General-Literary-Historical-Womens Fiction

Jake McCallum was a deputy sheriff in rural Beecham County, West Virginia until he was wrongfully convicted and sentenced to federal prison. Adding insult to injury, Jake's best friend accused him of committing adultery with his wife. After having lost everything, including his will to live, Jake attempts to commit suicide, but his enemies interupt him in the act by trying to kill him. In prison Jake befriends a preacher who prophesies that the Holy Ghost, conceived by a virgin, like Jesus, has come into the world. At the preacher's behest, Jake takes on the quest to find the Holy Ghost incarnate, most likely a boy under the age of twelve. The pages of Incarnate, The Third Entity, chronicle one man's sacrifice in defense of a little girl, his battle against enemies both natural and unnatural and his bizarre discovery of the origin of the boy he suspects is the Holy Ghost incarnate.

One life ended in tragedy. Another challenged by a promise. Will a teen’s twenty-year journey to make his dad proud change him into the man he’s meant to be? In 1966, Jim Pepperman comes home from practice to the news that his dad has died in an oil rig accident. Not only has the high school football star lost his mentor and best friend, but when his mom moves the family from Texas to New Jersey, he’s forced to say goodbye to his home, his team, and his chance for a football scholarship. Facing senior year in a new school with no friends, Jim struggles to keep the promise he made after his dad died to be a substitute father for his two younger sisters and a shoulder for his mom. But stepping into his dad’s shoes at seventeen feels impossible, the same way giving up the dream to play pro ball is harder than Jim thought. And senior year is just the beginning.

My enemies wish they had never met me, and women wish they could forget me. I'm busy carving a name for myself in the mafia underworld, and I don't have time for the women who chase after me and wanna tie me down. They can get in line for the wildest f*ck of their lives and then they can get lost. I trusted the Sanatores and they ran their mouths. Six years in jail was a long time to plan my revenge, and now nobody will stop me from getting the payback I deserve. Not the bastards who are out to kill me, not the women who want to find out if the rumors about the size of my... ego are true. Nobody. Until I set eyes on her. Callie’s running from her filthy-rich, abusive, ex fiancé, and he’s not letting her go without a fight. She wants a new life and the last thing she needs is me in it, but I’ve never let that stop me before. I shouldn’t have touched her. I knew a woman like her would cause me trouble. But I couldn’t resist. One taste and I’m addicted. Her ex wants to get her back and my enemies want to use her to hurt me. F**k that. Anyone who wants to come between us better bring a body bag. She’s MINE. This is a standalone, full-length mafia romance with a filthy-mouthed, possessive bad boy. Happily ever after guaranteed.

A GRIPPING PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER Can a psychologist, still grieving the loss of her husband, save a traumatized war veteran who is planning his own death? Stories Untold explores the devastation of loss, the struggle to find meaning in life, and the enduring power of love that transcends boundaries between past and future. They’re both strong and fearless, determined, relentless. He’s a decorated war veteran and he wants to die. She’s a prominent psychologist and she won’t give up on him. When a suicidal client seeks her help, Dr. Angela Blackwell cannot turn him away, despite the fact that he isn’t seeking the kind of help she normally provides her clients. The man, who won’t fully identify himself, wants the distinguished psychologist to stand witness after his planned death in six months’ time, ensuring his wife will not be charged as an accessory or be hindered from collecting the death benefit he carefully provisioned for her. He calls himself DJ and won’t willingly share anything about his past. As Dr. Blackwell is struggling to reconstruct her own life after the loss of her husband, she recognizes his unusual request as a subconscious cry for help and embarks on a relentless effort to guide the reluctant stranger in uncovering the trauma that has permanently altered the course of his existence. Playing a deck of cards stacked high against her and rushing against time, she has no other option but to intervene, pushing the ethical boundaries of the therapist-client rela ...

Though they hail from backgrounds that are worlds apart, it only takes one fateful accident to rearrange their priorities and set them on roads that intersect, forcing them to acknowledge the relationships they can’t do without. Elder Paige Morganson has worked hard to overcome the anger, hate, and abuse of her past; Mason Jenson is a self-made man who has been able to create his own fortune and build a home life with his wife and child void of God’s help…so he thinks. Elder Brandon Tatum’s, new in town, has prided himself on not making a move until he’s heard God; Victoria Branchett has ruthlessly survived the death of her only daughter by fierce determination, but is the strength she has relied on enough to see her through a failing marriage and an ailing grandchild? This novel merges colorful characters facing one untimely circumstance after another, and mixes in a serious spin on how one views God, both inside and outside of His will. Of course, this is just the beginning. More people emerge from behind the scenes; some to help and others, to hurt. With everything happening simultaneously, one would almost question if God is able to truly fix and heal everything, and the readers will see just how far each person's faith (or lack thereof) will carry them. As they sift through the debris of past dreams and hopes left by the wayside, they are offered a lifeline and given an opportunity to receive God’s Beauty for their ashes. My Beauty For Your Ashes is the first book in the ...

Librarian Janet Johnson is puzzled when she is invited—and practically dragged—to her first meeting of the Rejected Writers’ Book Club. This quirky group of women would much rather celebrate one another’s rejected manuscripts over cups of tea and slices of lemon cake than actually publish a book. But good friends are exactly what Janet needs after moving to the small town of Southlea Bay, Washington. Just as the ladies are about to raise a teacup to their five hundredth rejection letter, they receive bad news that could destroy one member’s reputation—and disband the group forever. To save the club, Janet joins her fellow writers on a wild road trip to San Francisco in search of the local publisher who holds the key to a long-buried secret. As they race to the finish line, they’ll face their fears—landslides, haunted houses, handsome strangers, ungrateful children—and have the time of their lives.

Burned by his faith. Abandoned by his family. Coming out was nothing compared to finding forgiveness…

Lawrence Greene churns with bitterness. Regretting his dead-end job and excruciating love life, he’s exhausted by the world tearing him down. And when his religious mother returns begging for reconciliation, he’s torn apart by resentment and his own need to heal.

With his estranged family’s proximity dragging up memories of his painful revelation of being gay, Lawrence escapes to his anti-church group sanctuary. But when a better future finally comes knocking in the form of Hakee Mitchell, a sexy and good-hearted man, Lawrence must bare all to claim true absolution.

Will Lawrence let go of his grief and put a firm grip on a fresh start? The Freed Church Boy is a stirring LGBT contemporary fiction novel. If you like complex characters, heart-rending conflict, and new beginnings, then you’ll adore Lloyd Johnson’s powerful tale.

American suburbs are populated with mostly white and wealthy residents, white picket fences, and children preparing themselves for corporate positions at Ivy-league schools. Connecticut certainly fits this profile, as it is often cited as a state with the densest concentration of wealth in the USA. But labels or hashtags can be misleading, especially in an age when voices tend to congregate in separate choirs. If one takes the time to listen, there are interesting personalities who may miss the color in their own lives in pursuit of “something better.” Here, I have fused a series of short stories about fictional characters in a Connecticut town, liberally sprinkled with historical anecdotes of “locals who made good,” to illustrate how mundane situations can be elevated to the realm of common human experiences, if one appreciated life. An older man fulfills his midlife crisis with a Porsche. A couple, Jack and Jill, are caught up in a relationship tango of misunderstandings. A first-generation immigrant works long hours, with many disappointments, while yearning for a Disney-like version of his former homeland. These are the quirky and ultimately enduring stories of a few normal voices that often remain mute in today’s America.

New York City, 1975: Decent-hearted but spoiled Jewish college kid Ben Steiner is naively possessed by an overwhelming desire to be cool. At a springtime party on the night of his twenty-first birthday, he meets two people: Rebecca Glaser, the longed-for sweet girl of his dreams, and P.T. Deighland, a beguilingly knavish wiseacre from Princeton. Seduced by Deighland's cocksure irreverence while simultaneously succumbing to his own temptations, Ben makes a cascading series of unfortunate choices which not only threaten his budding relationship with Rebecca, but expose him to ruin at the hands of a ravishing but ruthless fashion model named Anthea Montague. Against the background of a vanished period in American history, STAINER offers a bittersweet nostalgic trip back to a less complex world, during a time of incautious excesses that, while deceptively fun and carefree, in due course forced many unwary youngsters like Benjamin Steiner to learn some necessary -albeit painful- lessons about growing up. "The author is an excellent storyteller and has crafted an easy-to-read novel... The way Ms. Woulff captured the decade of the 1970s, through descriptions of fashion, speech, and other details, is amazing... This is truly a gem!" - Deborah Lloyd, Readers' Favorite

Author, illustrator and humanist thinker Jeff Stilwell takes us on a journey that begins in ancient history, in the land of Ur, where God making was all the rage. Pursuing that thread through the Abrahamic religions of Judaism, Christianity and Islam to the present day, we discover that we don't need to make up gods to explain things anymore. Since we all come accessorized with an expiration date, Stilwell encourages us all to make the most of this life we have to live, here and now. Starring Stilwell's freethinking alter-ego Thrashin' Jack and his friend Lotus, Here and Now features over one hundred delightful and charming comics illuminating the story.

