A Spotlight On Southington Authors: Part II

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The Southington Outsider recently put out an invitation for authors from the Southington community to tell us about books they have written or are working on. We received an impressive response, with more than twenty people expressing interest. The following is our second batch of replies. The titles cover everything from UConn men’s basketball (David Borges) to children’s rhyming books (Amy Magyar), an airman’s memoirs (David Brennan), young adult thrillers (Derek DiFronzo), and fairy-tale fantasy (Kelly Jarvis).

Our first set of replies can be read here.

1. David Borges

What is the title of your most recent book, and what was it about? Hurley's Heroes: UConn's Return to College Basketball's Elite. It's about Dan Hurley's tenure as UConn men's basketball coach, particularly the two championship seasons of 2023 and 2024 and last year's unsuccessful bid to win a third straight.

Where did you get the idea for it? I cover the UConn men's basketball for Hearst Connecticut Media and figured chronicling the historic chase for a third straight title (whether successful or not) would make a captivating story. And the ups-and-downs of last season wound up being as interesting as the two championship seasons, if not more so.

What is your target audience? The book is for all ages, but more adult-oriented.

Is there another book of yours that you would like people to know about? I wrote a book about UConn's 2014 national championship season called Rebound!: The Incredible Story of UConn Basketball's Comeback from Defeat to Dominance, that was released in 2015.

Are you working on another book? What is it about? I will have another book, UConn Basketball: An Illustrated Timeline, that will be coming out in mid-June. It will be a coffee table-like book that is a chronological, image-oriented walk through UConn men's basketball history.

What is the best part of being a writer? What is the hardest part? I love the challenge of mapping out a plan and outline for a book and providing behind-the-scenes stories and details to readers beyond what they already may know about the subject.

If people want to purchase your books, where should they go? 

Hurley's Heroes is available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Books-a-Million websites, among others. It is also available at book stores like Barnes & Noble. I will also have book signing/discussions at RJ Julia Booksellers in Madison on Wednesday, Jan. 21 at 6:30 p.m., and at Southington Public Library on March 4 at 6 p.m.

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Amy J. Magyar

What is the title of your most recent book, and what are they about? Lyla and Kate are Twins, Liam and Kate are Twins, and Liam and Nate are Twins. The Twin Series are rhyming and engaging children’s books filled with adorable farm animals and colorful illustrations. Each story follows two baby lambs as they discover that they are twins. The books explore the uniqueness of twins and how they can be boys, girls, or even one of each!

Where did you get the idea for it? With the arrival of a very special set of twins into our family — who happen to share a last name with a beloved farm animal — I was inspired to write a book just for them. When they turned one, I created another story in their honor, and together these “twin books” grew into a series. 

Is there something people should know about your target audience – for example, are you writing for children, or for mature adults? I have primarily focused on children’s books in the past, but have recently expanded my work to include editing and more complex writing projects. I just completed editing Warrior Unstoppable, Kat Kremer's autobiography. Looking ahead, I am near completion of my first novel, which I plan to release within the year.

Is there another book besides your most recent one that you would like people to know about? Bobby B. Button and His Magic Button. Bobby B. Button was the first book I wrote, dedicated to my son and daughter. Inspired by my son’s journey with an extremely rare health condition, I wanted to create a story that would enlighten and educate children who may have never been exposed to medically complex situations. The book helps young readers understand and embrace differences they may encounter — whether through the arrival of new siblings, at school, or in the wider world.

Are you working on another book? What is it about? I am currently working on a historical fiction novel inspired by my grandparents' lives. The narrative incorporates letters my grandparents exchanged during my grandfather's service in World War II, entries from a journal he kept as a prisoner of war, and official documents from the War Department. By weaving these records into the book, it combines historical accuracy with imaginative storytelling, exploring themes of resilience, captivity, and love. This project honors my family’s legacy while offering readers a vivid portrayal of the human experience during one of history's most difficult periods. 

What is the best part of being a writer? What is the hardest part? The best part of being a writer, for me, is that words serve as a kind of bridge: they enable me to take what’s inside — emotions, memories, ideas, even pain — and shape it into something others can understand, connect with, or carry with them.

The most challenging part of writing for me comes after I finish putting all the words down. Writing flows from within me — it’s instinctive, natural, and deeply personal. However, marketing isn’t. It requires stepping outside of myself, shifting from storyteller to salesperson, and that transition has never been easy for me.

