Lakeland, FL Author Publishes Coming of Age Novel

August 15, 2015 - "Garden of the Bear," a new book by C. R. West, has been released by Dorrance Publishing Co., Inc.

"Garden of the Bear" by C. R. West is a fictional tale of young siblings Billy and Katie, ages eleven and eight, respectively. They live in the small town of Normanville, not far from the idyllic Lake Pumpkin where Will, Aunt Lucy's fiancé, owns a farm, including the lake and the woods surrounding it.

The story begins with Billy dreaming, as usual; little did he know that day he would soon learn things he never could have expected and find himself in the middle of an investigation. Much of this information would come from an old man with long white hair that would come to be known as Uncle Noble and believed to be Will's uncle, and of Cherokee ancestry. He would share with them the secrets of the woods…of creatures, both seen and unseen…and how they work together to protect the tranquility of the land.

While this story is fiction, the author has woven a tapestry which depicts what can happen when unscrupulous people propose development projects…the results of which may not necessarily benefit the residents of the community.

About the Author: C. R. West is a native of Lakeland, Florida, and an alumnus of the University of Florida. He spent time as a U.S. Air Force flier, is a retired newspaper journalist, and has traced his ancestry back to the Jamestown settlement in the early 1600s.

When not writing from his lakefront home in Lakeland, he enjoys reading, traveling, sports, entertaining his cat Katie, and walking along the lakeshore while watching birds and other wildlife, and feeding many of the birds. The author also has a great interest in history and Native American folklore, due to pioneer and Cherokee heritage.

"Garden of the Bear" is a 124-page paperback with a retail price of $13.00. The ISBN is 978-1-4809-1206-9. It was published by Dorrance Publishing Co., Inc of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. For more information, or to request a review copy, please go to our virtual pressroom at www.dorrancepressroom.com or our online bookstore at www.dorrancebookstore.com.