January 13, 2026 – M.C.V. EGAN ❧Defining Ways❧

Painter of the Revolution

Historical Fiction

Date Published: January 13, 2026

Publisher: Acorn Publishing

In a world where women are seen but rarely heard, Adélaïde Labille-Guiard refuses to be silenced.

The daughter of Parisian shopkeepers, Adélaïde dreams not of marriage or titles but of earning a place among the masters of French art. With Queen Marie Antoinette on the throne and a spirit of change in the air, anything seems possible. But as revolution brews and powerful forces conspire to deny her success, Adélaïde faces an impossible choice: protect her life—or fight for a legacy that will outlast her.

Inspired by the true story of one of the first women admitted to the Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpture, Adélaïde: Painter of the Revolution is a sweeping, evocative portrait of ambition, courage, and resilience in the face of history’s fiercest storm.

About the Author

Janell Strube makes a mean barbecue sauce. She’s also a world traveler, a baker, and a bicyclist. But when she writes, her identity as an adoptee often steers her attention to topics of alienation, erased history, and displacement.

In 2024, a personal essay of hers was published in the anthology Adoption and Suicidality. Her work has also appeared in Shaking the Tree: brazen. short. memoir and A Year in Ink. Her short memoir, “Taking my Blonde Daughter to a Black Lives Matter Rally,” was selected for the 2020 San Diego Memoir Showcase, an annual live storytelling event.

While much of her writing is personal, she enjoys the freedom that comes with crafting fiction. Her desire to learn about forgotten female artists who shaped the French revolutionary period motivated her to write Adélaïde: Painter of the Revolution.

When not crunching numbers as a tax executive for a hotel chain, she can be found hanging out with Shiloh the Wheaten and plotting her second book.

Contact Links

Purchase Links

https://kingsumo.com/js/embed.js

Book 2 of The Sea Hawkes Chronicles

Historical Fiction/Nautical Fiction
Date Published: April 1, 2026.
Publisher: Acorn Publishing

Fueled by the murder of his wife at the hands of British soldiers, American privateer Captain Jonas Hawke is determined to make Britain pay.

Grief-stricken and filled with fury, Jonas delves deeper into war, accompanied by a personal vendetta and his loyal crew. During a brutal raid on a port city, one of his men crosses an unthinkable line, forcing Jonas to reckon with his distorted definition of vengeance.

Concerned that his wrath will bring irreparable harm to the cause for America’s freedom, Jonas grapples with his role as a soldier and as a man. When he learns the Royal Navy is tracking his ship, he fears his deadly decisions may have cost him everything. It’s too late to turn back now. Instead, he must continue to face the inevitable perils of war.

Action-packed and rich with authentic historical detail, Perilous Shores is a gripping tale of revenge, survival, and the relentless pursuit of justice.

About the Author

Thomas M. Wing, a Naval Academy and Naval War College graduate, retired after thirty-two years as a Navy Surface Warfare officer. A dedicated sailor for half a century, he created the Continental Navy Foundation, served as its executive director, and commanded its brigantine, Megan D.

Tom’s first novel, Against All Enemies, earned gold medals from the Military Writers Society of America and Literary Titan. In Harm’s Way, the first in the Sea Hawkes Chronicles series has also garnered several awards.

He resides in Brooklyn, New York, with his wife and daughter and a cat and a dog. Whatever free time he has is still spent on the water.

For more about the author and to follow his blog about nautical and naval trivia, visit his website ThomasMWing.com.

Contact Links