If people want to purchase your books, where should they go? My books can be purchased on Amazon at amazon.com/author/amyjmagyar. If anyone would like to stay updated on the release date of my upcoming novel, they can follow me at facebook.com/authoramyjmagyar.

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Derek DiFronzo

What is the title of your most recent book, and what was it about? The title of my most recent novel, published in October 2025, is The Stevenson Theory Part 3: Birth of Darkness, and it is the third entry in my young adult thriller series that debuted in February 2024. The plot of the series centers on a group of kids growing up in the late 1980s whose lives are forever altered and interconnected after witnessing a traumatic event that rocks an otherwise peaceful community.

Tormented by his father, bullied by classmates, and longing for a mother who left him too soon, eleven-year-old Jeremiah has grown accustomed to living in fear and isolation. All of that changes when through a chance encounter he forms an unlikely friendship with Keith, an aspiring athlete and the most popular boy in school. But when social pressures rise, causing Keith to pull away from Jeremiah, the threat of abandonment opens up a dark path and results in horrific consequences.

Where did you get the idea for it? The story is loosely based on some of my own experiences with bullying and rejection growing up. During an impressionable time in my life, those events had a powerful impact on me, and in many ways, shaped the person I became. The concepts of duality and transformation have always been fascinating to me, and I saw this project as an opportunity to explore these themes in depth and perhaps purge some of my own inner demons in the process.

Is there something people should know about your target audience – for example, are you writing for children, or for mature adults? I classify the Stevenson Theory book series as young adult (with a minimum recommended reading age of thirteen) primarily because the main characters are teenagers. However, the timeline spans from the late 1980s to the mid-90s, and the story contains violence and dark themes, making it suitable (and enjoyable) for adult readers as well.

Is there another book beside your most recent one that you would like people to know about? My first novel, The Stevenson Theory Part 1: Venom Effect (published in February 2024), introduces readers to the main characters and sets the stage for what’s to come. The second entry, The Stevenson Theory Part 2: Original Sin (published in November 2024), amplifies the action while delving deeper into the characters’ pasts and revealing dark secrets. Both of these books reached the top of Amazon’s Bestsellers list in the categories of “Coming of Age Fiction” and “Young Adult Thrillers and Suspense”. They’ve also received stellar reviews. Example quotes: "The entire book kept me hooked, I didn’t want to put it down, and the final chapters absolutely left me speechless." "The author skillfully spins a tale of friendship and betrayal, innocence and evil, loneliness and companionship. "

Are you working on another book? What is it about? The series will be five parts in total, so my next focus will be on the fourth installment, which is targeted to be released in the fall of 2026.

What is the best part of being a writer? What is the hardest part? I fell in love with creative writing when I was nine years old. During my first several years of elementary school, I had developed a reputation for being a daydreamer. I had a difficult time focusing in class, and my grades suffered. It was like there was always a movie playing in my head, which frustrated my teachers to no end. They talked to my parents and suggested holding me back a year to give me time to mature. Luckily, I was given another chance, and in fifth grade, I met Mrs. Palmer, the woman who recognized my creativity and encouraged me to harness it. Ever since then, writing has been a huge part of my life. It is my greatest passion. I find it to be therapeutic, rewarding, and exciting.

The hardest part about being a writer is that it can be very time-consuming, especially when working on a novel (or multiple novels in my case). And when you have a family, a full-time job, and countless other responsibilities, it can be a tricky balancing act.

If people want to purchase your books, where should they go? My books are available on Amazon in Kindle eBook, paperback, and hard cover formats. Additionally, you can follow me @derekdifronzoauthor on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok or visit my website at www.derekdifronzoauthor.com for all of the latest news.

*****

David L. Brennan

What is the title of your most recent book? An Airman’s Letters Home

Where did you get the idea for it? After my mom’s passing, I discovered that she had saved all my letters that I sent to her over my 4 years in the Air Force.  My wife suggested that I put them on our computer to save for our kids and grandkids.  As I reread the letters I began to start remembering many of the incidents that sparked the letters and began inserting them between letters. Ultimately, my wife and kids pushed me to make a book.

What is your target audience? I would think people who have family or friends in or going to the military might find some of my experiences entertaining, authentic or enjoy a bit of history.

Are you working on another book? What is it about? I’m working on a manuscript called Memories of a Lifetime. In general it puts on paper my memories from childhood starting at 4 years old until the present. It covers friends, family, work, vacations, etc.

