Month: September 2024

 Memoir / Humor / Essays

Date Published: November 16, 2022

Bobby Evers never takes himself—or the world—too seriously. Death and Ham: Life is a Real Trip offers twenty-three new essays that weave together the funny and tender aspects of life, death, and the world around him. The flair for storytelling that Evers premiered in his first book (Shoes and Cheese: The Boonetown Chronicles) is alive and well in this follow-up that travels beyond Boonetown, a journey full of interesting people and heart-felt discoveries. He even lets the reader glimpse his own apprehensions about turning sixty—while also revealing that he’s not too worried about not being the most tech-savvy one at the office. Meet some of his favorite people, and some of the most outlandish people he’s ever met. Death and Ham is a fun, wacky, sometimes-nostalgic journey that may leave you a little wistful for the past, and will surely lend you some laughs for your days ahead.

About the Author

Bobby Evers is a life-long Tennessean, a theater enthusiast, and avid traveler. Being a keen people-watcher, he has always been a storyteller, and now he brings those stories to the page in his first book. He has worked in the construction business, and as an interior designer and architectural consultant for over thirty-five years.

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The Woman, The Writer, The Clues

by Steve Weitzenkorn

Genre: Historical Fiction  

 Did a shunned Jewish woman of color write many of Shakespeare’s plays?

A young woman seals a secret pact with Shakespeare bringing her plays into the world but the acclaim to him, yet she embeds subtle clues pointing to her authorship and imperiling her life.

Shakespeare’s Conspirator

The Woman, The Writer, The Clues

by Steve Weitzenkorn

Genre: Historical Fiction  

 Brimming with intrigue, SHAKESPEARE’S CONSPIRATOR shatters beliefs about the world’s greatest playwright. Did he really write the thirty-seven plays credited to him?

It’s 1587. Shakespeare is struggling to launch his career. Finally he persuades James Burbage, a theater owner, to stage Henry VI. He’s the same proprietor who refused to look at Amelia Bassano’s comedic script. Infuriated after being blocked at every turn, she reluctantly seals a secret pact with Shakespeare.

So begins a fiery relationship that triggers suspicions, plots to expose them, and grave dangers.Craving recognition and ways to break through, Amelia pursues illicit relationships with Elizabethan luminaries while becoming a controversial advocate for women.

Scandals and complications follow as her life takes dreadful turns. When Shakespeare pressures her to write a soul-tormenting script, she fears being exposed as a hidden Jew, a felony in Elizabethan England. Undeterred, she embeds hints to her authorship and true identity in Shakespeare’s plays. But not everyone is deceived.

In this captivating story, the web of secrets and trail of clues reveals a perilous and cloaked Shakespearean world.

REVIEWERS HAVE CALLED SHAKESPEARE’S CONSPIRATOR: 

“A STUNNING ACHIEVEMENT.”

“A MUST READ ON THE TRUE AUTHORSHIP OF SOME OF SHAKESPEARE’S GREATEST WORK.”

“AN HISTORICAL WHO-WROTE-IT,” “ENTHRALLING,” “LOVINGLY RESEARCHED.“

“A TRIBUTE TO A STRONG AND CREATIVE JEWISH WOMAN.”

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 I write historical fiction that challenges assumptions and provides fresh insights into the events of prior centuries, legendary figures, and people overlooked in the sweep of time. My first novel, Shakespeare’s Conspirator, has been optioned by a celebrity-owned production company in LA. It imagines the life of Emilia Bassano Lanyer, a real woman who may have written several plays attributed to Shakespeare. I’ve also written a prequel and sequel that delves in to the Shakespeare authorship mystery. With any luck, all may be coming to a screen near you.

My writing journey began as I was winding down my career as an organizational behavior consultant and co-authored a book on teamwork and leadership. As an avid reader, I became intrigued by curious fact patterns inconsistent with commonly-held beliefs, that I, like many others, assumed were true. When I realized the logic of those assumptions did not always hold up to close scrutiny, and experts had dug trenches around their own theories, I launched into my own research. Fascinating stories emerged and my imagination took over.

Since most people don’t read academic material, I reasoned that a compelling way to convey the evidence and challenge beliefs was to depict real and fictional characters dropping the bread crumbs, or following them, in reality-based historical fiction. In my novels, characters uncover and discuss clues through intriguing plots that track with historical chronologies—allowing readers to form their own conclusions.