#1 Best Seller in Teen & Young Adult Poetry eBooks, Amazon, Sept. 2019 #1 Best Seller in Poetry About Death, Amazon, Sept. 2019 #1 New Release in Poetry About Love, Amazon, Sept. 2019 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "With the style of E. E. Cummings, George Stumpf expresses what we have all experienced" "Beautiful, thought provoking, stirring. A very talented writer" "The true, RAW, emotions in each piece reach down into the soul and cause a welling up of past experiences and remembrances that allow the reader to thoroughly relate to the author." MELTING ~ THE ACHE OF THE HEART, THE BREATH OF THE SOUL is a poetry book exposing humanity's insecurities, regrets, desires and the hope that never fades. The author, George Stumpf has written this over two decades of happiness and despair and, like Rupi Kaur's Milk and Honey, even uses prose writing to touch the core of the agony and ecstasy many people feel. Each poem will take you on a journey and inspire you to explore your emotional intelligence!  The MELTING poem book is ultimately about hope and is divided into three chapters, each serving a different purpose. CHAPTER 1 – SPLINTERED When bad things happen, like heartbreak in a relationship or the loss of someone we love, they begin to weigh on us. Our emotional being doesn’t feel whole anymore. The depth of pain and hurt we feel when this happens can be debilitating and extremely difficult to overcome. MELTIN ...

Beth Kincaid left her hot temper and unhappy childhood behind and created a life in the city free from untidy emotionalism, but even a tidy life has danger, especially when it falls apart. In the midst of her personal disasters, Beth is called back to her hometown of Preston, a small town in southwestern Virginia, to settle her guardian’s estate. There, she runs smack into the mess she’d left behind a decade earlier: her alcoholic father, the long-ago sweetheart, Michael, and the poor opinion of almost everyone in town. As she sorts through her guardian’s possessions, Beth discovers that the woman who saved her and raised her had secrets, and the truths revealed begin to chip away at her self-imposed control. Michael is warmly attentive and Stephen, her ex-fiancé, follows her to Preston to win her back, but it is the man she doesn’t know who could forever end Beth’s chance to build a better, truer life.

Good Enough, explores classic barriers to love - barriers such as class, family obligations and skillfully disguised insecurities. The two protagonists, Camisha Ann Robbins and Lennox Ali Robinson are two seemingly unmatched lovers who discover who they truly are through their love for one another, with the vibrant city of Atlanta, Georgia as their backdrop.

Whenever You're Ready tells the story of Dyana Jackson, who never thought the impromptu performance at her brother’s wedding would turn into an opportunity to sing professionally. And she never thought accepting would cause problems within her marriage. Somehow, she has to decide between living out her long-buried dream, or giving into the demands of those she loves most. It's What We Do features Layla Blue, who has always had one goal. Use her gymnastic skills to earn a college scholarship. But somehow, she finds herself a member of her new school’s cheerleading team. And dating the quarterback. Will she thrive in her new situation, or will the longing for her old life ruin what she’s found?

Ever since the act of disobedience, man has been at constant war with his greatest adversary, his EGO. The more he gives in to his ego, the farther he gets from his divine self. His materialistic motives, quest for power and gross indifference alienate and isolate him. Enslaved by ego, the man delights in false pride, falser glory and falsest security. The quest never ends. The thirst is never quenched. Mind remains pre-occupied. The heart seethes in turmoil. Cold reason clouds wisdom and the human birth crave for justification. Yet, the benevolent lord has a master plan. We are all endowed with his kingdom within. The moment we begin our journey inwards, the mist begins to disappear. Infinite wisdom dawns. All noise cease and calmness seeps in. Real joy springs from the heart leading to peace, harmony and poise. All it takes is just a pause and a peep within. Each poem contains a story in itself and will take you deeper and nearer to your real and the conscious soul.

On the Steps of St. Dymphna tells a story of transformation. John, a normal cubicle slave with a bland and ordinary life, is transformed by an enlightenment experience. Or, did he just go crazy? He’s not really sure, but either way, he becomes a dramatically different person. From bored support representative at GMC Megatronics, he transforms himself into Pastor John, a flamboyant free spirit spouting spiritual nostrums and intent on not only radically transforming his own life, but bringing joy and purpose to the lives of others. To this end, he joins forces with a rag-tag group of homeless and starts The New Life Church of the Godhead of the Bed, so named for the locus of his awakening — an ordinary bed. John and his following set their sights on St. Dymphna’s House of Hope, a local sanitarium ran by the authoritarian Big Mama, where they attempt to help the needy and comfort the afflicted. They face numerous obstacles that threaten to derail their mission, but with the help of a local religious radio station and a large group of feisty supporters, they persevere and ultimately triumph. For a while. Steps explores the emptiness of modern life and the desperate lengths necessary to live a life of purpose. It deals with themes of spirituality, alienation, faith and compassion. It is truly a tale for modern times.

"Money isn't everything, unless you don't have any', -Justin Wolfe The party in power has revised the Constitution so that Harold Spade might secure a third consecutive term as president. Supported by his political protégé Amy Billings, a New York media mogul searches desperately for a candidate to depose Spade. Meanwhile, self-made billionaire Justin Wolfe sets out on a tour to promote The Big Solution, his book that outlines a simple economic platform that would turn a corrupt system on its head. Despite the urging from his best friend, Federal Reserve Board hopeful Evan White, Wolfe has no intention of running for office. But when his ideas begin to catch fire with the masses, the two friends find themselves swept up in a presidential campaign that threatens not only their public standing but their very lives. "Our world is remarkably automated. Resources remain in abundant supply. And by most standard measures, the economy appears to be humming along. Life should be so simple. So prosperous. And yet the vast majority of people still aren't making a decent living. America's promise of equal opportunity has become a distant memory. But I, Justin Wolfe, have a plan to finally change the dynamics that have been holding this country back. Imagine a simple idea that could change the world forever. An idea that will deliver us from this economic train-wreck and prevent further hardships from falling on the shoulders of future generations. Shouldn't we get started?" - Justin Wolf ...

You can’t go back. So everyone says. But Mary is back in her old hometown. That’s because of two women she hasn’t seen for decades – one of them pushing her, the other holding back. A plum tree has gone, but a lemon tree thrives. The mystery surrounding the boat with painted eyes may never be solved, but if Ana returns too some things from the past can be recovered. Can’t they?

Telma confidently marches over the bridge of her life and then… Telma is an opinionated little girl who doesn’t quite fit into the world around her. She becomes a physics professor, happily married to Uri, a bridge engineer, whose life seems secure as the bridges her husband builds. However, the little girl is not quiet; she reflects on the successful adult life from her unique point of view. Gadi, a genius from Berkeley is attracted to Telma's distinctive view; he hopes he has found in Telma someone to lean on. An emotional-roller-coaster-like relationship develops between them. But Telma prefers the stable ground Uri has built for her. Can she pull together the pieces of herself and emerge whole? Yet bridges can collapse, and Uri is involved in a serious accident that crushes not only him but Telma’s entire world. When their lives become intertwined with those of Gadi and Yael, his beautiful wife, Uri’s story, revealed to her with brutal honesty, shreds Telma's life to pieces. Gradually, Telma reconstructs herself anew, forming a more inclusive, complete, and accurate picture. A picture in which there is no need to hide behind long black hair and one in which the little girl goes back to seeking out the emerging whole. But will she ever again find peace?

A novel is a marriage. A short story a love affair. Many prominent authors have been enthusiastic writers of short stories, describing them as the most disciplined and difficult form of prose writing. Short stories are "tiny windows into other worlds and other minds and other dreams," "journeys you can make to the far side of the universe and be back in time for dinner" [Neil Gaiman]", the way we live…what our friends tell us, in their pain and joy" [Andre Dubus];. Bronwyn Elsmore’s collection These Islands Here – Short Stories of the South Pacific, includes 32 fictional tales that present the varied facets of living in the South Pacific. Reviewers say: "the author has mastered the art of the short story"; "they all have one common factor – they are each beautifully crafted". Most have been published previously, several have won short story competitions. These Islands Here is available in print and as an ebook for Kindle.

Nothing Forgotten, Winner of Next Generation Indie Book Award. "An intricately layered, deeply heartfelt, and bittersweet novel," Starred Review, Booklist. "Delicious insights into Italian life," San Francisco Chronicle. When Anna is contacted by the Italian lover she knew decades before, she recalls their affair and the child she gave up for adoption. As the episode returns to haunt her—threatening the life she's built in California, including her marriage—the story moves back in time to her youth in Europe. Rome, 1979. Anna, twenty-two and living abroad, is involved with a man already engaged to be married. When she meets and befriends his fiancée, she is forced to confront the moral consequences of her actions. An unexpected pregnancy, an anonymous letter, and threatening relatives complicate the picture. Layered and provocative, Nothing Forgotten is the story of an unconventional heroine who is forced to reckon with the judgment of others—and find her own path.

