Chad Donohue ’95
Left: When Nothing Goes Right
“Oh my!” the nurse blurted as she looked at the ultrasound. “I knew instantly that was nurse-speak for twins,” Chad Donohue recalls. “This wasn’t how it was supposed to go down. We were planning on a fourth child, not a fourth and a fifth. My mind was immediately scrambled.”
The couple soon learned that Ryann was carrying monochorionic and monoamniotic twins, an extremely rare—and dangerous—pregnancy. So-called mo/mo twins share a single amniotic sac and one placenta. In such pregnancies, the babies have only a 50/50 chance of being born alive. Left chronicles Chad and Ryann’s journey through this high-risk pregnancy and months in the neonatal intensive-care unit. It is a story of courage, humor, grace under pressure, deep faith, loss and love. It is a father’s story; it is a family’s story.
Evelyn “Lindy” Lindell ’04
It Could Be Poop: A Mystery Box for Kids
What’s in the box? Children are engaged by the funny name, then open the box to discover a book written by Lindell, along with corresponding accessories and activities. With a passion for inclusivity and the understanding that seeing yourself in a story is extremely powerful, Lindell invites children to color the inside pages— giving them the opportunity to see themselves and their world inside every book. Her mission is to help more children dream without limits.
Rebecca Duvall Scott ’06
When Dignity Came to Harlan
Twelve-year-old Anna Beth Atwood and her family travel to the coal-rich mountains of Harlan County, Kentucky, to start a new life, only to realize the parents have no way to support the family. The children get parceled out to strangers to work for their room and board and end up being raised in foster care. This novel, which began in Dr. Frederick Smock’s creative writing class in 2006, is based on a true family history—a story of heartbreak and hope, justice and redemption—and it exemplifies the human experience in all its many facets.
Shane Noble ’08
This novel examines the ethical dilemma of choosing who gets to live and die when faced with a disaster that only a small percentage would survive. The characters must decide how many people to take down into their bunker. Saving more lives sacrifices comfort. How much are they willing to sacrifice? Shane Noble graduated with a Liberal Studies degree before obtaining his Master of Arts in Teaching in 2011. He hopes this novel is only the first of many.