My most recent published novel delves into the Spanish Inquisition, the trauma it created, and the life-changing decisions it triggered. Two other historical novels are in the pipeline. In one, the protagonist discovers her family’s hidden past while alternate chapters track her ancestor’s journey over hundreds of years.

I have also co-authored two non-fiction books: The Catalyst Effect: 12 Skills to Boost Your Impact and Elevate Team Performance and Find-Fulfill-Flourish about discovering one’s purpose.

I have a dry sense of humor along with a Ph.D. in Human Learning and Organizational Behavior. I’ve been honored with the William C. Byham Award for Innovation and Excellence in Training Technology and the Henkel Award for Global HR Excellence. I have served on the boards of nonprofit organizations and as president of two. I enjoy mentoring, teaching, presenting, volunteering, and learning in any way possible.

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The Colton Fen Series Book 1

by Marlena Frank

Genre: Paranormal Weird Western

Deep beneath the desert town of Peridot, something evil lurks. 

The Man Who Dealt in Death

The Colton Fen Series Book 1

by Marlena Frank

Genre: Paranormal Weird Western

Deep beneath the desert town of Peridot, something evil lurks.

Werewolf detective Colton Fen is used to strange mysteries, but when he arrives in Peridot on his latest assignment, he’s less than pleased to be assigned a partner. Rennick Dalton is a blood-drinking, illusion-wielding card shark who doesn’t have the best reputation. The two unlikely partners will have to put aside their differences if they hope to stop the horrible acts taking place beneath the streets of Peridot.

Together with the help of sharp-shooting actress Mary Silva, they’ll track the demonic creature that slithers beneath the desert. But the demon is waiting for them. It wants to turn them into one of its many disturbing minions — or add them to its grotesque collection.

Step into a dangerous and fantastic world set in the old west of 1893, where supernatural creatures and unexplainables live alongside cowboys and gunslingers. THE MAN WHO DEALT IN DEATH is Book One of the COLTON FEN series.

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Marlena Frank is the author of young adult fantasy and horror novels, short stories, novellas, and book series. Many of her books have hit the bestseller charts, including her debut novel, Stolen. Readers’ Favorite has praised several of her books with 5-star reviews. Reader’s House awarded her book, The Seeking, with the Editor’s Choice Award of Literary Excellence in May 2024. De Mode of Literature Magazine featured her in November 2021. Her stories have appeared in anthologies such as The Darkest Lullaby, Emporium of Superstition, Heroic Fantasy Quarterly, Georgia Gothic, and The Librarian Reshelved.

Although born in Tennessee, Marlena has spent most of her life in Georgia. She has various professional memberships, including the Atlanta chapter of the Horror Writers Association and the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association. She enjoys cosplaying, gaming, and spoiling her adopted cats. Her drink of choice is a dairy-free chai latte. As a wildlife enthusiast, she can share a plethora of weird animal facts and talk about her favorite cryptids.

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The Island of Angels Book One

by Justin Newland

Genre: Historical Fiction

 THE MARK OF THE SALAMANDER is the first in The Island of Angels series: a two-book saga that tells the epic story and secret history of England’s coming of age during the Elizabethan era.

The Mark of the Salamander

The Island of Angels Book One

by Justin Newland

Genre: Historical Fiction

  

1575: Nelan Michaels is a young Flemish man fleeing religious persecution in the Spanish Netherlands. Settling in Mortlake outside London, he studies under Queen Elizabeth’s court astrologer, conjuring a bright future – until he’s wrongly accused of murder. Forced into the life of a fugitive, Nelan is dramatically pressed into the crew of the Golden Hind.

Thrust into a strange new world on board Francis Drake’s vessel, Nelan sails the seas on a voyage to discover discovery itself. Encountering mutiny, ancient tribes and hordes of treasure, Nelan must explore and master his own mystical powers – including the Mark of the Salamander, the mysterious spirit of fire.

The Mark of the Salamander is the first in The Island of Angels series: a two-book saga that tells the epic story and secret history of England’s coming of age during the Elizabethan era.

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by D.T. Rossi

 Children’s Book

Date Published: July 24, 2024

Dive into D.T. Rossi’s enchanting tale, “Why The Fisherman Fished,” where a little boy’s big discovery unfolds with heartwarming charm. 

Each day, the boy eagerly awaits The Fisherman’s return, hoping to marvel at his fascinating catches. Instead, the boy is captivated by wild and enchanting tales of the sea. One magical day, after witnessing a spectacular catch! 