They Called Him Marvin: A History of Love, War and Family by Roger Stark “They were the fathers we never knew, the uncles we never met, the friends who never returned, the heroes we can never repay. They gave us our world. And those simple sounds of freedom we hear today are their voices speaking to us across the years.” Bill Clinton Such a man was 1st Lt Dean Harold Sherman, B-29 Airplane Commander. “They Called Him Marvin” is a history. A history of war and of family. A history of the collision of the raging politics of a global war, young love, patriotism, sacred family commitments, duty and the horrors and tragedies, the catastrophe that war is. They Called Him Marvin by Roger Stark is a merger between American and Japanese events during WWII, and the very human reality of one American pilot and his love letters to his wife. The candor in their loving correspondence, and the stark reality of war, clash against each other within the pages of this book. Like the major and minor notes being pulled from an orchestra by a master conductor, history is brought to life and the full impact of war is felt.

2015 Rainbow Awards Finalist. When Carly Rosen is jilted on the eve of her wedding, she embarks on a startling journey of self-discovery. This gender-bending, risque retelling of the Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, set in sizzling West Hollywood, echoes the ancient story of the lovers in the Underworld. What do you do when the love of your life has eloped with another woman on the eve of your wedding? The other woman is a famous beauty named Anna Garibaldi, and their love story is splashed all over the tabloids, making you die inside. To add insult to injury, the one who has abandoned you dies unexpectedly, having left you a cryptic text message suggesting that you were always the one and only. Where do you go from here for solace, for justice? If you are Carly Rosen, a portrait artist with huge imagination, you use your art to charm your way into the life and inner circle of the alluring Anna Garibaldi, whose seductive and secretive underworld is nothing you could have expected. You say goodbye to life as you know it and take a breathless ride down to the depths of the Land of the Dead, to where passions and dangers await you and nothing is as it seems. Don't forget a coin for the ferryman. Bon Voyage!

Annie Campbell has made a good life for her young son in the mountain town of Tidal Falls. She's dating the sheriff, owns a successful business, and has the support of the community.  So why isn't it quite enough?  Jared Martin left Tidal Falls a hotheaded youth. Eight years in the military has turned him into a cynical, disillusioned man.  Then he returns home and finds out he's a father.  When an old enemy follows and causes mayhem in the small town, can Jared overcome the odds to protect the woman he's always loved and the child he never knew?  Or will it be too late for a second chance?

From the writer of the ‘Engaging and Uplifting’ (Daily Mail) HELEN AND THE GRANDBEES… Bernie is plunged into turmoil when her step-brother is born, too vulnerable to leave, too vulnerable to risk loving. And she is confused when she falls into love with mosaicist Robin, his soulful artworks and tales of Ethiopia. All this because a family tragedy has left her resolved to remain adrift from emotional attachment.

Against her own instincts, she pushes her father away to his new wife, and pushes Robin away into the arms of a mutual friend. But as she reaches the pinnacle of her desired isolation, she realises that she might have made a mistake. Can she learn to trust in a human connection that might just let her down?

Alex Morrall explores themes of love and isolation in ADRIFT - THE STORYTELLER & MOSAICIST. Follow Bernie’s story from the coast to early 2000’s London.

Event planner Eve Canaday and her secret crush, Dr. Ben Tyler, are unexpectedly drafted to help a little girl fulfill her late mother’s wish—a magical Christmas to create some happy memories. Eve sees this opportunity as a sign; Ben, as a glitch in his plan to leave Marietta behind for good. As the trio checks off the to-do list of Christmas fun, Ben’s ‘bah-humbug’ opinion of the holiday fades, along with ideas about keeping his distance from Eve. Getting involved is the last thing he wants to do but, alas, there’s no accounting for cosmic interference. With the season of miracles upon this jewel of a town, will Eve find it’s possible that Christmas wishes aren’t only for little girls?

An amazing work of fiction or prediction? A satirical look at President Trump, Congress, Russia and the 2020 election. President Trump and the first family as they spend the 4th of July, 2020 weekend in the Hamptons at the castle of a Russian oligarch Dmitriy Volkov when the unspeakable happens. Between Southampton and East Hampton lies the incorporated village of Wolfhampton, the most exclusive, expensive, and scary 'Hampton'. When two young girls commit suicide, Dmitriy Volkov aka Wolf becomes the prime suspect when their deaths are ruled as possible homicides. President Trump, First Lady Melania, and Third Son Barron escape the Washington swamp to the sanctuary of Volkov's Wolfhampton estate, but there in the wolf's own lair, the unspeakable happens. Putin and his Russian Foreign Intelligence Service, known as the SVR aka KGB, decide the time is right to crush POTUS, Wall Street, and the Wolf, all in one smooth hammer blow; while Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer make a pact with the Devil himself. What happens that weekend in Wolfhampton will change President Trump, America, and the world in ways never imagined. Love President Trump or hate him, both the Left and Right will enjoy this thrill ride ripped right out of tomorrows headlines.

Sadie always wanted the perfect family: a husband, a son, a dog, a house in the suburbs. For a little while she had it all. Then after an accident one afternoon, her son starts acting oddly and displaying strange new abilities. His new behavior threatens to bring to light a secret that she's been keeping for years. Will she be able to hold her family together or will the truth tear them apart? Perfect Family is a magical realism novella that is 25,000 words long.

2016 SIBA First Place Memoir Winner! Behind the glitz and the glamour of the beauty queen mother lies a web of secrets. CeeCee is a child desperate for a touch of approval, the love of her mother. Her reality is her mom's retreating back, abandoning CeeCee in front of a burning car. But somewhere amid the chaos and despair, CeeCee holds onto something precious, the only thing that drives her on - hope. Ghost No More is a child abuse true story that proves joy can be found beyond abuse.

Tudhaliya IV comes to the
throne as a usurper's younger son, determined to rule according to the traditional
values of justice and clemency, despite the advice of his ambitious mother and brothers. When his cousin with whom he was
raised as someone dearer than a brother, decides his own claim to the throne is
stronger than Tudhaliya's, the latter must decide whether to apply the pragmatism
of his advisors or risk appearing weak, and how to manage to leave his own son an
empire that is finally free from civil war. The cost will be the sacrifice of his deepest
friendship.

Although they had always dreamed of having a family, tall, horse-faced Frances and stubby, one-eyed Jack had reconciled themselves to a lifetime of abject loneliness. Then one day, out of nowhere, an infant is dropped into their midst. A fairy tale for adults!

'In Short' is a compilation of four stories in forms of short stories and novelettes including the titles, 'The Dream Chant', 'Anabia', 'Vicious Bottles', and 'Unearth'. The stories endeavor to explore themes like surrealism, psychology, love, science, religion, politics etc and tries to paint a perspective through each with tales of love, friendship, heartbreak, betrayal, power, lust and war. 'The Dream Chant' is about him who one day finds what he's been longing for all his life. But when he gets it, he's unsure of its reality and is lost in a swirl of dreams and illusions mingled with pain and confusion. What is it that he longs for? Will it stay a part of his life or leave him broken again? 'Anabia' is an average teenager with braces poking out of her mouth and hair tangled down her back. Her life is changed when a series of events drastically shape her life and she meets someone who would or wouldn't be the one for her. She must tackle the storms of life and find herself again. 'Vicious Bottles' is a tale of Satwik and Ani who have been sweethearts since the time they could speak. But does time guarantee a strong relation? Faced with abuse, addiction, lust and madness, will they be able to stand the test of time? It is the year 2157 and the world is at an end. Survival is only possible by breathing through masks as the air is poison while water is a treasure. Journey with Solo as he tries to find meaning in the dead where half the population has moved to the Red Planet a ...

The first three books in the Jolie Gentil Cozy Mystery Series, set in the fictional Ocean Alley, NJ. Fiction you can share with your mom. Appraisal for Murder - Jolie returns to Ocean Alley. Soon she's appraising houses, dodging a low-level wise guy, and searching for a murderer. Rekindling Motives - Can a man who went missing during Prohibition be tied to a modern murder? When the Carny Comes to Town -- The dunk tank is a crazy fundraiser, but the aftermath leaves Scoobie fighting for his life. Soon his ex-con mother is in town and there's a murder to add to the mix.

