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Donna Gene Stankey Chronicles Midwest Family Legacy in Her Historical Narrative Rate

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Long before the stories of the Setterington family reached the printed page, author Donna Gene Stankey meticulously sorted through years of interviews and historical records to honor a heritage defined by hard labor and local pride. The result is Rate, a compelling historical nonfiction Midwest narrative and family saga that brings to life the struggles and small triumphs of a family carving out a home in the American Midwest at the turn of the 20th century.

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, 28th Apr 2026 – In Rate, Stankey presents a richly detailed biographical novel and genealogical narrative documenting the lives of her ancestors, the Setterington family, in rural Elsie, Michigan, between 1893 and 1904. Rooted in rural Michigan history and early American frontier life, the story begins with the difficult birth of Ralph “Rate” Setterington in December 1893. It unfolds through the complex dynamics between parents Milford and Almina and their two children, Blanche and Ralph. While Almina and Milford often favor their daughter, Ralph navigates a childhood shaped by strict discipline, grueling farm chores, and a deep-seated need to prove his worth to his hardworking father—capturing the emotional depth of a multigenerational story grounded in resilience.

Donna Gene Stankey’s own life reflects the same quiet strength and intellectual vigor that define the ancestors she spent years documenting. Raised as the youngest of three children on a small farm in rural Elsie, Michigan, she was not indulged; instead, she thrived amid the rigorous demands of 1930s agrarian life and the steady presence of a large extended family.

Her academic talent was evident early on. After only a few weeks in second grade, she advanced directly to the third, later moving into Elsie’s public school system in search of greater challenges. She graduated as co-salutatorian at just sixteen and attended business school in Lansing, later serving as a secretary during World War II—an experience that subtly informs the narrative with a WWII-era memoir influence. Following the war, she turned toward higher education at Michigan State College, where she met her husband, Roman.

The couple settled on a family farm near Wayland, Michigan, where Donna Gene raised eight children while continuing to nurture her intellectual curiosity. She eventually returned to complete her education at Western Michigan University, earning a Bachelor of Science degree with a major in group science and a minor in English. It was there, through the mentorship of her professors, that her voice as a writer began to emerge. 

This Midwestern family history narrative, co-authored and published with her daughter, Ramona Hammel, stands as the culmination of a lifetime devoted to preserving a legacy of endurance, heritage, and deeply rooted Midwestern pride.

Readers can find Rate on Amazon.

About Explora Books 

Explora Books is a book marketing firm located in the heart of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The company specializes in self-publishing and marketing, taking pride in its exhaustive research and creative strategies that provide wider avenues for aspiring authors to gain recognition for their works. Explora Books aims to guide authors through the complexities of self-publishing, offering convenient solutions to navigate this process. The firm fosters and redefines creativity and innovation, setting new industry standards. Explora Books is dedicated to empowering authors globally.

Media Contact

Organization: Explora Books Ltd

Contact Person: Simon Pratt

Website: https://explorabooks.com/home

Email: Send Email

Contact Number: +16043306795

Address:Jameson Offices, 838 W Hastings St w, Vancouver, BC V6C 0A6, Canada

City: Vancouver

State: British Columbia

Country:Canada

Release id:44317

The post Donna Gene Stankey Chronicles Midwest Family Legacy in Her Historical Narrative Rate appeared first on King Newswire. This content is provided by a third-party source.. King Newswire makes no warranties or representations in connection with it. King Newswire is a press release distribution agency and does not endorse or verify the claims made in this release. If you have any complaints or copyright concerns related to this article, please contact the company listed in the ‘Media Contact’ section

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Press Release

Explora Books to Showcase My Sister My Twin at the 2026 Beijing International Book Fair

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Explora Books will present Linda McClung’s My Sister My Twin at the 2026 Beijing International Book Fair, taking place June 17–21 at the CNCC in Beijing. The novel delivers a powerful, emotionally charged story of love, betrayal, and redemption, where survival becomes a journey toward healing the deepest wounds of the heart.

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, 28th Apr 2026 – When a devastating diagnosis collides with a lifetime of sibling rivalry, two sisters are forced to confront the one bond they cannot escape—each other. Through the parallel trials of life-threatening leukemia and a harrowing abduction, McClung’s novel explores enduring themes of resilience, redemption, and emotional restoration.

Raised as fraternal twins in a household that often feels like a trio with their brother Mick, Kate and Alex grow up under constant comparison. Kate is defined as introspective with a photographic memory, while Alex is recognized for her athletic ability and beauty. These external labels shape their identities and fuel a quiet rivalry—until crisis forces them to shift from competitors for attention to allies fighting for survival.

