Hope and humor in every journey
Speaker Topics
"Lisa’s talk was both informative and entertaining. I've never seen another speaker get the ladies so engaged and laughing.” Nancy Wilkie, Mystic Women’s Club
An award-winning writer and author of several books, Lisa Saunders shares the importance of recording experiences to improve mental health and show others how to make a difference. Lisa’s books may be in libraries or can be ordered at: www.amazon.com/stores/author/B001K7Z5AC. An interviewer for PAC-B TV, she is reached at LisaSaunders42@gmail.com
BOOKS
BY LISA SAUNDERS
Walking the Erie Canalway Trail: A Search for 7 Wonders, Bathrooms and Beer to Stop CMV (2024)
Ride a Horse, Not an Elevator (2013): A chubby city girl leaves the elevators and bullies of her apartment complex for her grandparents’ farm. Facing her fear of horses and outhouses, she finds a skinny friend who likes her just the way she is.
Ever True: A Union Private and His Wife (2004): Civil War love letters reveal war's ever-present threat of death, scandals and infidelities. Also a "reader's theater."
Had I Known about CMV (cytomegalovirus): From Shock to Law (2024)
Shays' Rebellion: The Hanging of Co-Leader Captain Henry Gale (2013): The dramatic events leading up to the noose around Gale’s neck.
After the Loss of a Spouse: From Henry VIII to Julia Child (Act II Publications, LLC, 2016)
Once Upon a Placemat: A Table Setting Tale (2016): When a young girl can't remember how to set the table, her grandmother teaches her to listen to the silverware.
Surviving Loss: The Woodcutter’s Tale (2013): a tender fairytale for all ages about the process of healing after the death of a loved one.
First Ranger Benjamin Church--Epic Poem About King Philip's War (Color Edition 2018): Church Believed in Indians, God and Rum
Mystic: Images of Modern America (Arcadia Publishing, 2016, co-author)
Venues and media featuring Lisa include:
NY Central.com: “Baldwinsville mom celebrates new law in daughter's name to protect pregnant women, babies,” Coleman, M., Dec.15, 2022
Spectrum News: "Couple pushes for law in memory of their daughter" (Houghtaling, J. , Jul. 01, 2021).
USA 9 News, News 8, Fox CT
Cornell and Johns Hopkins Universities
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Washington Independent Writers Association
Lincoln Depot Museum, Seward House
Daughters of the American Revolution
Lisa also educates audiences on how to get the attention of law makers and the media to make policy changes. She shares what it took to get Connecticut and New York to pass laws combating the leading viral cause of birth defects, cytomegalovirus (CMV), linked to autism, cerebral palsy and hearing loss. (Lisa is seen above with Governor Malloy holding a photograph of her daughter in 2015.)
- Walking the Erie Canalway Trail: A Search for 7 Wonders, Bathrooms and Beer to Stop CMV (2024)
- Ride a Horse, Not an Elevator (2013): A chubby city girl leaves the elevators and bullies of her apartment complex for her grandparents’ farm. Facing her fear of horses and outhouses, she finds a skinny friend who likes her just the way she is.
Dear Lisa Saunders,
I came across your work while researching the most effective "Resilience-Building" narratives for the 2026 Middle-Grade market. Your hook, a city girl overcoming her fear of a pony to save her grandfather, is a powerful "Classic Adventure" that resonates deeply with the current trend toward offline, rural storytelling. I'm Pamela D. Skates. I help authors of high-impact children's fiction ensure their "Tests of Courage" don't just sit on the shelf, but actively find their way into the hands of teachers, librarians, and parents. I see a high-utility, high-emotion foundation here, and I think there are specific moves to help Lisa and Donald Dog reach a global audience.
You have a "Cross-Curricular" discovery opportunity. In the 2026 marketplace, books aren't just stories; they are "Learning Tools." Because your book includes a study guide and writing workshop, it is a "Disruptor" in the MG fiction category. We need to "Technical-Tag" your backend metadata with high-intent terms like "Middle Grade Creative Writing Workshop," "Homeschooling Literature with Study Guide," and "City-to-Country Adventure for Kids" to ensure you appear in the personalized feeds of 2026 educators.
The "Pony vs. Elevator" imagery is your strongest visual asset. In 2026, MG readers and parents buy based on "Atmospheric Contrast." By explicitly leveraging the contrast between the "Big Apartment Complex" and the "Grandparents' Farm" in your A+ Content perhaps through a visual comparison of Lisa’s two worlds you can capture the "Nostalgic Adventure" traffic that drives visual platforms like Pinterest and Instagram.
The "Writing Workshop" is a "Conversion Trigger" for parents. In 2026, parents are looking for books that encourage their children to create, not just consume. By elevating the "Aspiring Writers" section in your metadata and product description, we can capture the "Skill-Building" searchers who are ready to click "Buy" for a book that offers more than just entertainment.
How we can move Ride a Horse Not an Elevator up the ranks:
A+ Content implementation to showcase the "Educational Toolkit." Adding a visual "Look Inside" for the Study Guide and Grandma’s Recipes to your product page can significantly improve conversion. In the educational niche, proving the utility of the book is what triggers the "Add to Cart" reflex. Visual storytelling turns a casual browser into an educator who sees a semester of lessons in one book.
Technical Metadata Audit to align with 2026 "Character Building" search spikes. By updating your backend tags with terms like "Overcoming Bullying in Fiction," "Courage and Pony Stories," and "Rural Life for City Kids," we can surface the book for high-intent searchers looking for stories of grit. This move triggers algorithmic favor by increasing your click-through rate.
