engineer from Yemen, his partner Yasmin Haddadis Palestinian, while Sania Jamison is an American Muslim and Azar Bayat is secular social sciences student from Iran. Detective Dmitry Volkov is a Soviet immigrant embroiled in his own gambling issues and sliding into crime. Detective Brenda Smith is distracted by her new relationship with Mary, a vet assistant. The book investigates the volatile mix of political views and strata in Portland, Oregon, and contrasts the choices characters face based on their background and degree of privilege. Will Azar outwit her kidnapper and survive?

About the author:

A. Molotkov is an immigrant writer. His poetry collections include, “The Catalog of Broken Things,” “Application of Shadows,” “Synonyms for Silence” and “Future Symptoms“. His novels, “A Slight Curve” and “A Bag Full of Stones” are forthcoming in 2025. His album, “Can You Stay Forever” was released in 2001. He co-edits The Inflectionist Review, loves to take photographs with dogs and mirrors, and plays + the Armenian duduk in his free time. In the late 1990s, he was part of the San Francisco multi disciplinary group, Discord Aggregate.

About Apprentice House:

Apprentice House is the nation’s first and largest entirely student-managed book publisher. Students at Loyola University Maryland are responsible for every aspect of the publishing process, from acquisitions to design and publication of every book. Our mission is, first and foremost, to educate students about the book publishing process. As a program within the Communication Department at Loyola University Maryland, it is driven by student work conducted in four courses: Introduction to Book Publishing, Manuscript Acquisitions and Development, Book Design and Production, and Book Marketing and Promotion. Students in these courses serve as staff in Apprentice House’s acquisitions, design, and marketing departments, respectively.

William’s “poetic and suspenseful” memoir, The Parts of Him I Kept: The Gifts of My Father’s Madness, hits shelves on April 27^th, 2025.

The Parts of Him I Kept is an intimate account by Williams of the profound nature of her father’s schizophrenic delusions, the isolating stigma he shouldered, and the exceptional insights he shared. In the tradition of Michael Greenberg’s Hurry Down Sunshine and Robert Kolker’s Hidden Valley Road, Williams investigates the limits of our medical and cultural understanding of schizophrenia while chronicling the burden, heartache, and privilege of caring for those who fall far from the tree. Told in a series of vignettes, Williams shares a raw, unfiltered view of her life, the profound affect mental illness can have on a family, and the great capacity we have for love.

“Many children raised by a parent with severe mental illness struggle to describe the seemingly indescribable, often contradictory burden of both loving and fearing the most important person in their life. But in The Parts of Him I Kept, Natasha Williams explores that and more. Her achingly exquisite memoir takes us on a journey through complex trauma and unexpected tenderness…” said John Sibley Williams, Author of Skin Memory and The Drowning House.

“What elevates The Parts of Him I Kept to being a timeless memoir is Williams’ ability to draw the reader into a vivid and lyrically rendered world… she takes us on a journey that is poignant, hilarious, and yes, at times dangerous, even deadly. But in the end, Williams asks us to rethink the limit to what love can endure.” said Daisy Foote, Author of Bhutan and Horton Foote: The Road to Home.

The Parts of Him I Kept: The Gifts of My Father’s Madness is available wherever books are sold.

Description:

One cold night in April, Natasha’s father drove his car into the frigid water of New York Bay with her two-year-old half-sister in the backseat. She was the one to walk him past the column of hungry reporters demanding an explanation. The headline in The Daily News read: Back from a Watery Grave. But Natasha’s experiences growing up with her schizophrenic father in the gritty New York City of the 1970s are not so easily captured in a single headline. How could she possibly convey the power of her father’s love in the face of this tragedy? The Parts of Him I Kept is an intimate account of coming of age in the face of a father’s schizophrenic unraveling. In the tradition of Michael Greenberg’s Hurry Down Sunshine and Robert Kolker’s Hidden Valley Road, Williams explores the limits of our understanding of schizophrenia and chronicles the burden and privilege of caring for a mentally ill family member.

About the author:

Natasha Williams has worked as an adjunct biology professor at SUNY Ulster in the Hudson Valley of New York and as a consultant for the International Public School Network, coaching science teachers. She has an MA from the University of Pennsylvania and, in the summer of 2020, she accepted a spot with the Bread Loaf School of English and attended the Bread Loaf Writers Conference in 2023. Excerpts of The Parts of Him I Kept, forthcoming Spring 2025 from Apprentice House Press, have been published in the Bread Loaf Journal, Change Seven, LIT, Memoir Magazine, Onion River Review, Writers Read, Post Road, and South Dakota Review.