At the heart of the story is the realization that unresolved resentment can become a burden that stifles growth. During her abduction and confinement, Kate comes to understand that her lingering pain is rooted in anger. This insight becomes a turning point, revealing that healing cannot begin without releasing the betrayals of the past. In doing so, the sisters are compelled to reimagine their relationship and become the support system each has long needed.

The novel also underscores the quiet power of selfless love. Kate’s anonymous donation of bone marrow to her sister—who once rejected her help—becomes a defining act of sacrifice, reframing love as a commitment to survival rather than recognition. This act forms a bridge toward emotional reconciliation between them.

Faith and prayer further anchor the characters in their most difficult moments. Whether Alex turns to Scripture during chemotherapy or Kate relies on memorized verses in captivity, spiritual conviction becomes a source of strength, stability, and endurance.

Beyond emotional and spiritual struggle, the novel highlights the resilience required to endure physical danger. Kate’s medical knowledge and sharp instincts become vital tools for survival as she navigates captivity and ultimately engineers her escape, showing that even in extreme circumstances, human resolve remains unbroken.

McClung’s My Sister My Twin is a compelling portrait of how fractured relationships and personal suffering can evolve into understanding, forgiveness, and renewal—revealing that even the deepest wounds within a family can become the beginning of healing.

At the 2026 Beijing International Book Fair, Explora Books will feature the title at its exhibition booth.

My Sister My Twin is also available through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other major retailers. 

About Explora Books 

Explora Books is a book marketing firm located in the heart of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The company specializes in self-publishing and marketing, taking pride in its exhaustive research and creative strategies that provide wider avenues for aspiring authors to gain recognition for their works. Explora Books aims to guide authors through the complexities of self-publishing, offering convenient solutions to navigate this process. The firm fosters and redefines creativity and innovation, setting new industry standards. Explora Books is dedicated to empowering authors globally.

Media Contact

Organization: Explora Books Ltd

Contact Person: Simon Pratt

Website: https://explorabooks.com/home

Email: Send Email

Contact Number: +16043306795

Address:Jameson Offices, 838 W Hastings St w, Vancouver, BC V6C 0A6, Canada

City: Vancouver

State: British Columbia

Country:Canada

Release id:44449

The post Explora Books to Showcase My Sister My Twin at the 2026 Beijing International Book Fair appeared first on King Newswire. This content is provided by a third-party source.. King Newswire makes no warranties or representations in connection with it. King Newswire is a press release distribution agency and does not endorse or verify the claims made in this release. If you have any complaints or copyright concerns related to this article, please contact the company listed in the ‘Media Contact’ section

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Press Release

C. R. Violet’s The Saddlebag Preacher of Pike County Showcased at the 2026 London Book Fair

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One of the largest international literary events, the London Book Fair 2026, presents a tale of perseverance and hope on March 10–12 in London, England. The Saddlebag Preacher of Pike County is a work of literary fiction that offers a quiet meditation on what it means to keep going when no one is watching.

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, 28th Apr 2026 – Following a young and inexperienced preacher, this character-driven novel traces his travels from one scattered settlement to another as he carries nothing more than a saddlebag and the responsibility of his calling. The places he visits are marked by distress and misfortune—homes shaped by loss, relationships strained by hardships, and rural communities that rarely see anyone from the outside for long.

In each settlement, he is met with circumstances he cannot easily change—grief that does not resolve in a single conversation, tensions that remain after he leaves, and lives shaped by difficulty that his presence can only briefly touch. Over time, these encounters and the isolation of constant travel weigh on his sense of purpose, leading him to question the value of his work when its effects are often unseen or unfinished. These experiences bring his sense of purpose into tension with doubt.

The Saddlebag Preacher of Pike County explores the human tension between spiritual conviction and personal doubt, positioning it among contemporary literary fiction that examines faith and uncertainty. The preacher is not portrayed as flawless; his faith is something he must deliberately maintain in the face of adversity, isolation, and discouragement.

The book further reflects the realities of working with limited control over outcomes, where effort does not always produce visible results. It portrays the experience of carrying responsibilities despite uncertainty, a theme that resonates strongly in modern literary narratives focused on perseverance and purpose.

This perspective reflects C. R. Violet’s grounding in lived experience. Violet is a self-published author with professional experience in marketing, public relations, and nonprofit management. She is a graduate of The Ohio State University and lives in the Midwest, which informs the regional setting of her fiction. The Saddlebag Preacher of Pike County grows out of the stories her mother shares about life in southern Ohio, as well as the discovery of long-forgotten family documents. Together, these accounts reveal a family and regional history grounded in place, forming the foundation for this historical-inspired literary work.

