Lehigh Valley authors Tom Lubben and Richard Plinke continue to write on.

There are seven books in Tom Lubben’s series about detective BJ Gleeson, and three in his “Eyewitness” series about people in the Bible. Not bad for someone who began writing books in his 80s.

At a coffee shop in Bethlehem, Lubben, 84, says, “When I go to book shows people ask me, ‘How long have you been writing?’ When I say I started at age 82, they look at me like I am crazy.”

Lubben’s latest books are “Eyewitnesses III: Uncelebrated Women of the Bible” (115 pages; Lighthouse Publishing; paperback $15.95; 99 cents, Kindle, 2025) and “Death Among the Amish” (173 pages; paperback $15.95, 2025)

Lubben is a believer in reinventing yourself. He was born in New Jersey and moved to the Lehigh Valley in the late 1980s. He became known for founding four arts-related charter schools in the Lehigh Valley. The first was the Lehigh Valley Charter High School for the Arts, where he was superintendent until 2010.

Lubben’s “Eyewitness” series tells stories from the Bible as experienced by the people who were there, adding a bit of commentary.

“I want to reach out to people who are part-time Christians and bring the Bible to the common reader, without using biblical words,” Lubben says.

There are 20 chapters on “uncelebrated” women. Included are the well-known Sarah, wife of Abraham, and Bathsheba, wife of Uriah who had a son by David. There’s also the obscure Procula, wife of Pontius Pilate; the unnamed widow who donated at the temple, and the “Sinful Woman,” who washed Jesus’ feet.

Lubben’s book, “Death Among the Amish” came about from the true story of a shooting at the West Nickel Mines School, an Amish one-room schoolhouse. It was the worst school shooting in Pennsylvania history.

Lubben notes the Amish response to the tragedy:

“During the week following the shooting, some of the victims’ parents forgave the killer’s widow and her husband [the husband committed suicide after shooting 10 girls]. There is no school there now, just five trees and no monument.”

Lubben plans further books in the “Eyewitness” series, including works on unknown men, animals, and murders in the Bible.

As for his BJ Gleeson series, Lubben jokes, “I have visited all the places I write about, but I am not a serial killer.”

Lubben regularly has a stand with his books at the Bethlehem Rose Garden Farmers Market, off Eighth Avenue between Broad Street and Union Boulevard.

A new path: Richard Plinke is taking a new path with his first work of fiction, a short story collection, “The Capricious Nature of Being” (382 pages; Bright Communications; paperback $19.95, ebook $9.99, 2025).

He previously wrote “COVID-19 House Arrest,” a critical and satirical look at the lockdown, and three books about business sales in the “Dragon” series.

In a phone interview from his home in Upper Macungie Township, Plinke says that the 11 short stories in “The Capricious Nature of Being” were written over the years:

“In 2017, before COVID, I had become frustrated about my writing. I was talking with a friend a few times who said, ‘You have to write about something that ignites your passion.’

“I wrote something just to get myself going. I enjoyed it. I would work on one, two, sometimes three stories at the same time. Often, they just took off, and I went along for the ride.”

“‘The Door’ is all about what I did as a salesman. It’s my philosophy, what I taught in my business books.

“‘The Snowball Incident’ actually happened to my wife and I ... 30 or 35 years ago. It changed the trajectory of my life. I found that I wanted to get out of corporate living.”

“It’s Not You, It’s Me” is based on Plinke’s football experience. “While playing football I hurt my shoulder, which ended it for me. I wondered what would have happened if I hadn’t hurt myself. My life would have been different.

“I would probably not have made the pros, but I could have played in college. When I lost football, it’s like I lost myself. The character in the story is different than me, but he has the same type of angst and conflict.”

Plinke writes in the introduction to “The Capricious Nature of Being” that the only thing you can count on in life is the unexpected. The short stories highlight “the choices we make and how we deal with those choices. An insignificant event can make big changes. It’s weird how stuff happens. But we all have opportunities to work through problems.”

With many Lehigh Valley references, strong characters from all walks of life, and no holds barred dialogue, Plinke shows people at the turning points of their lives facing hope and despair.

Plinke is working on “How to Solve the Plague,” a memoir that he calls “creative non-fiction.” He says, “It is how I went from a hippie to a businessman.”

“Literary Scene” is a column about authors, books and publishing. To request coverage, email: Paul Willistein, Focus editor, pwillistein@tnonline.com