The Touchstone Diary - Book I & II: Book I - "The Red Thread" and Book II - "Bloodlines and Promises" (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9780991171309)

Connie Bickman has been a writer and photographer since she can remember, and notes that she still has the old Brownie camera her parents gave her as a child. Her passion for travel has brought her to over 40, mostly third world, countries. She packed along her journals and camera as these photojournalist-based travels brought her to far corners of the earth in search of adventure and the opportunity to document native cultures, the environment, and humanitarian issues. It was through these journeys that she realized misconceptions she had about the foundation of organized religion and how often times people in other countries and cultures had much different perspectives on not only Christianity and conflicting biblical translations, but also on the original concept of the Christ story itself. This began years of research and scrutiny to satisfy her own uncertainties, which brought her to disclose her findings in "The Touchstone Diary," a "fiction-based-on-historical-events" series. Connie readily admits that writing and photography are in her blood, referring to 15 years of owning a portrait studio, and a 30+ year newspaper career, which began at her hometown newspaper. This includes an eleven year period where she was the co-owner/publisher/editor of Turtle River Press, a publication of spiritual and creative energy. She has been published internationally in books and magazines, and has won regional and international awards for her photography and writing. Her book, "Tribe of Women" (published by New World Library) received the 1999 Jeanette Fair Tau State Minnesota Women's Writer Award. Mother of three daughters, six grandgirls and one great-grandgirl, Connie currently lives Woodstock, NY. Also by Connie Bickman: - "Tribe of Women" published by New World Library, 2001, focusing on the spiritual aspect of Bickman's journeys, including photography and excerpts from her journals on encounters with bush doctors in Belize, shaman in the Amazon jungles of Peru, witch doctors in Africa and Aboriginal elders in Australia. ISBN 1-57731-130-2 - "Through the Eyes of Children" published by Rock Bottom Books, Abdo and Daughter, a series of ten educational children's books for schools and libraries on the everyday lifestyles of children around the world, which includes photography from travels to Australia, Tanzania, Russia, Mexico, Israel, Peru, Turkey, Egypt, Nepal and Equador.