Welcome to our occasional compendium of books written by local authors. Here are titles spanning fiction and nonfiction that have been written and published over the course of the pandemic.

Shard

James R. Benn

Ranger Publications ($15.99 paper, $6.99 Kindle)

www.jamesrbenn.com

Benn is the multi-nominated author of the Billy Boyle World War II mysteries. In this stand-alone novel, he turns his attention to the Korean War — often called America's "forgotten war." Private Ethan Shard is a black market profiteer with the U.S. Army during the 1950 Occupation in Japan. When North Koreans invade South Korea, though, Shard is sent to war and is soon captured by North Korean forces — and his resilience and strength in the face of sheer brutality is a portrait of captivity, betrayal, and endurance. Also available at Bank Square Books in Mystic, amazon.com, and barnesandnoble.com.

We're Really All Just the Same — A Children's Book

Rod Cornish with illustrations by Autumn Wilson

Leaning Rock Press ($19.95 hardcover, $12.95 paper)

When he was 4 years old, Roen Hendrix Cornish, whose mom is Lithuanian and father is African American, wondered aloud why his father's skin was darker than his own. Before Cornish the elder could respond, Roen said, "It's OK, we're really the same."

That insight and innate optimism inspired dad to write a children's book reflecting that theme. It's called "We're Really All the Same," and Cornish will sign copies from 5 to 7 p.m. Saturday at his popular Hot Rod Café in New London. It's more than timely; the event precedes the restaurant's 16th anniversary party. Note: get to the signing early; a limited number of copies also signed by Roen. Also available at amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com.

Elephant Island

Todd A. Gipstein

Gipstein Multi-Media ($20)

www.gipstein.com

Presumably, there are times when Gipstein sits on a chair or couch and relaxes. But maybe not. For many years, the New London-based renaissance man was an executive producer and photographer at National Geographic. He's also a magician, a filmmaker and a lecturer — and has also written four novels ranging from historical to paranormal and more.

His latest title, "Elephant Island," is anchored in events that happened in 1916, when Sir Ernest Shackleton and his men were marooned on the titular island in Antarctica. A century later, Diana, a meteorite hunter for the Museum of Natural History following a trail leading back to inventor Nikola Tesla and iridium, ends up on Elephant Island on a life and death quest. The book is also available at amazon.com.

Can't Sail in Jail!

Greg Gilmartin

Self-published ($15.95 paper)

www.greggilmartin.com

As per Gipstein above, Gilmartin is similarly talented and multifaceted. The Mystic resident has been a Russian linguist for the U.S. Air Force, the PA announcer for the Hartford Whalers, a regional race officer for U.S. Sailing, a TV producer/director/videographer and a "car wash specialist." He's also a novelist, and "Can't Sing in Jail!" is his latest effort.

Set in the waters between Mystic and Jamaica, and with a cast of characters you might find drinking with John D. McDonald, Tim Dorsey and Jimmy Buffett, "Can't Sing in Jail!" is fueled by the camaraderie, fun, adrenaline and profit of drug smuggling — and what happens when folks representing both legal and illegal factions decide they want in on the action. Also available at Bank Square Books in Mystic, Island Bound Books on Block Island, and amazon.com.

Plague Poems: 2020 Vision

Pandemie, New and Selected Poems

Richard Harteis

Poets' Choice ($20 paper "Plague Poems: 2020 Vision," $40 "Pandemie")

www.poets-choice.com

Back-to-back volumes by Harteis demonstrate the range of emotion and resilience that have arisen during our sudden experiences with a global pandemic. Using dark humor, honesty and spontaneous reaction to try to make some sense of our New Reality, Harteis's pieces range from speculations on Camus and the liturgical calendar to scoffing at political "leaders." "Pandemie" is also available in a bilingual edition with Dutch translations by Tom Veys and artwork by Veys, Rita Dawley and Juner Patnode. This edition won the 2021 Valentin Krustev Award for Translation. Also available at amazon.com

Notions from a Time of Peril

Glenn Alan Cheney

New London Librarium ($12.95, signed paperback)

www.nllibrarium.com

Publisher/writer Cheney is a frequent contributor to The Day and its weekly Times subsidiaries, and this volume is a collection of his essays therein. The author's observations are the sort that can only come from a life well-lived, and they blend wit, philosophy and simple wonder. Cheney's work tends to reflect epiphany through the prism of everyday (and oft-overlooked) experiences such as hiccupping, penmanship, roadside litter and more. Also available from amazon.com ($15.95).

Hidden History of Mystic & Stonington

Gail B. MacDonald

The History Press ($31.99 hardcover, $21.99 paper, $12.99 kindle)

www.arcadiapublishing.com

Visitors — and even residents! — might be surprised to know the diverse and at times hardscrabble origins of two towns on our quaint coastline that are typically associated with brightly colored tourist brochures and as destination spots. MacDonald, a New London resident, a member of the journalism faculty at the University of Connecticut at Storrs and a former reporter for The Day, writes fluidly and with affection and scholarship about the hidden layers of this intriguing part of southern New England. Also available at amazon.com.

Bars for Days

Mic Nickels

Self-published ($24.99 hardback, $17.99 paper, $7.99 Kindle)

A once time local resident who attended New London Middle School, Nickels, whose real name is Michael Winick, is a New York City-based rapper. This memoir coincides with a newly released album of the same title (the latter including a collaboration with Method Man from the Wu Tang Clan).

In the book, Nickels's travels take him to Egypt, Peru, Cuba, and Japan and detail chance interactions with folks like Dave Chappelle, Tracy Morgan and O.J. Simpson. Nickels says he thinks of the book as a work of ethnography representing a specific generation that "grew up alongside the hip hop revolution and into the Information Age." Readers will be able to access the music from a QR code embedded in the title page. Available on amazon.com.