Los Gatos Weekly-Times

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'Shadows' is a tale told by Sorenson and his computer

By Mary Ann Cook

FANTASY NOVEL: The Child of the Shadows by Los Gatos native Jack R. Sorenson is a fantasy novel that would probably never have gotten written if it weren't for the computer. Sorenson has been disabled since 1985, having sustained a back injury, and has lived in constant pain ever since.

But despite (or perhaps because of) his physical impairments, his head has been full of fantasy tales for years. And he's been putting those stories into words and feeding them into the computer for the past two years.

This is all thanks to the persistence of a friend who encouraged him to get a computer, and promised to teach him how to use it. Sorenson now has in the machine some 20 other books, which he calls 80 percent completed, as well. And he has a contract for seven years for audio and video rights from Publish America, a print-on-demand house.

His style is called unique in that his characters talk as though they are from a bygone world, Old English perhaps. From the book: "Elias let out his breath in a sigh that was closer to a moan. He turned round, and pinpoints of silver light rested on his hair like dew. There was a shimmering, and a distant sound like autumn trees."

Shadows is the tale of a man from one world who is transported to another that only he can save. It is the story of a mentor so jealous of his protégé's achievements that he could prove more deadly than any enemy. "The story reveals the true magic inside each of us," says the book's blurb.

Sorenson was valedictorian of his class of '83 at Mark Twain High School. He is the son of Amelia and John Sorenson. His grandfather Leslie founded Sorenson Plumbing in 1938, family-owned until 2000.

CLEANER AIR: Los Gatan Robert Garzee, founder and president of Synergy EV, Inc., received the 2007 Clean Air Award from Breathe California for his efforts in promoting alternative transportation. Garzee founded Synergy EV, Inc. 13 years ago to develop and implement electronic vehicle technology.

The technology is aimed at every agency--cities, universities, utilities, police, parks, public transit. Synergy helps governments, businesses and organizations use alternatively-fueled vehicles in their fleets. Garzee was one of nine recognized for his efforts in fighting global warming.

Synergy has been working with the city of San Jose to develop an Electronic Transportation Development Center in Silicon Valley to encourage design and production of alternative fuel vehicles.

This proposed center is envisioned as a facility where Silicon Valley companies can work together to design and manufacture prototypes of advanced transportation technologies that focus on clean and renewable energy, along with transportation safety.

"Scientific studies have shown that air pollution and climate change have a tremendous impact on our health," said Linda Civitello-Joy, president/CEO of Breathe California. Since California is particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, Breathe California dedicated this year's awards to innovative approaches being taken to combat the threat of global warming.

MS WINNER--ONCE AGAIN: Linda Pfeiffer's MS (Marvelous Supporters) Team raised the most money for MS in its spring fundraising walk for the sixth year in a row. Pfeiffer started fundraising for MS the year after she was diagnosed with the disease. This year's total was more than $45,000, $20,000 more than the second-place team in the county.

Linda's niece, Michelle Levine, 15, formed a team in Palm Desert called Linda's Marvelous Supporters--Desert Trekkers and raised $3,000, bringing the total above the $45,000 mark. Those raising more than $3,500 ($1 for everyone in the Valley with MS) were Molly Stampher, Ruth Yoder and Linda.

Walkers who raised $1,000 or more were Linda Rice, Laurie Steckel, Carol Laucella, Maureen O'Connell, Matt Zises, Roberta Cohen, John Stangenes, Katie Levine, Sandy Levine and Norman Levine.

This year Linda was named ambassador of the Santa Clara MS Walk in Vasona Park and personally raised in excess of $16,000, thanks in part to a silent auction, which brought in $10,000. Friends from England, as well as a best friend since fourth grade from New Jersey, joined Pfeiffer in this year's walk.

BAJA/BLOSSOM EXCHANGE: Blossom Hill School is partnering with Comunidad, a nonprofit company that provides educational services to indigenous tribes of Baja California. The school is donating desks, chairs, tables, book cases--a semi-trailer full of school equipment--to be dispersed among the tribes.

In addition, Blossom Hill teachers and Pam Pearson, a Comunidad founder, gave second-graders a mini-tutorial in Spanish so they could write letters to their counterparts in Baja. In return, Baja students will write letters back in an ongoing cultural exchange.

Comunidad was founded by a group of seven doctors, dentists, pilots and educators, and is based in Los Gatos. Tom Hogan, former Oracle vice president, heads it.

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