Jumper

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Children’s Book



Jumper is a little colt’s inspiring journey after being separated from his birth mother who is addicted to a toxic plant. From fear and loss to healing and hope, this book tenderly portrays the complexities of addiction, abandonment, trauma, and healing.

The author lives on a horse ranch and has experience fostering and adopting children, allowing her to masterfully weave this beautiful metaphor. This book helps build bridges, teaching difficult topics without judgement or blame and offers a compassionate view of addiction. It can grow with children through different stages of their life, as they take in layers of wisdom at their own pace. Reading Jumper is a great springboard for discussions on difficult topics for young children and teenagers alike.

 

Perfect for children with:

* RAD, Reactive Attachment Disorder,

* ODD, Oppositional Defiance Disorder,

* SAD, Separation Anxiety Disorder.

* Abandonment Trauma

 

While invaluable for those involved with foster care or adoption, Jumper is a powerful tool for teaching EMPATHY and a great addition to any family library. JUMPER IS FOR EVERYONE. Thoughtfully written with deep sensitivity, Jumper shows an example of unconditional love and its power to heal, while validating the anger, pain and confusion that can be brought on by trauma. Young and old will be captivated by this moving story. Whether you are a horse lover or not, you will be by the end of this story!

 

 About the Author



Shelley Flake was a foster parent for 8 years & has two adopted children for a total of nine. She has a bachelor’s degree in Special Education & a lifetime of experience working with children of all ages both at home & through volunteer work. She & her family recently moved from their home just north of New York City to a quiet 100-acre ranch in the West, with a dozen trail horses, cows, chickens, barn cats & her beloved Border-Aussie, Blue. One of her favorite pastimes is singing & dancing with her family in the kitchen. Bring on Ed Sheeran, Frank Sinatra, Billy Joel, Carly Simon, The Beatles, or Alicia Keys…Bottom line, there is always music playing at the Flake house.


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The Book of Wands

The Tarot Series Book  1

by Lauren Louise Hazel

Genre: YA Academy, Urban Fantasy

 



The cards await, ready to unveil their secrets. 

Are you prepared to witness their magic?


The Book of Wands

The Tarot Series Book  1

by Lauren Louise Hazel

Genre: YA Academy, Urban Fantasy



The cards await, ready to unveil their secrets. Are you prepared to witness their magic?

Olivia Pembroke is in her final year of The School of Wands, where she will vie against her friends and rivals for qualification in The Final Judgment. Designed to be the ultimate test of Intelligence, Strength, Creativity and Courage, The Final Judgment is set by a mysterious figure called Rasmus, who is wrapped in secrets.

Olivia has no doubt she is going to win and claim victory and pride for her family. That is, until her grandmother dies, and leaves her with her old Tarot Deck, which she claimed could see Past, Present and Future…

 

**Releases July 2026 – PreOrder Now!**

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PROLOGUE 

 

Olivia’s head was bowed, and her neck straining in its awkward position. She had plaited her hair neatly, in a half-crown at the top of her head, at her mother’s insistence. Olivia was already regretting the decision. The weather was drizzling, the mist cool on her flushed skin, but she had no protection from its light drops. 

Nor did she have any shield from the flurry of mourners. 

Her mother was standing at the front, clad in a black suit and skirt and black boots. Her face, starting to line with age, was stone cold and remote. Her father was standing at her side, and like Olivia, he was looking at the floor. He looked hunched and strangely small. 

The casket, black and shiny, was lowered slowly into the ground. 

The priest was speaking, but his words were wrong. He was talking about Olivia’s grandmother like someone who had never met her before; he called her a bright and radiant light, kind and gentle and generous. She had not been any of those things, but Olivia had loved her anyway. She had been strong and resilient and a force of nature. She had advocated for Olivia when nobody else had – attending every school event when her parents could not. Her grandmother had stayed at the Pembroke Estate with her while her parents were travelling for work, assisting with schoolwork and answering Olivia’s many questions. She was always supportive and never judging. She always made time for her.