The boy realizes that true joy lies in the journey and experiences along the way. Rossi masterfully captures the profound happiness that comes from doing what we love, celebrating the beauty of the moment and the deeper fulfillment beyond immediate rewards. A wonderfully crafted gem, this book leaves a lasting impression on both young hearts and grown-up souls.

Excerpt

In a small seaside village, where the salty breeze kissed the air and the waves tumbled shells ashore, there lived a curious little boy. Every day, he would watch in wonder as The Fisherman took his boat out to sea. And everyday, his mind raced, imagining the different types of fish the Fisherman caught.

Maybe some were big!

Maybe some were strange!

Maybe some were colorful!

One beautiful day, the boy’s curiosity got the best of him. He decided to meet The Fisherman on shore as he returned from his fishing trip…

About the Author

D.T. here. A children’s book author seeking peace in chaos, finding beauty in the grind.

Writing, cooking, comedy—they’re my air.

Aquariums, homesteading—my grounding forces.

Sneakers, RC cars—my guilty pleasures.

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by Judy Haveson

Judy Haveson always believed she would one day “have it all.” Then she turned forty and wondered if she had waited too long. After countless failed first dates and fewer second ones, she finally found love, got married, and became a mother at forty-three.

Oldest Mom on the Playground is a collection of relatable, heartwarming, and humorous essays. Written in her signature conversational style and with a touch of sarcasm, Judy takes readers on her journey of getting pregnant after forty (and delivering the baby during a full moon), raising a child in New York City (including the time she lost him in a grocery store and found him standing on Broadway), leaving the career she spent decades building to volunteer as a preschool class rep, to becoming a card-carrying member of the sandwich generation.

Judy offers no parenting advice, only personal reflection. And she takes nothing in her life for granted. Her message to other midlife mamas is this: trust your gut, let your life experience guide you, and pray no one ever mistakes you for the grandmother.

About the Author

Judy Haveson is the award-winning author of Laugh Cry Rewind—A Memoir. She is known for her sarcastic humor and enjoys sharing stories about her life experiences and observations. Her fascination with storytelling comes from her decades-long career in public relations. Judy once had a boss tell her that there are two types of people: those who know and those who want to know. That boss fired her, but his words became a valuable lesson to always aim to be the one who knows. Judy lives in Hampton Bays, NY, with her husband, Adam, son, Jack, and adorable Yorkie, Toby.

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by Megan Derr

Genre: Fantasy Romance 

Lily of the Valley

by Megan Derr

Genre: Fantasy Romance  

  

 Lily is the first crown princess her kingdom has ever had, and many look forward to having a queen on the throne someday. Others are vehemently against it, and the anger stirred up by dramatic and severe changes to certain laws is causing even more turmoil.

When that tension finally explodes, Lily finds herself running for her life, forced to leave behind everything she knows and plunge blindly into the dense, dangerous forest that surrounds the royal palace. A forest said to be filled with ancient ruins, monsters, and ghosts who laugh at unwary travelers.

Instead of finding monsters and ghosts, Lily is found by a woodcutter, gruff and quiet and clearly not pleased to be saddled with an uninvited guest who doesn’t even know how to fetch water from a well. But Lily has nowhere else to go, and no way of getting home safely, not when there are people still looking to remove her head.

If she hopes to live long enough to claim her throne, she must first prove her worth to the woman who can’t wait to be rid of her.

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by Teresa Trent

 Cozy Mystery

Date Published: 9/24/24

Publisher: Harbor Lane Books

Artist Gabby Wolfe has the ability to see not only the beauty of the living but the despair of the dead. When she returns to her childhood home in Henry Park Colorado, she is forced to bring along her younger brother Mitch. He is on a “break” from college where he was majoring in wine, women, and song. If that isn’t enough they also have Mitch’s rambunctious beagle Luigi along who prefers to spend his days wallowing in junk food. When Gabby draws the death of a young woman before it happens, she knows she must tell someone and risk a new job and her professional credibility. Will she reveal her secret in time to save the woman in the water or will it be too late?

About the Author

Teresa Trent was part of a military family, so lived all over, with her family finally settling in Colorado. She writes several mystery series and is the host of the podcast, Books to the Ceiling. Teresa lives in Houston, Texas with her husband and son.

Publisher Social Media – @HarborLaneBooks

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