About Apprentice House:

Apprentice House is the nation’s first and largest entirely student-managed book publisher. Students at Loyola University Maryland are responsible for every aspect of the publishing process, from acquisitions to design and publication of every book. Our mission is, first and foremost, to educate students about the book publishing process.

As a program within the Communication Department at Loyola University Maryland, it is driven by student work conducted in four courses: Introduction to Book Publishing, Manuscript Acquisitions and Development, Book Design and Production, and Book Marketing and Promotion.

Students in these courses serve as staff in Apprentice House’s acquisitions, design, and marketing departments, respectively. 

In his highly anticipated debut novel, Baltimore native Art Young invites readers on a thrilling journey to the beach, capturing the spirit of summers “downeyoshun.” Drawing inspiration from the beloved local phrase, Young weaves a compelling narrative that follows Sally, a precocious child genius, as she navigates her formative summers in Ocean City, Maryland.

Through vivid storytelling and memorable characters, Young paints a nostalgic yet exhilarating portrait of seaside adventures, making his novel a must-read for anyone longing for the magic of summers on the shore.

“This book strikes a perfect balance of nostalgia and adventure, creating a story that truly connects with readers,” said Kevin Atticks, director of Apprentice House Press.

Mark your calendars for April 22nd, 2025 to grab your copy of Art Young’s Downeyoshun—available on Amazon!

Description:

Little Sally is a genius. When she grows up, she wants to be a mathematician, a carpenter, a teacher, and an Olympic Gold Medal swimmer. Her mother has other plans, and will emotionally and physically abuse her to fit those plans. After all, she only wants what is best for her child. But Sally has a friend named Marie and others who love her, and their goal is her happiness. They are all at the little resort destination of Ocean City Maryland. “Downeyoshun” is a not-always sentimental vacation to the 1950’s, 60’s, and 70’s. Bring your swimsuit.

About the author:

Baltimore born, the author is a U.S. Navy / Vietnam / Agent Orange veteran and cancer survivor. He was once “with it” as a carny in a traveling gadget show, and has worked as a fire extinguishing systems installer and serviceman, route delivery sales for a brewery, flexographic press operator, licensed boiler plant engineer, and storyteller. He much prefers the last.

About Apprentice House:

Apprentice House is the nation’s first and largest entirely student-managed book publisher. Students at Loyola University Maryland are responsible for every aspect of the publishing process, from acquisitions to design and publication of every book. Our mission is, first and foremost, to educate students about the book publishing process.

As a program within the Communication Department at Loyola University Maryland, it is driven by student work conducted in four courses: Introduction to Book Publishing, Manuscript Acquisitions and Development, Book Design and Production, and Book Marketing and Promotion.

Students in these courses serve as staff in Apprentice House’s acquisitions, design, and marketing departments, respectively. 

Sometimes, we know the least about those we love the most.  

When Virginia DeLuca’s sixty-year-old husband walked out saying he wanted babies, everyone had a theory. He already knocked someone up. Nervous breakdown. Brain tumor. 

DeLuca, a psychotherapist, spent decades helping clients cope with sudden losses and dramatic changes—and now it’s happened to her. She was left with the mystery of the ending and the need to forge an unfamiliar path. 

If You Must Go, I Wish You Triplets is an unflinching exploration of love and relationships from a woman who ultimately found that life can expand in unanticipated ways. 

The book will be available April 22nd, 2025.

About the author: 

Virginia Deluca is a writer and psychotherapist. She is the author of the award winning novel, As If Women Mattered. Her essays have appeared in the Iowa Review, The Writer, and The Huffington Post. She lives and works in Boston, Massachusetts. 

About Apprentice House: 

Apprentice House is the nation’s first and largest entirely student-managed book publisher. Students at Loyola University Maryland are responsible for every aspect of the publishing process, from acquisitions to design and publication of every book. Our mission is, first and foremost, to educate students about the book publishing process. 

As a program within the Communication Department at Loyola University Maryland, it is driven by student work conducted in four courses: Introduction to Book Publishing, Manuscript Acquisitions and Development, Book Design and Production, and Book Marketing and Promotion. 

Students in these courses serve as staff in Apprentice House’s acquisitions, design, and marketing departments, respectively.  Learn more at apprenticehouse.com.