But now she was gone…

And Olivia had never felt so alone. The distance between her and parents was like a chasm, so far and almost unbreachable. Olivia blamed them for their part in her grandmother’s death – for all that they had done to her – and it was a thought, a feeling, that she could not shake. If they had not sent her away, maybe she’d alive… maybe she would still be with Olivia. She did not know what to do now. 

How could her grandmother leave her? She didn’t understand. What had seen done wrong? Olivia wanted to cry, the conflicting emotions bubbling beneath her skin. She felt trapped, like she was suffocating under a black cloud that only she could see.

After all, her mother was always watching – as soon as the thought crossed Olivia’s mind, her mother turned towards her, reaching, as though she hadn’t done anything wrong. Olivia swallowed and backed away. 

“Don’t let this distract you, Olivia,” said her mother, her quiet voice loud in the oppressive silence. Olivia jerked slightly, unable to suppress the flinch. She did not reply.

Her mother barrelled on. “This is the most important year for you,” she continued, oblivious to Olivia’s thoughts and feelings, as always. “You could achieve anything.”

            In that moment, Olivia did not care.

Her grandmother was not coming back. 

 




Lauren Louise Hazel is a Cyber Security Manager by day and writes YA fantasy by night. She has one annoying brother and younger sister. As she was growing up, the only item her dad would buy her without demanding her pocket money was books. He’s hoping the writing is successful so he can get a Ferrari!

Some of Lauren’s favourite books and influences include the classics – like Lord of the Rings and The Hunger Games – and anything by Haruki Murakami and GRR Martin.

 

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Devin and the Devil

 




Romantasy

Date Published: March 16, 2026



Anita was a timid college student who dreams of love and adventure. By chance she meets Devin a handsome and charismatic man with dark secrets of his own. Together with family, friends and a spirit they must face fears and challenges, doubts and danger. This book is a true Romantasy, it is a love story and a fantasy. Order on Amazoon.com, in eBook and soft cover. I think you will fall in love.



About the Author

 

 I am a retired teacher, parent, wife and Grandmother of four. Stormy my Havenese dog is 19 years old, and I think of him as my fur child. I enjoy writing science fiction, fantasy, and stories about my life. Devin and the Devil is my third book, and my favorite. I hope it is yours too.


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Golfing, Gardens & Ghosts

 

Cozy Mystery

Date Published: 01-28-2026

Publisher: Secret Staircase Books, an imprint of Columbine Publishing Group, LLC



School’s out for the summer and math teacher Katie Wilk needs something to occupy her time, something beyond helping to plan Jane Mackey’s upcoming wedding. So, when Jane suggests golf lessons and Katie secures a part-time job at the Shady Oaks Country Club to cover the cost of her golfing gear, it seems like a win-win plan. Unfortunately, the club’s irascible golf pro seems to make enemies wherever he goes, so when his body turns up near the 14th hole, it’s anyone’s guess who might have done him in.

Katie doesn’t really want another murder to investigate, but Officer Ronnie Christianson is back to his old ways, and it looks like he’ll do what it takes to implicate her in the death. And Katie just happens to have seen a potentially incriminating clue, behind a secret garden wall that few know about. Can Katie, Jane, and Ida ask enough questions to find out what really happened before the police come after her?

 

Praise for this amazing cozy series by multiple award-winning author Mary Seifert:

2024 Chanticleer International Book Awards – Semi-Finalist – Mystery & Mayhem category

2024 Killer Nashville Silver Falchion Award – Top Pick – Cozy Mysteries

2024 International Impact Awards – Winner – Books in a Series

 

“…. a solid 5 out of 5 stars. For those seeking not just a mystery but an immersive experience, Mary Seifert’s debut novel [is] the perfect companion for a cosy night in, a cup of tea, and a journey into the heart of a captivating mystery.” – Maverick, Movies & Murder, Online Book Club.org

 

“…an intricate mystery with plenty of action and suspense. Plus, I like the dog.” David Housewright Edgar Award winning author of Something Wicked

 

“From navigating small town life to solving puzzling murders, Katie and Maverick are a delight.” —Mindy Mejia, international bestseller author

 

“Immediately captivating! Katie and Maverick are destined to become a notable amateur sleuth team in the mystery world.” –Connie Shelton, USA Today bestselling author