WARNING to prospective readers as to this title’s potentially shocking and disturbing (read: X-RATED!!!) graphic and literary content: A reviewer at LITERARY TITAN, though giving this book a five-star rating, finalized his review with the caveat: “To the intrigued reader, beware, this book is quite a dirty sex crazed romp. Conservatives better brace themselves, keep a bible handy, and an open mind because you will hate how much you enjoy the erotic quality of this book … The erotica may be a little strong for some but if read with an open and relaxed mind, this is a very enjoyable and entertaining ride.”


This musically and graphically enriched chamber novel is an over-the-top black and blue comic extravaganza about the conspiratorial undoing of a teenage entitlement princess. The story throbs throughout with an undercurrent of apocalyptic motifs related to the extinction of art, fall of empire, and coming of the Antichrist. It is an epic farce that reads like an erotically supercharged psychological suspense thriller. The narrative takes the reader/audient on a veritable boomerang roller-coaster ride (with multiple inversions) through a reputational strip-and-whiptease of the novel’s malignantly artful (albeit ingenuously doe-eyed) protagonist: a wealthy young heiress and socialite who boasts an exclusive claim to her progenitors ...

In a dystopian future where humans have foolishly squandered Earth’s natural resources, the few remaining people are becoming desperate. Crowded in huge underground cities, they’ve finally come to the end of the line and they must decide whether or not they will trade the only valuable resource Earth has left... Women. Being the daughter of a wealthy diplomat, Rose is blissfully ignorant of how the less fortunate live. Desperate to escape to a planet where she can enjoy the sun on her face and swim in clear unpolluted oceans, she vows to make herself the first bride to be mated to off-worlders. When the Krylon delegation arrives, she realizes that in addition to being good stewards of their planet, eager for female companionship, and polite to a fault, the Krylon males are also drop dead gorgeous. Unfortunately, Earth’s population is vehemently opposed to the galactic mate’s treaty... will Rose and her soon to be Hot Alien Husband be able to make their escape from Earth?

Len Holder thinks his mother is dead – until she reappears one morning in his living room. She doesn’t remember being dead. She’s just confused. And instead of her burial clothes, she’s wearing a Dallas Cowboys warmup suit. At seventy-eight, Len considers himself a failure. He spent years taking care of Mom while his brother Joey became a famous sportscaster. Now he lives alone, tinkering with a novel he can’t seem to finish. For a week, Len relives a strained relationship with Mom while other mysteries pile up. He keeps hearing fragments of Joey’s radio show. His sister reports disturbing phone calls. Strangers he meets look like people from his past. Another stranger has taken over his insurance office. Then Len gets word that his beloved boss Miranda has been gravely injured in a car accident. Eventually, Miranda’s fate and a shocking secret from the past reveal that Sharon Holder’s resurrection is not what it seems to be. The Seven-Day Resurrection is a must-read for anyone who has been thrust into the role of caregiver.

A MAGICAL LOVE STORY... Memory House is a place where friendship turns to love, love lasts forever, and memories outlive their owner. Ophelia Browne knows this because she's been granted the unique gift of finding and caring for those forgotten memories. But now she's nearing ninety, and needs to find a successor - soon. When broken-hearted Annie Cross shows up on the doorstep of The Memory House Bed and Breakfast, Ophelia knows she is the one. The two women forge a bond of friendship as they sip magical dandelion tea and share stories. When Annie starts to uncover new memories Ophelia is delighted, but then a thread of violence begins to unravel and she fears things have gone too far. Winner of the 2015 FAPA President's Book Award Silver Medal

From USA TODAY Bestselling Author Lynne Gentry comes a small-town family saga filled with humor, heart, and hope. When tragedy strikes Leona Harper, the shocked pastor's wife is forced to summon her estranged children home. But parenting young adults in a nosy, small southern town proves more difficult than reinventing herself. Determined to give her broken family a shot at a second chance, Leona begins the painful journey of putting one foot in front of the other. Reconciliation and healing won't come easy in this zany, trouble-filled, and hilarious walk-through-grief adventure. Brimming with wit, authenticity, and southern charm, WALKING SHOES explores the inspirational and emotional healing of a family. You’ll have to laugh to keep from crying. The Mt. Hope Southern Adventures Series is a touching addition to the small town, generational series of favorite authors like Ann B. Ross, Jan Karon, Philip Gulley, and Fannie Flagg.

Ties That Bind is one woman's quest to find out the truth involving her adoption. Secrets can't remain hidden forever. At what lengths would you go to find out the truth? Romantic, and suspenseful, Ties That Bind will have you swiftly turning the pages to find out.

A novel told in short stories, follow young protagonist Ellen as she narrates each story of love, loss, longing, friendship, and entrapment. Inspired by the artistry of the Beatles, each story is framed by a Beatles song or actual Beatles event. Follow Ellen's journey from 1976 to 1990: Her beloved brothers' disappearance from the family when she is 11, an event she carries with her throughout the whole book; her navigation through high school as she searches for friendship and love (and a musical instrument), loses her innocence in more ways than one, and is scarred by John's death; her challenges in the 1980s workplace as she confronts sexual harassment; her growth as a young woman taking charge of her life. Meet her friend, Joan, who Ellen thinks of affectionately as the \"fool on the hill\"; Kevin, the rich neighborhood boy whose façade betrays his reality; Perry, her dark, moody, and much older first love. Ellen injects insight, wisdom in hindsight, and humor into these slice of life stories.

Mystery writer, Joel Carpenter, has no time for romance. He has a deadline to meet, and too many skeletons in his closet to trust the slightly spinny artist renting his house. Christy Taylor has her hands full dealing with an ailing business and a diabetic daughter, she doesn't need the temptation that is her landlord, Joel Carpenter. Can a Christmas wish bring two stubborn souls together and give a little girl the gift she wants most? A family of her own.

Ireland in 1919 is seething with violence, tension and divided loyalties - and so is the heart of the beautiful, wilful heiress Catherine O'Connell-Gort. For Catherine, by heritage, is a glittering symbol of British rule and oppression - yet by inclination she is a traitor to her class. A fervent supporter of Sinn Fein, she is also the secret lover of Sean Brennan, an IRA volunteer who is being hunted by the police for terrorism and murder. When the British government decides to meet terror with terror, Catherine finds herself in a position of even greater conflict. Her father, a colonel in British Military Intelligence, recruits Major Andrew Butler, battle-scarred war hero and Irish landlord, to assassinate IRA leader Michael Collins. He also decides that the dashing major would make the perfect husband for his headstrong daughter ... In a violent climax of passion, guilt and betrayal, while her country hurtles towards civil war, Catherine faces an agonising choice as she makes her final, fateful decision.

Enough is enough. Ryn Davis is ready to throw in the towel with her iconic rock-star lover. An argument escalates. They go to bed mad. An insomniac when her life is good, Ryn takes a herbal remedy to sleep. When she wakes up, ready to walk away, she finds her lover dead. How did she sleep through two lethal bullets? Why is she the only suspect? As she stumbles along trying to find evidence to prove her innocence, she becomes convinced she is the killer's next prey ...

One hundred inmates hold twelve guards hostage in the laundry dorm of The Indiana Penal Farm. Emergency squads are massed along the fence, awaiting the order to attack, while sharpshooters are perched like crows on top of the administrative building. Tom Hemmings, a dorm counselor, has been drafted to defuse the standoff. But the inmates are divided into rival gangs, the guards into feuding unions. And the prison administration has sparked the standoff by forcing cut-rate services upon the facility. As he enters the prison, Tom's heart starts to hammer. Who are the good guys? Who are the bad? And how will this nightmare end? John M. Gist, Founding Editor, Red Savina Review, states, "The Siege is a Freudian descent into the moral ambiguity inherent in modern institutions. When it comes, as it must, the violence is as tangible and absurd as certain scenes in Cormac McCarthy's Blood Meridian. An excellent debut from a writer on the rise."

The Columbine high school massacre was the most lethal school shooting in modern US history when it took place on April 20, 1999. Regrettably, the frequency and lethality of mass shootings appear to have increased post-Columbine. One of the reasons may be that some youths were inspired by these events. Here, I use a fictional scenario to explore possible motives spurring the macabre actions of two female mass shooters.

A famed pirate relic—the Star of Atlantis—lies forgotten on the rugged Welsh coast, where waves and stone clash and where creatures of legend hold sway. When thirteen-year-old Swift finds a map to the treasure, he sets out to claim it and prove his worth to his skeptical brothers who seem determined to thwart his every step. To tease out the secrets of the Star of Atlantis, Swift must take on the gallant Celtic Sea with its azurite waves, its capricious winds, its enigmas… its monsters. And to realize his dream, he must face the most formidable challenge of all—his own father. A masterfully written YA literary fiction story of a boy finding his own way.

This book is my journey, from awakening to present day. This book is meant as a catalyst for spiritual growth, the goal being to ignite the fire that lies dormant. We are all called to serve, to serve ourselves and then the world. Let this be a message to all that would choose the path of service, the true path. As each fear disintegrates we walk closer to the truth of our nature, and this is my truth. You feel the call so fly with me, I know in truth I set you free.

