Welcome to Kings River Life Magazine:
A California Magazine with a focus on the communities surrounding the Kings River of California;
a local focus with global appeal — including Teen Talk & Mysteryrat’s Maze.
Monday Movie Reviews at 7pm & Local Live feature Wednesdays at 7pm
with new articles every Saturday at 10am!


Hairspray Returns to Roger Rocka’s

FROM THE January 25 ISSUE

IN THE Area Arts & Entertainment SECTION

by Lorie Lewis Ham



Hairspray opened at Good Company Players’ Roger Rocka’s Dinner Theater this past weekend and my daughter and I had the pleasure of seeing it. When Hairspray was at Roger Rocka’s a year or two ago it was so popular that they not only extended it by a couple of weeks, but decided to bring it back again this season, and I for one am glad since I missed it last time.

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Underworld Awakening: Movie Review

FROM THE January 23 ISSUE

IN THE Fantasy & Fangs SECTION

by Sheryl Wall




Kate Beckinsale returns as vampire heroine Selene, in the fourth installment of the Underworld series. After the events of movie two (three was a prequel) humans have become aware of both the vampires and lycans (werewolves) and have begun and all out war to eradicate the species. The movie picks up when Selene and Michael the vampire/lycan hybrid try to escape and are discovered and blown up. While Selene is captured and held captive for twelve years, Michael’s fate is left unknown.

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Emily Pessano: Theatre Runs In Her Blood

FROM THE January 21 ISSUE

IN THE Area Arts & Entertainment SECTION

by Lorie Lewis Ham



This past year I had the pleasure of seeing Emily Pessano on stage, first in The Drowsy Chaperone and then again in Legally Blonde, both at Roger Rocka’s in Fresno. As soon as I saw her on stage, I knew I had to add her to my list of local actor profiles—she just blew me away with an incredible voice, great dancing, and acting. She simply glows on stage!

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Coffee, Holidays and Dogs?

FROM THE January 21 ISSUE

IN THE Food Fun SECTION

by Sandra Murphy



Sandra shares about some fun mystery short stories & a fun dog related mystery book series, while offering some great coffee suggestions to go with them from Classical Coffee Company. At the end of this article is a chance to win some of that coffee to warm you up on these cold winter nights!

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The Girl With the Evil Psychiatrist, Plus Bonus Book Review/Giveaway

FROM THE January 21 ISSUE

IN THE Mental Health SECTION

by Dennis Palumbo & Theodore Feit



We have a special treat this week–a special guest post by psychotherapist & mystery author Dennis Palumbo about the portrayal of therapists in film and TV & then a review by Theodore Feit of Dennis’ latest mystery novel, A Fever Dream, & and a chance to win a copy of the book.

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Frosty’s Story. Tails of a Therapy Dog

FROM THE January 21 ISSUE

IN THE Helping Hands SECTION

by Lee Juslin



While most senior facilities have always welcomed well-behaved dogs for family visits, over the last few decades pet visits have come to encompass a more structured program of pet assisted therapy involving strict standards for training and behavior.Therapy pets are now certified through a number of national and regional therapy pet organizations. Even the American Kennel Club, which had already established dog behavioral standards through its Canine Good Citizen certification, has recently established a program to recognize registered therapy dogs.

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A Day At The Fresno Zoo With The Grandkids

FROM THE January 21 ISSUE

IN THE Area Arts & Entertainment SECTION

by Tom Sims



Among the advantages of time and age is the capacity to view the world through the eyes of our children and grandchildren. Their eyes are fresh and newly awakened. All they see is through the unbiased view and unfiltered lens of one beholding wonder for the first time. Through their eyes, we can begin to see the world as children and it is a wonderful world indeed.

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Café Fanatico in Parlier, A Cozy Small Town Coffee Shop

FROM THE January 21 ISSUE

IN THE Downtown Doings SECTION

by Zachariah Zendejas



When it comes to cafés and coffee shops, they are a dime a dozen, especially since Starbucks seems to be everywhere and in almost every town (some may even say that a town is not a town unless it has a Starbucks or a coffee shop). Since cafés are plentiful, it can be difficult to discern which one is good. Some people are satisfied as long as they have a decent cup of coffee in the morning. Now don’t get me wrong, I like an iced coffee once in a while, and often frequent such chains as Starbucks purely out of convenience, but if you’re looking for good coffee and a relaxed atmosphere, Café Fanatico is an awesome fix for caffeinated needs.

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The Dark Rose by Erin Kelly: Book Review/Giveaway

FROM THE January 21 ISSUE

IN THE Mysteryrat's Maze SECTION

by Gloria Feit



Louisa Trevelyan is working as a garden designer re-creating a historically accurate Tudor garden in Warwickshire, at the fictional Kelstice Lodge. After working for years recreating gardens that have fallen into neglect on private estates, this community program has really given her a chance to indulge her creative passion for garden design. It is there that she meets Paul Seaforth, 19 years old, who bears “an uncanny likeness” to her lover of years ago, Adam Glasslake.

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The New Wave in Publishing

FROM THE January 21 ISSUE

IN THE Fantasy & Fangs SECTION

by James Garcia Jr.



If you are a reader, whether you worry about the closing of the “brick and mortar” stores, champion the proliferation of the e-book or stand somewhere in between, I think we could all agree that these are some exciting times to live in. This is especially true for fiction. Finding great stories to be transported away by or brilliant new authors to discover should be easier now than ever before.

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Always … Patsy Cline: On Stage In Visalia

FROM THE January 18 ISSUE

IN THE Area Arts & Entertainment SECTION

by Nancy Holley



Patsy Cline burst onto the musical scene in 1956 at age 24 with “Walkin’ After Midnight”. “Walkin’ After Midnight” made history as it crossed over to score on both the country and pop charts. In the spring of 1963, when Patsy was just 30 years old, her skyrocketing career ended with a tragic plane crash. In six short years, her numerous accomplishments included performing at Carnegie Hall (unheard of for country singers and in particular a woman) and headlining her own show in Las Vegas (another first for a woman country singer).

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The Brain That Wouldn’t Die: 60s Sci-fi Movie Review

FROM THE January 16 ISSUE

IN THE Kings River Reviewers & Tales SECTION

by Larry Ham



The Brain That Wouldn’t Die is a sci-fi movie released in 1962. It was actually filmed and completed several years earlier, but because it’s so sick, twisted, dark, morbid and absurd, its release was delayed. Well, I should correct myself. It wasn’t delayed because of its absurdity. It became a cult classic because of its absurdity.

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White Collar: TV Review

FROM THE January 14 ISSUE

IN THE Deborah Harter Williams SECTION

by Deborah Harter Williams



It takes a thief to catch a thief. It’s a sure-fire plot premise that can be traced back to the ancient Greeks. Raffles*, John Robie, Thomas Crown and Simon Templar have all worn the mantle with great style as portrayed by David Niven, Cary Grant, Steve McQueen, Pierce Brosnan and Roger Moore.

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Waffles, a Great Breakfast Treat

FROM THE January 14 ISSUE

IN THE Food Fun SECTION

by Phyllis Johnson




Whether it’s summer or winter, waffles make a satisfying breakfast. With the waffle makers available now, it’s really a foolproof item to cook. My husband bought the type you see in hotels and it turns out perfect waffles. A buzzer rings when it’s time to pop it open to reveal an evenly cooked and browned waffle, ready for your choice of syrup.

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