 

“I thoroughly enjoyed this debut book by Mary Seifert! This well written and thoughtful story kept me engaged with fun characters, interesting information and mind and math puzzles. Looking forward to book two!” James, 5-star online review

 

“Fun read! The author has an authentic voice and has done her research. The plot covers many topics: dogs, history, the inner workings of hospitals, family dynamics, and more. I especially enjoyed the puzzles and little-known historical facts that were part of the story. Maverick, Movies & Murder kept my interest and left me wanting more. Highly recommend!” Beth, online 5-star review

 

“…very much looking forward to her next!!! I can’t get enough of Ms. Seifert’s books!!” – proudarmymom, 5 stars

 

“…plenty of unanticipated twists and turns. It kept [me] up reading to see what was going to happen next!” RHN, 5 stars online

 

“Maverick, Movies, and Murder isn’t merely a cosy mystery; it’s a literary embrace, a narrative that unfolds in layers, revealing both the familiar and the unexpected.” OnlineBookClub.org review

 

Excerpt

“I can’t imagine you didn’t inherit my ability to sit still and do absolutely nothing. I’m the king of procrastination.”

I laughed. “This from a man who plans every minute of his day.”

“Yes, but I make certain I plan all my sitting-still time first. I might have some ideas for you.”

Poised to take note of Dad’s constructive contributions, I said, “Do tell.”

He leaned back in the chair and crossed his arms. “You could pick up a new hobby.”

“I could teach you to cook. Maybe. Or you could bike.”

I plopped my elbow on the table and supported my cheek in my hand. “You and Ida have tried to teach me to cook. It’s been practically impossible, and there’s only so much biking I can do.” I shook my head yet listened for something novel.

“You could sleep in.”

“Tried that.” I side-eyed my pup and exhaled.

“You could learn a craft like … crocheting or knitting.”

Two more words made the list. He waited for an enthusiastic response, which didn’t happen, but nuggets of ideas turned over in my head as I chewed my final morsel of bacon. Our landlady, Ida Clemashevski, was a creative whiz not only at cooking, but with her passions of art, acting, music, and probably crafting as well.

“There’s always fishing,” he said, cautiously optimistic. “Or get a part-time job?”

I jotted a few words next to his recommendations and drew a fish.

Dad asked, “What’s that?”

Having confirmed my lack of any artistic talent, my sketch disappeared under scribbles. “I’ll think about taking up a hobby, but meanwhile, it seems I’ll simply have to resign myself to mundane chores …” I hopped up. “Nothing exciting. Something like doing the dishes.” I juggled the serving platters, plates, and silverware and deposited them in the sink, leaving the delicate cups for a second trip.

Soap foamed under the cascade of hot water, and I scrubbed slowly to eat up at least a portion of my free time. Although Dad reached for a towel, I shooed him out of the kitchen, knowing how much he valued his predictable weekday schedule: a hearty first meal of the day, a one-mile walk around the neighborhood—rain or shine, an in-depth read of the newspaper from cover to cartoons, an exercise class at the Y, and his volunteer stint at the library.

“No doubt, by week’s end you’ll have discovered a new and more streamlined method for doing dishes. You know I love you.” He kissed my forehead and headed for the door and a day of sunshine. “But we’ve got to keep you occupied and out of trouble, or you’ll never get rid of the crazy nickname you earned.”

I called to his retreating back, “Just because I’ve been in the wrong places and involved in the resolution of several serious crimes, I really don’t think I deserve the moniker ‘Katie Wilk, the murder magnet.’”

 

About the Author


Mary Seifert is the mastermind behind the captivating Katie and Maverick Cozy Mysteries, a 2024 International IMPACT Award winner for books in a series. If you love a thrilling whodunit with a sprinkle of humor and a dash of charm, her books are for you. Her novel Maverick, Movies & Murder was a finalist for the 2023 American Fiction Award, and Santa, Snowflakes & Strychnine earned a spot as a 2024 Chanticleer Murder and Mayhem finalist. Set in the picturesque landscapes of West Central Minnesota, where the lakes begin, Mary’s stories are as cozy as a warm cup of cocoa on a chilly day.