Cozy mystery writer Margaret Manning fears her husband is mimicking the behavior of some of her books shadier characters, even though he claims to have never read any of them. When several pieces of her jewelry go missing, she wonders if hes responsible for it, hes trying to make it look like shes losing her mind, or shes losing her mind all on her own. Disturbing actions of friends and family coupled with bizarre health issues complicate things and cause her life to go into a downward spiral.

Miriam paints the future...but can she change it? Chicago, 1891 Miriam watches the people jostle their way below the windows of her warehouse home, never thinking to look up at her as she paints their faces. But Miriam's gift as an artist goes beyond a mere recording of what is: Miriam paints their futures. Only once was she wrong. One woman doesn't match the future Miriam saw. The bright girl was supposed to grow into a respected businesswoman. Instead, Ione disappears nightly into the shadowed alley next to the cathedral with the other prostitutes. Then one night, while walking through the city fog, Miriam finds Ione broken and beaten. Miriam is forced to open her home to the stranger whose face she knows so well and open her life to change she never could have foretold. Women are missing some found floating in the river, some never seen again. The deacon from the cathedral is the first to help. Soon Miriam s solicitor, Michael, aids her in rejoining society so they might uncover the evil at work in the corrupt city...and awakens feelings she had never considered before. Finally engaged with the world she has so long observed, finally stirred by love and friendship, Miriam realizes the responsibility of her gifting. No longer can she just paint what will be. She must now help Ione find the future she is meant to have...and find her own along with it.

Student loan debt has ruined millions of people's lives by putting them into inescapable, indentured servitude. Chad Miller has decided to do something about it! Imagine... you did everything in life that you were supposed to do. You worked hard, went to college, got married, and looked forward to starting a family. Then, in a flash, it’s all taken from you. You lose everything because of a draconian debt system that a bunch of greedy, privileged elites put into place. Chad Miller never intended on becoming a serial killing, counter culture hero. However, desperation, depression, and overwhelming debt are known to alter a man’s train of thought. When Chad finds himself stuck in the middle of a recession, his entire existence changes. Due to unforeseen circumstances, Chad’s forced to quit medical school. With only minimum wage and part time jobs available, the Miller’s struggle begins. After the forbearance time runs out, Chad finds himself unable to afford his student loan payments. The high interest rate loans compound, balloon into an insurmountable mountain of debt, and wreck his credit. With credit checks in today’s job market, his chances of gainful employment are zilch. Likewise, finding a safe place to live is nearly impossible with bad credit. He’s even denied a passport to leave the country to try and seek out a better job market. Chad is now a debt slave. After Chad’s wages are garnished, his wife can’t take it anymore. Their lives spiral out of control. Stress driv ...

HOW MANY TIMES CAN YOU WATCH YOUR CHILD DIE TO SAVE THEIR LIFE? All her life Dawn has been troubled by lost time. She awakens suddenly in strange places far away from her last conscious memory. Kylie's over her dead-end job. As she drives away from the worst work day ever, she picks up her cell to send a text, a decision that will change her life when Dawn's and her world collide. The ensuing tragic accident takes Dawn's only child, but ten days later, inexplicably, her lost time becomes a gift, when she finds herself back again on the morning of the accident. Now Dawn can save her son and change fate. Only one problem ... fate doesn't want to be changed.

Stowaways in lifeboats? Germans claiming deckchairs? When passengers from many places are together on a cruiseship, there's gotta be fun – through 10 countries, 15 ports, across 17 seas. Readers say: “a very amusing fiction-from-fact traveling journal…sailing through seventeen seas, stopping at exotic ports…we view the cruise through the eyes of a cross section of passengers.” “I have recommended the book both to my friends who cruise as well as people who have never cruised and would like to. This book gives a realistic view of what cruising is like in a fun and fictionalized manner.”

London, 1909 Ruby Redlick is a young woman with a passion for reading, who yearns to break free of her constrained life in Upper Norwood and go on the stage. She dreams of playing dramatic characters like her idol Sarah Bernhardt. But the West End is full of lords, predators and courtesans. Ruby almost comes a cropper until a new friend comes to the rescue and introduces her to the music hall as a Gaiety Girl. Swept up into the bright lights of 1900s Edwardian London, she's barely navigated the Stage Door Johnnies when a Maharajah's fabulous jewels are stolen and a murder occurs. When the police, more interested in rooting out foreign spies, close the case abruptly, Ruby is driven to follow another idol, Mr Sherlock Holmes, in some amateur sleuthing. With the help of Soho's Italian anarchists and a couple of militant suffragettes, she investigates the crime.  Ruby unravels the complicated web of deceit but when she comes a little too close to exposing the criminal’s deadly secret, her own life is put in peril. Will she find a way to bring about justice before it's too late?

When a young Hittite charioteer discovers that the chariot accident that killed his father and maimed his grandfather was sabotage aimed at the king, he sets out to find the killer. Facing the loss of everyone he holds dear, he learns that good and evil are often not what they seem, and he must struggle to adjust to a new identity.

She had given him her heart. He walked out on her.

Lorraine Marshall, age 40, shaken by the loss of her boyfriend to another woman, journeys to the land Down Under to overcome her great sense of emptiness and despair. To her surprise her vacation in Australia transforms her life in unexpected ways. Filled with adventure, suspense, the art world, and romance this is a moving story you won't soon forget.

This novel is women's fiction/romantic suspense in the tradition of Nicholas Sparks and Jodi Picoult.

Zobie Marsh hides the fearsome talent of prophecy. Young, poor and grieving the loss of her beloved Black Gram, she leaves home suddenly to avoid the advances of her mother’s latest boyfriend. Her decision to travel to South Carolina sets in motion Heavenscribe, a spiritual transformation devised by angels to aid a dying world. Bel Petersen seems to have it all: ample means, a loving marriage and a rewarding family life. But she’s suffered through a year of unexpected deaths, and near-constant nightmares that portend the downfall of civilization. Now she’s visiting Health Presbyterian daily as Milly battles a relentless bone cancer sure to end their decades-long friendship in a matter of weeks. One evening as Bel unlocks her car in the hospital’s parking lot, four ambulances stream toward the Emergency entrance. There’s been a horrific traffic accident. She’s shocked to discover one of the victims didn’t make it into an ambulance—and he’s bleeding out in the passenger seat of a high school student’s car. Bel sends the student running to the hospital for help, and tends to the grievously injured man. His dying words will lead her to Zobie, and reveal the spiritual awakening they must undertake together.

It’s 243 B.C. and Greece is ready for a revolution. Eighty years have passed since the death of Alexander the Great, the man who first cowed free Hellas into submission. His successors to the Macedonian throne have only tightened their grip in the interim, the present king no exception. Spartan rebellions, opportunistic usurpers, foreign invaders – for nearly five decades, King Antigonus has seen them all and crushed them all. He now stands alone astride Greece; he fears no one. Aratus of Sicyon plans to change that. With a passion for freedom and hatred for the King that stem from the same childhood tragedy, he takes aim at Macedon when no one else would dare; takes aim at its crown jewel in the south, the linchpin of its control, the very symbol of its domination – Corinth. Hopelessly outfunded, outmanned, and outarmed, he embarks on one of the most audacious and stunning attacks in ancient history, one that would change Greece forever.

Jason and Naomi’s son, Peter, returns home from college and back to the ranch he loves. A series of devastating events will test their strength, faith, and their hope for the future. Can they endure the hardships? Through their own personal loss and that of their friends, they learn to lean on one another when all hope seems lost. Out of sorrow will come healing and out of healing a great joy. This is a story of struggle, grief, loss and also one of victory.

Savannah Santos is on the run. She fled everything she ever knew to follow her career dreams. But she wasn’t expecting her new roommate to be her dream guy. For Cooper Quin, being any girl’s dream man is nothing new, but he’s determined to stay exactly that: a dream. His focus is on killing it in the brutal MMA ring. But his sexy new roommate is nothing like one of his usual one-night stands. With her, it feels safe to let his guard down.

"A lively beach or commute read, this quick, cheerful parody of aging, capitalism, and marriage offers a little bit of everything--comedy, suspense, romance--and even some insights into the meaning of life."
-Booklife by Publishers Weekly
 
"A mysterious author delivers the comical tale...a raucous adventure around the globe...brisk, debaucherous, and cheeky sense of humor...fast-paced, modern, and world-spanning..."
-Kirkus Reviews
 
"Readers looking for a rollicking adventure...intrigue and action will love Powerballs...where romance, adventure, and greed intersect in a world-hopping journey of lives gone awry." 
-D. Donovan, Senior Reviewer, Midwest Book Review

A sudden windfall and the money to make every dream come true…

With finances and marriage strained to the breaking point, Rose and Henry Ball dream of new lives filled with romance and adventure. Then Fortune takes a hand. Against all odds, the couple win a record Powerball lottery. The sudden windfall is the answer to all their prayers. Or not...