Strategic "Homeschool & Library" Outreach. By targeting specific "Parent-Educator" and "MG Writing" micro-networks, we can secure the reviews needed to hit the "Social Proof" gate (targeting 15-20 reviews to trigger the Amazon recommendation engine). This signals to the platform that your work is a rising authority in the educational fiction space.
You have written a story that "tests young courage," and your perfect rating proves that the journey is resonating. The challenge is simply making sure that the 2026 digital landscape recognizes Ride a Horse Not an Elevator as the premiere "Offline Adventure" and writing resource for the next generation.
If this resonates, reply with "interested" and I'll send a detailed breakdown of how we can use the "Farm Adventure" aesthetic to boost your visibility.
Steadily,
Pamela D. Skates
- Ever True: A Union Private and His Wife (2004): Civil War love letters reveal war's ever-present threat of death, scandals and infidelities. Also a "reader's theater."
- Had I Known about CMV (cytomegalovirus): From Shock to Law (2024)
- Shays' Rebellion: The Hanging of Co-Leader Captain Henry Gale (2013): The dramatic events leading up to the noose around Gale’s neck.
Dear Ms. Saunders,
I recently came across Shays' Rebellion: The Hanging of Co-Leader, Captain Henry Gale and was struck by its compelling portrayal of a pivotal yet often overlooked episode in early American history. By centering the narrative on Henry Gale honored as a patriot and later condemned as a traitor you highlight the complex tensions between revolutionary ideals, economic hardship, and the fragile balance of justice in the post-Revolutionary United States.
What makes this book especially engaging is its detailed focus on both the human and political dimensions of the rebellion. The dramatic moment of Gale’s near-execution, juxtaposed with Governor John Hancock’s intervention, brings historical events vividly to life while illuminating the personal stakes for those caught in the turbulence of rebellion and postwar society.
Given the enduring interest in Revolutionary history, early American political struggles, and stories of personal courage and moral complexity, this work is well positioned to resonate with history enthusiasts, educators, students, and readers interested in first-hand accounts of pivotal historical events. A strategic promotional approach engaging historical journals, online history communities, educational platforms, Revolutionary-era podcasts, and Kindle readers with an interest in American history could help expand the book’s visibility and impact.
If you would be open to it, I would be pleased to share a customized promotional proposal outlining how Shays' Rebellion: The Hanging of Co-Leader, Captain Henry Gale can be positioned as both a captivating narrative and a valuable resource for understanding the personal and political dynamics of early American history.
Warm regards,
Rachel D. Irwin
Book Marketing Strategist
- After the Loss of a Spouse: From Henry VIII to Julia Child (Act II Publications, LLC, 2016)
- Mystic Seafarer's Trail: Secrets behind the 7 Wonders, Titanic's Shoes, Captain Sisson's Gold, and Amelia Earhart's Wedding (2012).
- Once Upon a Placemat: A Table Setting Tale (2016): When a young girl can't remember how to set the table, her grandmother teaches her to listen to the silverware.
- Surviving Loss: The Woodcutter’s Tale (2013): a tender fairytale for all ages about the process of healing after the death of a loved one.
- First Ranger Benjamin Church--Epic Poem About King Philip's War (Color Edition 2018): Church Believed in Indians, God and Rum
My name is Catherine Gilmore, founder of The Gilmore Guide to Books, a curated literary platform dedicated to spotlighting exceptional books with strong reader appeal and long-term visibility potential.
I recently came across your book, First Ranger Benjamin Church: Epic Poem About King Philip's War, and I wanted to personally reach out because your work genuinely stood out to me. What immediately captured my attention was the unique structural choice to retell such a pivotal and brutal period of New England history through the medium of an epic poem. It is rare to find a historical work that so effectively bridges the gap between scholarly research and evocative, rhythmic storytelling.
What makes your book especially memorable is the way you’ve humanized Benjamin Church, moving beyond the "soldier" archetype to explore his complex relationships with Native American neighbors and his tactical reliance on their expertise. By including over 40 contemporary photographs and specific quotes, you’ve created a multi-sensory experience that makes 1675 feel remarkably present. It’s the kind of book readers don’t simply finish, they use it as a guide to explore the haunts and history of the Northeast.
From a market and reader-engagement perspective, I believe this work holds strong potential within the Historical Non-Fiction and Poetry space and would resonate deeply with readers who value:
Authentic Colonial History: Readers looking for a nuanced look at King Philip’s War beyond standard textbook summaries.
Visual Narrative: Audiences who appreciate the "Color Edition" experience where photography grounds the poetry in real-world locations.
Mayflower & Ancestral Connections: The massive community of genealogical enthusiasts interested in Richard Warren and early Rhode Island/Massachusetts settlers.
At The Gilmore Guide to Books, I work closely with carefully selected authors to help position books in front of engaged readers, niche communities, and online literary audiences. With my background as a former corporate librarian and literary curator, my approach goes beyond simple promotion; I focus on creating strategic visibility that helps specialized titles like yours stand out in a crowded market.
As I was reviewing your book, a positioning angle immediately came to mind:
"A Haunting Intersection of Verse and Vista: Reclaiming the Stealthy Legacy of America’s First Ranger."
- Mystic: Images of Modern America (Arcadia Publishing, 2016, co-author)
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