Mary’s love affair with books began in her grandfather’s secretive basement backroom library, where she read childhood favorites, Heidi, Black Beauty, National Velvet, Charlotte’s Web, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and devoured works by literary greats such as Agatha Christie, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Erle Stanley Gardner, Wouk, Chandler, du Maurier, Ellery Queen, Margaret Mitchell, Steinbeck, Hemingway, Salinger, Bradbury, Tolkien, and Pasternak, to name just a few. These early literary adventures, combined with lively book discussions with her mother and siblings helped shape her love for mysteries and complex narratives. Her father’s gift of outrageous storytelling added exaggeration to her arsenal, lending a playful twist to her writing.

Mary grounded her passion for storytelling when she shared her love of reading with her children, solving puzzles alongside beloved characters like Nancy Drew, the Boxcar Children, and the Hardy Boys, and that passion is growing, watching the next generation learn to read. She proudly believes her kids, their significant others, and her grandchildren are the smartest in the universe, and she’s not shy about letting the world know it!


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A Cowboy’s Dilemma

 

Western Historical Fiction

Date Published: 08-19-2025

Publisher: Artemesia Publishing, LLC




As the Kelly Can Saga continues, Charlie and his wife, Susan, must deal with continued conflict as they attempt to grow their fledgling Kelly Oil Company. Like many other oilmen, Charlie and his partner, Hank Thomas, want to acquire oil and mineral rights to the Osage Nation’s land in northern Oklahoma. This leads them to confrontations with an adversary from their recent past. Susan’s life is imperiled by those evil characters. How will her cowboy come to her rescue and deal with dangerous direct threats on their lives? Charlie rapidly steps up to the challenge as any past Top Hand at the world-famous Miller’s 101 Ranch would.

 

Excerpt

After lunch the group decided to walk down the hill to the barns and corrals to show Getty some of their ranch and allow their meal to settle. 

As they stood at a corral, Charlie pointed and said, “Paul, see the big, beautiful Angus bull? He’s one of the reasons our beef is in such demand. Do ya see all the cattle out in the near pasture over there grazin’? We’re mighty proud of them, too.”

Paul nodded, “Very impressive, Charlie. I don’t know ranching or cattle, but I can hear the pride in your voice. You’re every bit as excited to talk about this as you are about oil. Yep, very impressive.”

Charlie didn’t try to hide his smile. “I am, Paul. I’ll always be a cowboy, and ranching will be a big part of my life. I’m happy you’re impressed with this part of our lives.”

They walked around some more so Charlie and Susan could show off parts of the ranch. After a while, they returned to the house to continue their discussion.

As they settled in Hank asked, “Paul, do ya have any other land or rights to drill here in Oklahoma you might be interested in sellin’ before you head to California?”

Paul looked up at the ceiling, then back at Hank. “I hadn’t thought about it, but I have several possibilities. Some might be interesting to you. They include land with minerals up at Cushing, over in Garvin County, nearby in Seminole County, and even over close to the Capitol in Oklahoma City.”

Hank smiled, “What would ya take for the whole batch?”

Paul slumped in his chair with his arms across his chest. “Let me think a minute.” After a long pause, he said, “I guess $75,000 would be alright.”

Hank looked at Charlie, who nodded his approval. Charlie said, “Paul, I can draft ya a check right now you can cash at the Exchange Bank tomorrow for $60,000 if we have a deal. You can have the deeds sent to Curt for processin’.”

“Your offer is less than I wanted.” He grinned and reached over to shake hands. “I’ll take it, and the deeds are in a safety de- posit box at the Exchange Bank.

I know you bought the bank. Harry Sinclair continues to run it, right?”

Charlie shook Paul’s hand. “He does, and I’m glad you are willin’ to sell.” He looked at Hank and winked. “We at Kelly Oil need to accumulate more properties; if you had them, I’m sure there must be value in them.”

Susan nodded. “Harry continues to have a leadership role for us, but we had one of our bankers from Kansas City move here to run the bank. Harry wanted and needed to create more time for Sinclair Oil.”

Charlie left the room to write the check. When he returned, he handed it to Paul.