Helpless to resist the siren's song, the Balls leap feet first into the intoxicating world of the super-rich. Henry drifts into treacherous waters on a mad Russian oligarch's yacht, while Rose throws caution to the wind and rushes headlong into the arms of a beautiful, dangerous ...

Southlea Bay's favorite sweethearts, Flora and Dan, are getting married and the members of the Rejected Writers' Book Club are excited to help. Especially the group's head honcho, Doris Newberry, who, much to Flora’s frustration, wants to control every detail, attempting to strong-arm Flora into accepting ridiculous wedding vows, wayward bongo players and into wearing a huge, old-fashioned wedding dress. But when a new resident arrives in town with information about Flora's past that threatens her chance of happiness, the overwhelmed bride-to-be disappears overnight. To find her, The Rejected Writers set off on yet another zany road trip adventure, this time to a make-believe Bavarian town. Where they meet lederhosen-clad, young men, are entertained by oompah bands, go on wild sleigh rides, and sing in a yodelling competition. But when they eventually find the bride and the bridegroom learns the truth about her, will he still want to marry her or will all the wedding plans be in vain

Tales of mirth, imagination, and mayhem.

Nothing is quite what it seems in this realm. Partners cross each other, intentionally or otherwise. Late-night visitors appear from nowhere and linger long after they're gone. Mountain lakes, forests, and caves harbor secrets best not revealed. And every day, curious encounters change lives.

In this eclectic gathering of thirty-one short tales, including award-winning flash fiction and longer stories, you'll encounter crimes gone wrong, one-way journeys to other worlds, and ordinary people entangled with extraordinary circumstance. Some will chill you, some will get you thinking, and some will have you laughing out loud.

Because in The Realm of Tiny Giants, something unexpected is always just around the bend.

When young, New York plastic surgeon Jack Donahue’s reputation is destroyed, he changes his name and makes a fresh start in Sydney. Blessed with unique surgical skills and driven by greed and lust, it’s not long before Donahue is a multimillionaire but he wants more – much, much more. Handsome, narcissistic and cruel, when Donahue sees the opportunity to become super-wealthy, he seizes it. Will greed be his downfall?

A heartwarming Christmas story about family, friendship and finding love in unexpected places. Joy Holbrook might be all work and no play, but that changes when her Aunt Ruby takes a fall that lands her in a rehabilitation center before the holidays. Joy takes a leave of absence from her job as a market researcher to run the family farm, even though the timing may hinder her chance at garnering the promotion of her dreams. Ben Andrews isn’t your average accountant. He also happens to be the handiest man in Crystal Falls. He’s helped his elderly neighbor, Ruby Johnson, decorate for the annual Christmas Home Tour―and win―the last several years. He’s not about to let some drop-in niece break their winning streak. Ruby seems overly concerned about Joy being able to handle Molly. Under the impression she’s referring Molly the bunny that is one of the menagerie of animals, Joy’s not worried at all until the next morning when a little girl named Molly shows up. For the sake of her aunt, Joy is forced to partner with Ben while Ruby is on the mend to help with preparation for the Christmas tour and, in the process finds her career-focused heart dreaming of a family. Will the magic of Christmas help her to open her heart and find her everlasting joy?

The events of a typical Autumn Friday night rock a typical small town American family to the core as tragedy strikes them from out of nowhere. Will their lives survive this ordeal as they change from a functional to dysfunctional family? This event has changed and altered their direction, but will this be permanent? The ways the family deals with the loss of a loved one can either make them stronger or crush them in their hope for their small town future. The bonds of love and friendship are stretched to see how far they can go. Will the development of the surviving sibling’s progress with growth or be stifled as the family dynamic is pushed to the edge? One’s concept of justice is put to the test and their faith in God may never be the same. Actions, reactions and their consequences are exposed for you to see but don’t judge too harshly. You may agree or disagree with their actions but ask yourself, if you were in their situation, would you do the same?

'Tis the Season for Chaos Wedding bells will soon be ringing in the Lowcountry. All Sam Sweeney wants is to marry her man on Christmas Eve surrounded by family and friends. But emerging complications, some humorous and some not so humorous, threaten to converge and derail the best-laid plans during the busy stretch between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Amidst the chaos—dealing with real estate, planning a wedding, running a seafood market, honoring traditions, and contending with teenagers—even the weather rears its head when the weatherman forecasts a white Christmas. Never has family support been more needed, but will it be enough to restore order and save the day? Escape to the Lowcountry this Christmas where romance, intrigue, and holiday merrymaking await you.

When twelve-year-old Ben’s parents don’t come home from work one day, he doesn’t know what to think—they’ve shown lack of responsibility before, but nothing like this. His six-year-old sister Lucy is more scared than he is and clings to him for support. Unwittingly fearful of the police and Child Protective Services, the children don’t want to end up in foster homes and will do anything to avoid being separated. Their journey—fraught with obstacles and people who may not have their best interests at heart—plays a significant role in building Ben’s character and eventually determining his fate.

What happened to her father, and why was her family forced to flee? For years, these questions plagued Leilani. Eighteen years ago, her mother whisked her children from their privileged life on a Pacific island, without their father and without explanation. Now, all Leilani wants is to dedicate herself to healing people, like her father did. But the past is impossible to run away from. Taught how to shoot a gun when she was a child, she rescues Justin, a computer nerd nursing a breakup, when thugs assault him on a deserted street. Then a stranger from her old country arrives and her mother is forced to reveal the shocking, shameful secret about her father's role in a deadly political web. Is her father still alive? Is he a hero or a villain? With Justin’s help, she returns to her birthplace in search of her father. Can she forgive her father, accept him for what he is? And can she reconnect with her roots and be at peace with who she is?

Gina, if that's her real name, walks into the city then turns and returns home. This is not a day for work. Today she will spend with a white dog and a remarkable man. Every Five Minutes is a B.R.A.G. Medallion Honoree. Readers say: “Bronwyn Elsmore has crafted a beautiful story in a unique way.” “A very unique read to be sure, but her writing brilliance showed on each page as she pulled it off.” “I hated the story to end. Read it and you'll see. It's a lovely, lovely book.” “A masterpiece! To find that it is perfect in its style and delivery has left me a little breathless.” “… wonderful story! I love, love your book!”

It's 1985 and keyboard player Jonnie Cole's dream of playing in a band revolves around girls, money, girls, travel, girls, drugs, girls - oh, and music too. But the band's first single has stalled at number 40 in the charts. Still, with new hit producer 'Magic' Dan McCloud on board, 1986 looks like being their year. They set off for Europe with a new single about to be released and Magic Dan at the soundesk. Foul-mouthed manager Degsie Daniels attempts to keep their wilder excesses in check while his photographer daughter, Amanda, attempts to remain aloof from the mayhem. Intent on success in the synth-pop heaven of 1980s Europe, they have reckoned without Magic Dan’s murky past. Join them on their first tour of Europe as they discover themselves, each other and the dangerous cargo they have unwittingly stowed on the tour bus. CAUTION: This tale of sex, drugs and synthesisers contains all three, plus a lot of swearing.

"Everything happens for a reason." It's 1972. Raymond Mann is seventeen. He is fearful of life and can't get off buses. He says his prayers every night and spends too much time in his room. He meets Ernest Gardiner, a gentleman in his seventies who's become tired of living and misses the days of chivalry and honour. Together they discover a love of sunflowers and stars, and help each other learn to love the world. Ernest recounts his experiences of 1917 war-torn France where he served as a photographer in the trenches … of his first love, Mira, and how his life was saved by his friend Bill, a hardened soldier. But all is not as it seems, and there is one more secret that will change Raymond’s life for ever. Cold Sunflowers is a story of love. All love. But most of all it’s about the love of life and the need to cherish every moment. Find out more about the book and its author, Mark Sippings, at www.coldsunflowers.co.uk.

Midlife can be daunting. But haunting? An evil suitor reaches out from beyond the grave…

Even with Vanessa having lost her home and living out of her secondhand shop and on the verge of eviction, her friends drag her to a wine tasting to celebrate her recent divorce.

When a cabernet-guzzling fortune-teller warns about a past coming back to haunt her, then plays matchmaker and awakens a vengeful spirit looking for an eternal bride, she struggles to escape the attempts of the specter set on ending her life.

Danger looms, and she can’t even give away the butterfly brooch responsible for a surge of unexpected growing supernatural abilities nor can she deny her interest in Trevor Austin, the winery’s attractive living, breathing featured sculptor.

Above all, Vanessa strives to escape her empty-nester cocoon of uncertainty and accept she’s a witch. Struggling to welcome romance into her life, she must prevent an incident in her past and the supernatural entity from destroying her and her friends’ lives and accept her calling to survive.

