| Local author J. Peter Yakel has released a hilarious | | | | forbidden love interest, Florentine, endure. Her daddy, |
| fiction tale with roots to a number of localities and | | | | (who is also the town Parson), disapproves of the |
| landmarks about New York's Capitaland area. Notable | | | | fledgling courtship and disallows it. Saddled with |
| places mentioned in the comedy adventure include | | | | heartache bigger'n the Heldebergs, Joe walks away |
| the towns of Berne, Knox, Westerlo, Cambridge, | | | | from his brilliant music career, and joins the Federal |
| Cobleskill and Greenville, as well as Albany and | | | | Army. Shipped overseas, the young man loses the |
| Schoharie counties. In addition, the well-worn paths of | | | | relative safety of home and family for which he |
| Delaware Turnpike and Route 85, the fine hunting | | | | cares so much. Almost as quickly, Fate steps in and |
| grounds of Partridge Run, and the prominent 'stone | | | | brings the music star-turned-soldier face-to-face with |
| wall' of Westerlo weave their way into the pages of | | | | the most powerful man on the planet. With his |
| the book as well. Says the author, "People write | | | | superiors caught in a seemingly hopeless |
| about what they know. My capital district roots are | | | | entertainment bind, Joe offers his juggin talents. In |
| deep and they stretch back more than 150 years, so | | | | short order, he's back in the spotlight, whoopin' it up |
| choosing to include parts of our local geography in | | | | for the Commander-in-Chief. Afterward, a discussion |
| the story was a natural extension of how I | | | | between the straight talking country boy and his |
| conceived the development of The Legend of Juggin | | | | President has the effect of altering the global balance |
| Joe."The author describes his story as an | | | | of power!International reviews of the book have |
| over-the-top adventure with a special twist. Not only | | | | been strong and positive, says Yakel. He adds, "I am |
| is it tied to Capitaland, but his unconventional writing | | | | particularly pleased with the review of Viviane Crystal |
| style gives the book its unique flair. "The entire story | | | | ( who said, '...this writer who has created a unique |
| is written in my own brand of 'country-speak'. I've | | | | style of "country speak" dialogue and storytelling that |
| never seen or read a book written anything like it, | | | | is quaint and entertaining without the need for the |
| which is part of the reason why I chose to create it. | | | | raging dysfunctional status besetting so much of |
| The great thing about the dialogue is that it makes | | | | contemporary fiction.' Her read of the book was |
| the adventure so much fun to read, and it actually | | | | spot-on. I hope more people enjoy the humor of |
| draws readers into the story."Yakel concedes that, | | | | Juggin Joe, especially my friends and neighbors |
| for some readers, the Juggin Joe story may only be | | | | around Capitaland."The Legend of Juggin Joe (ISBN |
| a lightweight outlet for laughter. He's fine with that - | | | | 1-4116-2588-9) is available for purchase on the |
| after all, it is a humor book...But the self-published | | | | world-wide-web, by logging onto: or by visiting the |
| author adds, "There's a lot bubbling just below the | | | | following Capitaland NY stores: Borders of Colonie, |
| surface of Westerlo's topsoil. Scratch the surface of | | | | Borders of Clifton Park; The Book House of |
| this country knee-slapper, and you'll quickly see what | | | | Stuyvesant Plaza; or I Love Books, Inc. of Delmar.J. |
| I mean."The book tells the story of how a | | | | Peter Yakel is a freelance writer and author of three |
| mischievous boy, born and bred in the close-knit | | | | books. His articles have appeared in publications such |
| town of Westerlo, acquires the musical gift of jug | | | | as Communications Technology, The Pipeline, and |
| blowing, and quickly rockets to international celebrity | | | | Army Reserve Magazine. Joe's works have also been |
| as "Juggin Joe". Unfortunately, his iconic rise to music | | | | highlighted on USAWOA Online, USAR Online, and |
| stardom is stymied by the shared sorrow he and his | | | | other Internet websites. |