Susan stood. “It’s getting to be late. Paul needs to get back to Tulsa if he’s heading to California tomorrow.” She looked at Hank. “Didn’t you say you were going to Shawnee for dinner with someone?”

Hank hesitated. “Uh… all I’m sayin’ is her name is Polly’. I’ll be back in the mornin’ at about nine if that’s okay?”

Charlie grinned. “Who he has dinner with is none of our business, and nine’ll be great.”

Paul nodded. “Susan, you’re right. It’s time I headed toward Tulsa. Today’s trip was successful for me. I’m $80,000 richer than when I arrived. I hope we can do some business in California or at least be rooting for each other’s success.”


About the Author



E. Joe Brown is an award-winning author of novels, short stories, and memoirs. His current projects include a series of historical fiction novels set in his native Oklahoma. Publication of the first book in the series is scheduled for August 2022. His memoir ‘Mickey and Me’ about meeting his hero, Mickey Mantle, is now featured in the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Joe currently serves as President of New Mexico Westerners, an Advisor to the SWW Board of Directors, and is a member of Western Writers of America and Military Writers Society of America. 


He supports his love of music and performance through active membership in the International Western Music Association. He served on the organization’s board of directors for three years. In 2013, Governor Susanna Martinez appointed him a New Mexico Music Commissioner.


 Veterans Portrait Project, Military, USAF


Photo Courtesy of
Stacy Pearsall’s
Veterans Portrait Project


Joe concluded his lifetime military and civil service careers upon retirement on June 30, 2010. An exciting multi-faceted career of firsts included leading the USAF Range Instrumentation Team to aid the original NASA Space Shuttle program. His team helped create the Shuttle Worldwide Network and supported the first six missions of Space Shuttle Columbia. As the Air Force Flight Test Center Project Manager, he guided the design, construction, and implementation of the Benefield Anechoic Facility on Edwards AFB. The facility tests state-of-the-art electronic warfare systems in a secure environment. His final assignment was in direct support of the two-star Major General at Edwards AFB where he advised on strategic planning to assure future readiness to test USAF and Department of Defense weapons systems. 


An alumnus of the Oklahoma State University College of Engineering, Joe continued his engineering education during both his military and civil service careers. He completed coursework at the University of Colorado, Georgia Institute of Technology, George Washington University, University of Tennessee, Chapman University, and the University of California at Los Angeles. He later completed a BS in Business Management at Phoenix University and the Executive MBA program with a Strategic Planning emphasis from Webster University.


Joe has been married to his wife Linda for over fifty years, and their sons have given them five beautiful grandchildren.

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I Love It When We Read Together

  

Children’s Books / Early Learning Beginner Reader

Date Published: 08-12-2025

Publisher: Mission Point Press


I Love It When We Read Together invites reading partners to create their own special rituals with gentle prompts and endearing illustrations that encourage kids to read along, spot animals, and spark lively conversations. This book is perfect for building fluency and connection. Inspired by the literacy challenges of the pandemic, early childhood educator Karolyn Wallace crafts a cozy experience that helps families bring the joy of reading home.

 


About the Author

Karolyn Wallace is a seasoned educator with over twenty years of experience teaching in elementary classrooms across public and private schools in Maryland, Washington, DC, Los Angeles, and New York. Before that, she was a broadcast journalist at local news affiliates in Los Angeles and Flint, Michigan. She is currently part of the team at The Children’s Learning Lab, where experienced educators connect with elementary students for online learning. She divides her time between Michigan and California, enjoying the company of her husband, children, and grandchildren.


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Death and Life in the City of Dreams

 



 


Literary Fiction

Date Published: April 16th

Publisher: Acorn Publishing



Jaded city planner Townsend Meadows looks out across Evermore Valley with the ghost of his dead friend by his side. “Do you ever wonder,” Fen asks, “what this city will look like five hundred years from now?”