The Saddlebag Preacher of Pike County is available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other major retailers.

About Explora Books 

Explora Books is a book marketing firm located in the heart of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The company specializes in self-publishing and marketing, taking pride in its exhaustive research and creative strategies that provide wider avenues for aspiring authors to gain recognition for their works. Explora Books aims to guide authors through the complexities of self-publishing, offering convenient solutions to navigate this process. The firm fosters and redefines creativity and innovation, setting new industry standards. Explora Books is dedicated to empowering authors globally.

Media Contact

Organization: Explora Books Ltd

Contact Person: Simon Pratt

Website: https://explorabooks.com/home

Email: Send Email

Contact Number: +16043306795

Address:Jameson Offices, 838 W Hastings St w, Vancouver, BC V6C 0A6, Canada

City: Vancouver

State: British Columbia

Country:Canada

Release id:44448

The post C. R. Violet’s The Saddlebag Preacher of Pike County Showcased at the 2026 London Book Fair appeared first on King Newswire. This content is provided by a third-party source.. King Newswire makes no warranties or representations in connection with it. King Newswire is a press release distribution agency and does not endorse or verify the claims made in this release. If you have any complaints or copyright concerns related to this article, please contact the company listed in the ‘Media Contact’ section

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Press Release

Grassroots Opposition to AI Data Centers Surges 4x in 4 Months; Over 360K Mobilizing in 37 States

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New joint study reveals a rapidly growing, bipartisan backlash against Big Tech’s physical infrastructure, with a new local opposition group forming every day

United States, 28th Apr 2026 — Today, the Coalition for Responsible Data Center Development, Evitable, and Together Against AI released the Data Center Opposition Report, which documents an unprecedented surge in grassroots opposition to hyperscale AI data centers across the United States. The report identifies 268 local data center opposition groups organizing through Facebook. 

According to the report, more than 360,000 Americans have mobilized to resist the construction of hyperscale data center facilities across 37 states. Total opposition membership has quadrupled since December 2025, with more than one new group forming per day. The opposition is spread between blue and red states, as well as over 100,000 people in swing states.

The largest planned AI data centers will have an electrical capacity of over 1 gigawatt (1,000 megawatts), which is as much as the entire city of Seattle. This enormous scale and energy consumption is one of the main reasons for the surge in opposition. “Many people are concerned about the effects of million-square-foot data centers that would use as much electricity as entire cities,” said Matthew Shaw, one of the authors. “The construction of power-hungry hyperscale data centers is raising alarms among locals about everything from power bills and water use to noise and pollution,” he added. 

On top of this, non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) are a common practice in the process of land acquisition and rezoning for data centers. “Many people are understandably frustrated,” Matthew Shaw says, “because deals are being made behind NDAs to put giant data centers next to residential neighborhoods, and subsidize them with 90% tax cuts.”

“The massive data centers AI companies want to build are proving incredibly unpopular with local communities.  They have to fight to get their concerns addressed; plans for datacenters are getting rushed through without citizens’ consent,” said David Krueger, CEO of Evitable. “We’re keen to show people the scope of this resistance and how they can help support people involved in these fights.”

“Initially, we just wanted to make a list of opposition groups so people could find one near them,” said Matthew Shaw, one of the report’s authors. “But when we updated the membership counts in February, we were shocked at how quickly the movement had grown, so we decided to track the numbers on a monthly basis.” 

Opposition groups across America are collectively fundraising approximately $1.4 million, with a median ask of just $8,000 per campaign. The publicly available donation links are listed in the report’s appendix.

To read the report, visit datacenteropposition.com. The data will be updated monthly.  

Media Contact

Organization: Coalition for Responsible Data Center Development

Contact Person: Matthew Shaw

Website: https://datacenteropposition.com

Email: Send Email

Country:United States

Release id:44420

The post Grassroots Opposition to AI Data Centers Surges 4x in 4 Months; Over 360K Mobilizing in 37 States appeared first on King Newswire. This content is provided by a third-party source.. King Newswire makes no warranties or representations in connection with it. King Newswire is a press release distribution agency and does not endorse or verify the claims made in this release. If you have any complaints or copyright concerns related to this article, please contact the company listed in the ‘Media Contact’ section

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Disclaimer: The views, suggestions, and opinions expressed here are the sole responsibility of the experts. No Digi Observer journalist was involved in the writing and production of this article.

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