Can the handsome, haunted stranger with a mysterious past save the soul of a dying Midwest factory town?

This novel is so good-hearted, so life-affirming, its a joy to read…
Mary Ann Grossman, St. Paul Pioneer Press

Meet Nick Remke, a damaged former Notre Dame football star desperate for a job and maybe redemption.

It's 1997. Longview, Ohio, U.S.A. Nick finally gets his chance when he's hired to run Made Right, a family-owned clothing factory severely threatened by offshore competition. The entire town depends on the fragile fortunes of the overworked factor. All eyes now turn to Nick.

Marie Zanay is among them. A single mother whose son stars on the Longview High football team, she's spent a lifetime rooting for her hometown and is acutely aware of the overwhelming odds against it. Still, Marie is forced to admit that Nick the newcomer suddenly has the townsfolk feeling inspired. Is that hope misplaced, or is it possibly real?

For Nick, it's been a long, winding, rocky road filled with disappointment and doubt. Becoming MVP of a small town on the Ohio River was never his goal . . . until it became his dream.

Third and Long is the saga of a vanishing America hanging by a thread, with perhaps just enough time remaining for one last hail-Mary. Think Friday Night Lights meets Its A Wonderful Life.

With a cast of characters both unforgettable and ...

Stephen Bell wants to be forgiven for reading his daughter’s diary. But he’s compelled to dredge every secret as her world changes. This is the story of how Sarah’s perfect existence is shattered when everything trusted is stolen from her. Dad’s quit his job. Mum’s got pregnant and gone mental. But the boyfriend is a welcome distraction…until crazy is dialled to the max. Sarah tries to be normal among her peers—but normal won’t let her be. In a change from Black’s usual style, she breathes life into a family at breaking point. But readers will be left with no doubt that this is Katherine Black at her psychological best. In her trademark signature of getting into the darkest corners of the psyche, she takes them one step closer to the very brink of dancing with the crazies. This is no Disneyland. This is Nowhere Boulevard.

From Book 1:Librarian Janet Johnson is puzzled when she is invitedand practically draggedto her first meeting of the Rejected Writers Book Club. This quirky group of women would much rather celebrate one anothers rejected manuscripts over cups of tea and slices of lemon cake than actually publish a book. But good friends are exactly what Janet needs after moving to the small town of Southlea Bay, Washington. Just as the ladies are about to raise a teacup to their five hundredth rejection letter, they receive bad news that could destroy one members reputationand disband the group forever. To save the club, Janet joins her fellow writers on a wild road trip to San Francisco in search of the local publisher who holds the key to a long-buried secret. As they race to the finish line, theyll face their fearslandslides, haunted houses, handsome strangers, ungrateful childrenand have the time of their lives.

"Circle in the sand practically screams quality from the first page...It is sensational...If you're looking for beauty, then this is it." ~Mia's Point of View From Bestselling Author, Lia Fairchild Four Friends. Four Different Paths. One Unwavering Friendship. Two decades of love, laughter, promises, and secrets hold together four friends pursuing different paths in life. Jax always lived on the edge, skating through life with no apparent ambition, yet remained the energy and emotional cement of the group. She longs to be accepted. Sage, career-driven, has always followed a carefully laid out plan for her future. But one look at the sexy ex-con staying on her friend's sofa has her questioning everything. Emily, the college drop-out, has three children that are her whole life. She's slowly lost herself, subconsciously seeking dangerous ways to cope. Ned yearns to stand up and be counted. But his new feelings for one of the girls has him pulled in different directions. These four friends will test the ties that have held them together for so long, and in the process unveil truths about themselves they never knew existed.

Butterflies are often used as symbols of physical or spiritual transformation. At a time when women continue the quest for the Holy Grail of “equality,” the prospect of such a transformation remains tantalizingly out of reach for the Muslim women that dominate these series of short stories set in Paarl, South Africa. Human nature, with its recognizable betrayals, love, hope and dreams play out against a complicated backdrop of once-segregated citizens having to learn to find common ground as one nation. An unseen narrator tells the story of Mrs. Bhopal, the trophy wife of one of the few rich men who chose to live in the colored neighborhood on the wrong side of the train tracks (for mysterious reasons). The conniving Mrs. Patel, gossiper-in-chief of the neighborhood, turns out to be the glue that holds the shattered pieces of the other characters’ lives together. And young Sarah/Zuleikha illustrates what happens when a young girl suppresses her true nature to conform to societal expectations. Woven together, these stories of characters with lives as recognizable as our own, portray the Yin and Yang of human existence.

Fourteen-year-old Swift loves the study of medicine. His interest is almost a match to his fascination for sea myths—particularly for the Star of Atlantis, a lost relic from Welsh pirate history. In struggling to “grow up,” Swift sets his sights on competing for a seat in a highly selective internship, for young students aspiring to someday read medicine, until… Swift’s former best friend, Ash, discovers a centuries-old Norse pirate treasure. And on sickening interviews, Ash reveals that his discovery contains a clue to the whereabouts of a treasure far greater: the legendary Star of Atlantis. To chase his oldest dream and lay his hands on the Star of Atlantis, Swift must cobble together the few leads that hint where it might rest. If he’s to beat Ash to the treasure, he must put his sailing skills to the test, contending with treacherous Welsh sea coves and caverns. And he must size up his own fortitude, his own capabilities, or lack thereof—for the search for the Star of Atlantis might mean lost friendships, lost dreams, and even lost life.

2017 Distinguished Favorite Award-Independent Press Awards A Tea Party activist discovers that he is growing another head. A playboy befriends a fickle female only six inches tall. A lonely librarian answers a matrimonial ad from a demonic farmer. Darkness abounds in James Hanna's cryptic stories. In these nineteen piercing tales, Hanna skewers the human comedy and makes reading dangerous again. "A Sinister sense of irony pervades the stories in this perverse, darkly fantastic anthology. Author James Hanna has a unique insight into the most curious aspects of the human condition and does not shy from exploring these to their shockingly logical conclusion. A Second, Less Capable Head is exceptionally memorable from beginning to end." - Midwest Book Review. "The mark of an author at the peak of his literary powers, there are scant few tales that won't linger beyond the page. Without a doubt, A Second Less Capable Head delivers one of the most powerful and cutting collection of stories you will ever read." - Book Viral

What if the person who know you best and loved you most forgot your face, and couldn't remember your name? Retired Cape Cod innkeepers struggle with Alzheimer's disease.

“Swathed in small-town gossip and values, the fantastical novel - combines murder mystery, magic, and mayhem for an exciting tour of a family’s history and trauma.” - 5 stars, Clarion review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Trouble and Magic comes in Threes. The Rowan siblings, Vic, Pip, and Liam, must solve their mother's murder to heal a haunted past in this emotional page-turner.

Fans of Practical Magic, The Witches of New York, Twin Peaks, and those who dream of visiting Star Hollow will enjoy.

⭐ NOTE: Trigger warnings, see listing for details.

⭐ GENRE: Magical Realism, contemporary, women's fiction, and literary fiction.

BECOMING is an uplifting poetry collection of inspirational poems and articles about living a life of fulfillment. The author draws upon her own experiences, inspirations, and what she feels most passionate about. The poetry in this book is written about various topics; however, its main theme is about utilizing your God-given talents and gifts in such a way that leads to a fulfilling life. It is the follow-up to her to her award-winning poetry book collection, Unscrambled Eggs.

There’s something hidden behind the walls of the hurricane damaged house Jolie bought in her New Jersey beach town. Something someone seems willing to kill for. After Jolie and Scoobie find a small sack of jewelry as they do a mold attack on her bungalow, Jolie is pursued by a purse thief and a burglar. But the guy she’s most worried about is the one who left an elderly auctioneer dead on her porch swing. Are they willing to kill again to get to the hidden riches? Her friends and local police warn her to butt out, but that’s just encouragement for a woman who likes to get to the bottom of things. Jolie wrestles with fear as she tries to get her cat, Jazz, to feel at home in the new house. Maybe an unexpected visitor can be a substitute for Aunt Madge’s golden retrievers. And then there’s her love life.

Sea legends and pirate adventures charm eight-year-old Swift, until an encounter with the deadly power of the ocean shocks him into reality. Swift struggles to hang onto his childhood fantasies, but his new grasp of the fragile nature of life and of friendship threatens to swamp his hope. Under the guidance of his older brother, Swift must learn to brave the rough waters of change without losing himself to their destruction.

Jack Miller is a friend, a father, and a therapist. When he learns that he has a brain tumor, his only hope is an expensive and experimental drug. Even though there are no guarantees, Jack decides to take the risk, but he has to revisit his shady past to come up with the money. While keeping the man he loves in the dark about his condition, he dedicates the rest of his life to helping other people. But it means destroying himself – and lying to the people he loves – in the process.