Their city is teetering on the brink of collapse, and the mayor’s answer is a gleaming new auto mall at the valley’s edge. For Townsend, it’s the death of everything a city should be. Struggling to regain his passion and forced to choose between compliance and conviction, he must risk his career to fight for a more hopeful and verdant future.
From an architect’s vision at the dawn of the twentieth century, to a rancher’s dynasty scarred by violence and greed, to a city founder’s hidden message of hope, this story about the rise, fall, and reawakening of an American city reaches far beyond the present. A timely, sweeping novel of memory, corruption, and resilience, Death and Life in the City of Dreams asks, “What legacy will we choose to leave for our children?”

 

About the Author

 

 Nicholas Deitch is a writer, architect, and advocate for social justice whose fiction explores the intersection of cities, history, and human resilience. His passion for storytelling began when a colleague recognized the emotional depth of his nonfiction work. Since then, he has honed his craft, publishing short stories in Litro Magazine, Club Plum, and Santa Barbara Literary Journal. His short story “Grace Eternal” won Best Fiction at the Santa Barbara Writers Conference (2019).

Death and Life in the City of Dreams, his debut novel, is deeply influenced by his experiences in nonprofit leadership and the design of inclusive communities and urban places.

Originally from Los Angeles, he now lives in Ventura, California, with his wife and creative partner Diana.

 

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Looking For Lucy

by Debbie De Louise

Genre: Gothic Mystery, Psychological Thriller

 


A missing cousin, 

A Mysterious Mansion, 

Family Secrets, 

and a “ghost” cat. 


Looking For Lucy

by Debbie De Louise

Genre: Gothic Mystery, Psychological Thriller



 She was never meant to be the brave one.

Despite their different personalities, cousins Mary and Lucy are closer than sisters. Mary, a teacher in a small town, fears change and suffers from claustrophobia. Lucy, a thrill-seeker, travels around the world in search of adventure.

When Lucy goes missing, Mary, her mother, and aunt visit a Long Island mansion called Hollingham Hall where Lucy had been employed as a tour guide before she disappeared. There, Mary meets three men, one of whom may have been romantically involved with Lucy – a charming historian, a volatile artist, and a friendly landscaper.

As Mary searches for her cousin, she is drawn deeper into Hollingham’s labyrinthine gardens and shadowed corridors where she discovers a chilling connection between Lucy and a woman who vanished seventy years ago on the eve of her wedding. She also learns of the “ghost cat” rumored to prowl the property.

When strange events take place at Hollingham, the police are called to investigate. But is Lucy alive and is her disappearance connected to the missing bride or one of the men on the estate?

A mystery of illicit affairs, hidden passageways, and family secrets, Looking for Lucy is the perfect read for fans of gothic novels, psychological thrillers, and atmospheric suspense.

 

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I held my cousin’s letters from earlier this summer that I’d read over a dozen times.

We lost touch after graduation when she took off to explore the world to volunteer in a variety of countries while I stayed home and found a job as a teacher at the elementary school that we’d both attended in our small town.

The last time I saw Lucy she was wearing her Bardsley T-shirt and jean shorts. My aunt’s battered suitcase stood at her side.

“I’ll send you lots of postcards,” she promised, but I’d never received any. That’s why I was surprised when I got her first letter as school was closing for the summer.

“Dear Mary, I hope you’re well. I’ve seen many things but have missed you. While I was making a quick stop in the Hamptons, I visited a beautiful place by the sea called Hollingham Hall. It was my luck that they were looking for tour leaders. I feel like, after years of wandering, I’ve finally found my place. The reason I haven’t called is that I lost my cell phone in the Amazon River (OMG!) and am not replacing it. I’ll call you with the phone number here soon.”

Lucy never called, but there were two more letters. The next arrived  ten days later.

“Dear Cousin, This is a dream job. I wish they had another opening for you. So, here’s the thing, Mary, we once talked about my being an independent woman the rest of my life without need of a man. Well, that’s changed. In the short time I’ve been at Hollingham, I believe I’ve fallen for someone. I don’t want to say too much in case I jinx it because the attraction is new, and I’m not sure how he feels about me yet. I promise I’ll reveal everything soon, and I can’t wait for you to meet my charming suitor.”

Lucy’s final and still eager letter arrived a week later.

“Me again, Dear Cousin. I had to write right away when I discovered the most interesting thing by accident.”