What is the best part of being a writer? In my book, An Airman’s Letters Home, I had fun with the memories around my service and learning how I moved from a young kid of 17 years old to a mature young man at my honorable discharge.

If people want to purchase your books, where should they go? My book, An Airman’s Letters Home, is available on Amazon for both Kindle or regular book editions.

*****

Kelly Jarvis

What is the title of your most recent book, and what was it about? My debut novella, Selkie Moon, was released on June 17^th, 2025. Set on the Orkney Islands north of Scotland, Selkie Moon tells the tale of a young girl named Isla who uses selkie folklore to understand her parents’ turbulent marriage and to explore her relationship with her mother as she comes of age. Traditionally, selkie stories tell of creatures who are seals in the water and humans on land. When a beautiful selkie woman sheds her seal skin to sing and dance on shore, a fisherman falls hopelessly in love with her. He steals her seal coat to compel her into marriage and motherhood. After many years of wedded bliss, the selkie woman discovers her hidden pelt, puts it on, and returns to her home in the sea, never to be seen again. Traditional selkie tales are filled with love, loss, and longing, and I wanted to rewrite their tragic ending while also staying true to their commentary on complex human emotions and experiences.

Selkie Moon is a narrative about husbands and wives, mothers and daughters, and the way stories heal us by offering us a light in the darkness.

Where did you get the idea for it? I work as the Contributing Writer for The Fairy Tale Magazine and as a columnist for Eternal Haunted Summer, (both online literary magazines). I also teach classes in literature, folklore, and fairy tale at Central Connecticut State University, so Selkie Moon grew out of my reading and research. My favorite fairy tale is Beauty and the Beast, another story steeped in love, loss, and longing, and I have always loved ocean landscapes, so writing about selkies felt natural to me. Setting my novella on Orkney allowed me to describe the tumultuous seas and shifting coastal skies I adore, and working with a selkie legend, which is a type of folklore that requires the audience to determine the belief status of the tale, allowed me to explore the nature of storytelling itself. Some people will read Selkie Moon and conclude that selkies may actually exist, and others will understand the selkie folklore in the novella as a metaphor for the human characters’ experiences. In this way, the readers complete the story I have written, illustrating how storytelling is a collaborative act that connects us across space and time.

What is your target audience? Although I rework fairy tales and folklore in my writing, my audience is an adult one. In 21^st century America, we tend to give fairy tales to children, but early variants of these stories were often intended for adults. Fairy tales carry coded messages about cultural and societal behavior, and they form a scaffolding for many of the contemporary stories we tell, even when we are not always fully aware of their influence. I love peeling back the hidden layers of fairy tale and folklore as I spin stories for adult audiences.  

Is there another book of yours that you would like people to know about? Selkie Moon is my first novella, but my poetry and short fiction have also been published in online and print anthologies including Mothers of Enchantment: New Tales of Fairy Godmothers. This collection features reworkings of fairy godmother tales, and my piece, “A Story of Soil and Stardust,” mixes the well-known Cinderella tale with the lesser-known tale Vasilisa the Brave, casting Baba Yaga, the witch of Slavic folklore, as the protagonist’s fairy godmother. Baba Yaga lives in a hut which roams around the forest on chicken feet, and she is just as likely to harm as she is to help. Casting a witch as the fairy godmother character in my story allowed me to change the Cinderella tale in a number of interesting ways! My story was nominated for the Pushcart Prize.

Are you working on another book? What is it about? I am currently working on final edits for my first full length novel which is scheduled for publication in July of 2026. It is a historical romance titled Sea and Stars, and it takes place on both The Isle of Skye and Mystic, Connecticut in 1847. Although it is set in the real world, it is a loose reworking of my favorite fairy tale Beauty and the Beast. There are no physical beasts in my book, but there is a slow-burn romance filled with love, loss, and longing, and there is a just a hint of fairy enchantment.

What is the best part of being a writer? What is the hardest part? The best part of being a writer (and a teacher) is living a life surrounded by stories and having the opportunity to share those stories with others. The hardest part of being a writer is navigating the world of publication, but the writing itself, even when it is difficult, is like breathing. I can’t imagine existing without it.

If people want to purchase your books, where should they go? My books are available online at Amazon (paperback, eBook, and audiobook), and print copies can be ordered through Barnes & Noble or any independent bookstore. You can learn more about my books and how to purchase them, and you can also find lots of free stories, poems, essays, interviews, and book reviews on my website Kellyjarviswriter.com.