By every measure, Hurricane Sandy was a disaster of epic proportions. The deadliest storm to strike the East Coast since Hurricane Diane in 1955, Sandy killed thirty-seven people and caused more than $30 billion in damages in 2012 to New Jersey alone. But earlier centuries experienced their own catastrophes. In "Disaster , " Alan A. Siegel brings readers face-to-face with twenty-eight of the deadliest natural and human-caused calamities to strike New Jersey between 1821 and 1906, ranging from horrific transportation accidents to uncontrolled fires of a kind rarely seen today. As Siegel writes in his introduction, "None of the stories end well--there are dead and injured by the thousands as well as millions in property lost." Accounts of these fires, steamboat explosions, shipwrecks, train wrecks, and storms are told in the words of the people who experienced the events firsthand, lending a sense of immediacy to each story. Disasters bring out the worst as well as the best in people. Siegel focuses on the bravest individuals, including harbor pilot Thomas Freeborn who drowned while attempting to save fifty passengers and crew of a ship foundering on the Jersey Shore, and Warwicke Greene, a fourteen-year-old schoolboy who rescued the injured "like the hero of an epic poem" after a train wreck in the Hackensack Meadows. These and many other stories of forgotten acts of courage in the face of danger will make "Disaster " an unforgettable read.FiresNewark -- October 27, 1836Cape May City -- September 5, 1856Cape May City -- August 31, 1869Cape May City -- November 9, 1878Newton -- September 22, 1873Caven Point, Jersey City Refinery Fire -- May 10, 1883The Standard Oil Fire, Bayonne -- July 5, 1900
Steamboat Disasters"New Jersey," Camden -- March 15, 1856"Isaac Newton," Fort Lee -- December 5, 1863
Train WrecksBurlington -- August 29, 1855Hackensack Meadows -- January 15, 1894May's Landing -- August 11, 1880Absecon Island -- July 30, 1896Bordentown -- February 21, 1901The Thoroughfare -- October 28, 1906
Shipwrecks"John Minturn," South of Mantoloking -- February 15, 1846"Powhattan," Beach Haven -- April 15, 1854"New Era," Deal Beach -- November 13, 1854"New York," North of Barnegat Inlet -- December 20, 1856"Vizcay"a and "Cornelius Hargraves," Off Barnegat Bay -- October 30, 1890"Delaware," Barnegat Bay -- July 8, 1898
Natural DisastersBlizzard of '88 -- March 11-14, 1888The Great September Gale -- September 3, 1821Statewide Hurricane -- September 10, 1889New Brunswick Tornado -- June 19, 1835Camden Tornado -- July 26, 1860Camden Tornado -- August 3, 1885Cherry Hill Tornado -- July 13, 1895

THE RESCUE is a young adult fantasy novel and book #3 in the Olivia Hart and the Gifted Program series. Olivia Hart believes there is no governing body or diabolical force that can keep her and Justin Benz apart. She loves him. Of course, that was before she regains consciousness in Prometheus's Fort Bliss and discovers her friends have been hauled off to the Meta's prison. Olivia is forced to pacify Mr. Dimon and conform to normal high school life in Pandora, but she knows as long as the only female Elste in the world lives there, it is a dangerous place.

THE RETREAT is a young adult fantasy novel and book #2 in the Olivia Hart and the Gifted Program series. Just a few months ago, Olivia Hart and Jaime Forte were shy girls, entering another high school year with apprehension. Discovering their special Gifts changes everything. They approach the spring of their junior year more confidently, as independent and self-sufficient young adults. Olivia has even managed to snag Justin Benz as a secret boyfriend. The kids in the Gifted Program quickly realize there were many things their ex-teacher, Ms. Magos, wasn't completely honest about. With no one left to answer their questions, Jaime speculates that a relative chooses the most worthy descendant to pass on their Gift. She convinces her friends that her great Aunt Evelyn can reveal the details of their jewelry's past and teach them about their Gifts. Olivia's insecurities have her wondering why a relative from the charming Elste family would pick her to receive a Gift instead of her charismatic brother. Then she learns the immense strength of her Gift. Once again, Prometheus will force this tight-knit group of exceptional teenagers to face their true feelings about themselves and each other.

THE CHARM is a young adult fantasy novel and book #1 in the Olivia Hart and the Gifted Program series. Imagine what high school would be like if your ex-boyfriend fired lightning when he was angry, the sporty girl in your class had enough strength to lift a flatbed truck, and you could charm your way out of trouble. When shy, sixteen year old, Olivia Hart, witnesses the actual rainstorm her ex-boyfriend, Max Smarr, creates in Pandora high school's cafeteria, she's convinced she's lost her mind. Nothing will prepare her, however, for the discovery of her own special Gift. Olivia Hart has always been satisfied living in the shadows of her peers, and so high school doesn't get any easier when her charismatic brother goes off to college and her relationship with her edgy boyfriend comes to an end. When she comes across an antique charm, she finds out that she can compel people with her mind and hiding is no longer an option. With the help of her friends in the Gifted Program and each of their special Gifts, what happens next in this young love and coming of age story will force Olivia into the spotlight, test her friendships, and cause her to question her role in a society. The Retreat, book #2 in the Olivia Hart and the Gifted Program series, is available NOW

For both new residents and old-timers alike, "Warren A to Z" takes you on an informative tour of Warren Township including the land, places, people, issues, and events that have shaped "the greenest place in New Jersey."

Almost from its beginning 275 years ago, Warren was a scattering of small villages that included only a post office or church, general store, a blacksmith shop, tavern, and a few houses. Like many other communities in fast-growing Somerset County, Warren Township has changed dramatically during the last half century. Gone are the shimmering fields of hay and corn, the sheep and cows grazing in the sun, and the weather-beaten barns. Author and historian Alan A. Siegel arranges his entries alphabetically in an easy-to-read format as he explains how the forested mountains and pastoral valley have given way to progress. In 1982, there were still 150 working farms in Warren, but now almost all are gone-victims of the very charm of the surroundings that have attracted so many newcomers.

"Warren A to Z" will transport you on a fabulous historical journey that highlights the churches and schools, noteworthy buildings, famous people, and political movements of this beautiful area nestled in the Watchung Mountains.