“I’d ventured into a part of the mansion that’s off limits to the public. I wasn’t snooping, but I couldn’t help myself. There was a portrait in one of the closed rooms of a young woman who looked so much like me that I thought someone had secretly painted me. I was so curious I had to ask about it and risk losing this incredible job. I wasn’t admonished  for going into the room. Instead, I was told me a history of the house that I hadn’t yet heard. The woman in the painting disappeared at about our ages. They never discovered what happened to her. I felt like I was caught in one of your favorite mystery novels.”

“It won’t be long now, dear cousin. I’m going to ask if you can stay here with me at the carriage house when you visit.

After rereading her letters and trying to figure out what was really going on behind her dramatic prose, I was shocked to get a live call from Lucy around midnight, less than a week after receiving her last letter. The phone woke me up. I answered in a groggy whisper, “Hello.”

At first, there was no reply, and I was about to hang up when I heard Lucy’s whispered voice. “Mary, help me. Come quick. Please hurry.”

I was fully awake now. “Lucy, is that you? What’s wrong?”

There was a click and then a dial tone. “Lucy,” I said louder into the phone, but she was gone. I didn’t realize at that point how gone she really was.




Debbie De Louise is an award-winning author and a retired reference librarian. She is a member of Sisters-in-Crime, International Thriller Writers, the Cat Writers’ Association, and the South Carolina Writers Association. She’s written over twenty books including three cozy mystery series: the Cobble Cove Mysteries, Buttercup Bend Mysteries, and her new series, Soup the Supernatural Kitten Mysteries. She’s also written a paranormal romance, standalone mysteries, a time-travel novel, and a collection of cat poems. Her stories and poetry appear in more than a dozen anthologies. Originally from Long Island, she moved to South Carolina where she now lives with her husband, daughter, and three cats. Learn more about Debbie and her books by visiting her website at https://debbiedelouise.com.

The Bric-a-Brac of Mickey Mack

 

Poetry /Comedy Satire Gift Rhyme Millennial Humor 

Silverstein Memory

Date Published: 04-15-2026

Publisher: The Tink and Tank Press



A wry poetry collection that captures the jarring sink-or-swim leap into adulthood. This book honors the limbo of exiting youth, a unique period where responsibility suddenly smashes the youthful optimist, crushing it under the crippling weight of adulthood. Twenty-somethings scatter across life’s spectrum with some jobless and couch-surfing, while others marry, become parents, and buy a house. Everyone eventually finds themselves old enough to fight in foreign wars but too young to rent a car. It’s the fast, brutal shift to an unguarded world, to bowling without bumpers. You’ve entered a chaotic soup of competing ambitions and subterfuge, where one hand offers help while the other conceals a knife. You’re expected to be an adult without ever having been one, like seeing the ocean from afar and suddenly wrestling its waves. This book highlights the inevitable sense of crushing defeat and loss, but reveals the importance of laughing anyway. After all, life is a game of avoiding the consequences of your own actions. The Bric-a-Brac of Mickey Mack will hand you a mirror and dare you to laugh at its reflection.


Excerpt

I sat across from him, he had a twisted distant gaze while he wracked his mind and grappled with a foolish phrase which was written on a note and shuffled in a mess of junk atop a desk ensconced in filth, no doubt the man was drunk. His name was Mickey Mack, both laser focused and aloof, fenced in by Bric-a-Brac unpacked and stacked up to the roof. A product of his times, so wise, yet dumber than a door. A man of vast experience and yet he’s such a bore. He’d traveled ’round the world and been to many foreign lands to simply say he had, to sit and sulk, his only plans. For “that’s what people do,” he’d say, “they travel to enjoy the petty world and what it offers every girl and boy.” Despite the fact that Mr. Mack had traveled far and wide he would do what’s done at home and find a bar to sit inside. And there, while many past him by, bemoaning life itself, it tortured Mickey for he couldn’t help but see himself. He realized now that time is gone, and that’s the way it is, and he, while living other people’s lives, had wasted his. And as a way, as best he could, expel the toxic bile, he has compiled every groan and gripe within a file. And written down, at last, now put together in a book the crying whines of all he heard from all the trips he took. A vapid, superficial twit, he sobered up somehow, and Mickey Mack looked up at me behind a furrowed brow, and as he squinted, leaning closer straining hard to see, He was looking in a mirror, for the hopeless fool was me.

 

 

About the Author


Mickey Mack is a world-weary traveler and obsessive collector of life’s absurd talismans and trinkets. After years of eavesdropping on bar-stool confessions around the globe, he distills the Suffering Olympics of modern adulthood into witty, rhythmic heroic couplets.


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Sasq’et

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Historical Fiction / Mythology

Date Published: ‎April 7, 2026

Publisher: ‎ Manhattan Book Group



IN 1939, A DEADLY CONFRONTATION IN THE CANADIAN WILDERNESS shatters young Albert Pingree’s life and leaves him the keeper of a truth so staggering it could tear apart mankind’s understanding of itself. Sixty years later, his granddaughter Mallory – a small-town veterinarian in rural New Hampshire, inherits more than his fortune; she inherits his secret. When Albert is found dead behind his remote British Columbia cabin, Mallory is drawn into a world of deception, lost identity, and scientific obsession. Inside a locked candle box, she uncovers a horrific relic – a severed hand too large to be human – and a note that beckons her toward the impossible.

Mallory recruits Dr. George Avery, the world’s leading field zoologist to help her identify what she has found. At first, he is reluctant, unaware of the magnitude of what she has brought to him. As the puzzle begins to take shape, he is confronted by what the answers they find, reveal.

Exploring deeper, their growing affection ignites a sense of purpose, even as they face the shadows of the past and the dangers of their pursuit. In the haunting wilds of the Pacific Northwest, nature’s grandeur and brutality are ever-present. Tangled forests and untamed rivers, bears, wolves, and the ancient reverence of Indigenous traditions surround them, blurring the lines between myth and reality. Their quest becomes a journey not only to solve a mystery, but to reconcile love, loneliness, and the immortal question of our place in a world still ruled by secrets.


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About the Author


Maxim Langstaff is a Grammy-and Emmy-nominated writer, producer, and author whose creative and editorial work has reached millions of people worldwide. He is recognized for his innovative vision and exceptional versatility and reach, crafting narratives that reflect powerful insight into the natural world and our relationship to it.

His debut novel, SASQ’ET will be released on April 7, 2026.

Max holds an honorary doctorate from Connecticut College and a degree in Anthropology. He is a member of The Writer’s Guild and past participant at the Breadloaf Writer’s Conference. His editorial and creative writing has been published by The New York Times, Philadelphia Enquirer, Gannett, Wildlife Conservation Magazine, PBS, Disney, and the Wildlife Conservation Society.

Max produced the multi-media Making of Sgt. Pepper with Sir George Martin, featuring Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, George Harrison and Phil Collins.

He wrote and produced the most complete filmed history of the Beatles through the eyes of Sir George who signed them, produced their work, and played on many of their recordings. A part Max’s film became the award-winning PBS series Soundbreaking.

Many of the greatest pop culture icons of the 20th century have collaborated with Max on projects he has created, written, and produced including Herbie Hancock, Brian Wilson, Elton John, Joni Mitchell, B.B. King, Tony Bennett, Vince Gill, Burt Bacharach, Bonnie Raitt, Mark Knopfler, Michael Tilson Thomas, Gordon Lightfoot, Smokey Robinson, Jack White, Dave Grohl, Run-DMC, and Willie Nelson. A more complete listing of artists he has worked with can be found at: http://www.maximlangstaff.com

Known for his work with John Denver, Max created and produced the acclaimed television event, the Wildlife Concert, spawning the highest rated music program in cable TV history upon broadcast, two multi-platinum CD sets, and one of the best-selling music video programs ever released by SONY.

Working with the Wildlife Conservation Society, Max helped lead the largest fundraising effort ($100mm) ever undertaken for wildlife conservation, seeding the first integrated global conservation initiative to save endangered tigers.

On any given day you will likely find him on a wilderness river or mountain trail. A three-time Boston Marathoner, he lives in North Carolina. SASQ’ET is his first novel.


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