Do you enjoy Christian fantasy fiction? "Encountering Darkness," a christian fantasy and adventure novel, will take you on a thought provoking journey. In this nightmarish tale, Pete and Amy try to discover who or what to follow. As Pete and Amy hear many voices declaring "truth", which is the right one? The situation seems bleak, at best, especially for Pete. Pete, a successful Mayor, must make sense of what is going on in this world and the world to come. He is haunted by an unknown smell from the darkened anthropomorphic house he lives at, as well as a strange world he keeps reappearing in. Curious things keep happening as this man is caught in a double life of weakness and strength. On the one hand, he is loved and people understand him as a powerful, prosperous man. On the other hand, he is secretly weak and lost, especially when around his house. Amy, who encounters Pete later, is a skilled warrior, from a different world. She has reliance on no one. Yet she too, is in confusion at what is happening, and her world crumbles from what she has previously known. Can Pete and Amy figure out what is occurring before they follow the wrong voice? This dark christian thriller is filled with suspense, action and a rush of adrenaline, humor and defiance...you'll be on the fringe.

Uqnitum is a singer from a famous musical lineage in the kingdom of Mitanni. When the fall of their city to the Assyrians costs her the life of her husband and her youngest child, she and her pregnant, widowed daughter flee to the court of Ugarit. Haunted by guilt over her part in her husbands death, Uqnitums increasingly unhinged personality becomes dangerous to the peace of her remaining family. Only by succumbing to her weakness does she learn the real nature of strength.

Only the invited get to stay. Only the lucky ones get to leave. When Katrina Darlington lost everything, she turned to a stranger for help. Desperate and grieving, she trusted the hand of friendship and travelled halfway across the world to a very private island. Blue skies, blistering sunshine, and luxury on a scale way beyond the average person’s means. The perfect place to start again, surrounded by warm and friendly people who have your best interests at heart. Or not! Catalina Island is paradise hiding a sinister secret. Will Katrina become just another one of its victims, and after having lost everything, discover she still has even more to lose? Desire creates lies and deception, but is having it all worth losing your humanity? Were the people you trust most in the world the ones you should have feared all along? It’s time to find out. When you lose everything, the only thing left to find is yourself. Escape with the perfect read this Summer and discover that sometimes in life fate plays no part at all.

Fear made her run - A second chance at love made her stay After receiving life-changing news, Kyla Nolan ran away from her life as a top model in New York and left her fiancé, Luke Bradford, behind. Now, almost two years later, Kyla has a rebuilt her life as the successful owner of Tea & Comfort on Madrona Island. She lives in a cozy home behind her tea shop, has great friends, and a community where she belongs. But Kyla's life is thrown off balance when Luke moves to the island. Luke has purchased the local vineyards, just like he and Kyla had always dreamt of. But Luke is not here just for the grapes. He is determined to discover why Kyla left him, if she still loves him, and if the future they planned is truly over. Kyla must face her past and make a decision. She knows that this time around if they have a chance at happiness she will have to reveal her true identity and the secrets that drove her away... Tea & Comfort is the second novel in the Madrona Island series and follows the Amazon bestselling novel, The Guestbook. Escape to the enchanting island where comfort food and serenity await.

Charles Roster has been living the good life of pleasure, involving wine and women - well one woman in particular - however when struck by a personal tragedy - he finds he has to dramatically change his lifestyle - except that may be easier said than done!

Second poetry collection by Zarina Macha, published 2019. Delves into themes of relationships and femininity using dry wit and satire.

Gracie Sandridge fell in love with Danny Harbaugh the first time she laid eyes on him. He was the most spectacular creature she’d ever seen, and she loved him from the seventh grade on. The trouble was that her daddy, the most steel-hearted, iron-willed man in southwestern Virginia, disapproved of Danny's family and was determined to keep them apart. But Daddy had also taught her that if she wanted something, she should “go the hell after it as hard as you can, and you just might get it”—so she did. The Princess of Sugar Valley is a heartwarming, endearing story about hope, heartache, and the strength of the human spirit, right when we need it the most.

In the Bronze Age Syrian kingdom of Ugarit, a eunuch slave mistakenly believes his mistress the queen loves him, so when asked to spy on her under threat of punishment, he finds a way to avoid it. When she shows she cares nothing for him, he justifies reporting her disloyal activities but cant escape agonies of conscience. As her sentence of divorce turns into execution, he decides he must avenge her and expurgate his own guilt.

A MAGICAL LOVE STORY... Memory House is a place where friendship turns to love, love lasts forever, and memories outlive their owner. Ophelia Browne knows this because she's been granted the unique gift of finding and caring for those forgotten memories. But now she's nearing ninety, and needs to find a successor - soon. When broken-hearted Annie Cross shows up on the doorstep of The Memory House Bed and Breakfast, Ophelia knows she is the one. The two women forge a bond of friendship as they sip magical dandelion tea and share stories. When Annie starts to uncover new memories Ophelia is delighted, but then a thread of violence begins to unravel and she fears things have gone too far. Winner of the 2015 FAPA President's Book Award Silver Medal

Our earth mother, Gaia, foresaw a definitive epoch when the survival of humankind and her precious planet would be at issue. That day is upon us. Earth is enveloped in environmental and social crises. Unless humankind serves as stewards for Earth and themselves the planet may be despoiled. Gaia could not sit by and observe the destruction of her beautiful blue planet and the clever beings she found intriguing. This is the story of the gifted population of women she reserved in the sea who are dedicated to safeguarding the future of humankind and Earth.

“the most dangerous journey a man could ever take The most extraordinary love story you’ll ever read.” 'A magisterial tale.' - UK Daily Mail The Holy Land, 1260. Josseran Sarrazini is chosen to escort the Pope’s emissary on an embassy to the all-conquering Mongol horde in an effort to save all Christendom from destruction. But although he serves as a Templar warrior, Josseran is not all that he appears to be - and he despises the Pope’s man on sight. Now they have to spend nine months in each other’s company on the most dangerous and most inhospitable journey on the earth - across the legendary deserts of Persia, through the horrific black hurricanes of the Taklimakan, along the entire spider's web of the Silk Road to Khubilai Khan’s legendary capital at Xanadu. When he sets out, Josseran cannot know then that he will never see Christendom again. Meanwhile, somewhere near the Roof of the World, a Tatar princess possessing a gift for prophesy, defies her father’s attempts to marry her off to the sons of other tribal chiefs. She does not belong in her world any more than Josseran belongs in his. Now fate will bring their paths on a collision course somewhere on the Silk Road and change the course of her life, and Josseran's, forever. From the Storehouse of Winds to the Palace of Myriad Tranquillities, from the Pamirs and Hindu Kush to the legendary Xanadu and the dazzling court of Khubilai Khan, this is romance and adventure on a breath-taking scale. "Callous executions, one-ey ...

A powerful, unrelenting page-turner. Highly recommended Wishing Shelf Awards

Sad, uplifting, shocking, funny, hopeful and frustrating. Bookmuse

A wonderful book...Helen Baggott

I have to give this five stars and I hate doing that because the ending made me cry and I don't easily forgive the author for that...The word “gritty” will probably be used, though it doesn’t quite fit – but life is hard for the young Billy...Amazingly, in all this there is also tenderness and humor. A lovely book. In fact, a wonderful book. Strongly recommended....S F Hopkins

John Lynch has found his literary voice in this life story of disadvantaged soul, Billy McErlane. Having a harlot for a mother doesn’t make life easy and nor does going to jail at fourteen, but when he is reunited with his childhood sweetheart peace enters Billy's heart. Then fate deals a wrecking blow. The book shows Billy through his own eyes and words as he learns to forgive, let go of the bad things in life, accept with grace the good things and finally reach out to others. It’s a coming of age book that begins in tragedy and ends in hope. A bittersweet story of love, loss and one young man's refusal to accept what life offers.

A collection of poems to celebrate National Poetry Month; a poem a day for 30 days. Themes of nature, people and observations are covered here- from the quirky to the ephemeral. There's no doubt a poem in here for every mood, every thought and unspoken sigh.

Everyone remembers their first love... But sometimes its the second love that lasts This book weaves together the heart of Nicholas Sparks, the romance of Nora Roberts, and the charm of Debbie Macomber. Fleeing her picture-perfect marriage among the privileged set of Brentwood and the wreckage of a failed marriage, Lily Parkins decides to move to the only place that still holds happy memories, her grandmother's old farmhouse. The lush and majestic setting of the Pacific Northwest calls to her and offers a place of refuge and perhaps renewal. Her grandmother has passed away, leaving the Madrona Island Bed & Breakfast Inn to Lily. Left with only an old guestbook as her guide-a curious book full of letters, recipes, and glimpses into her family history-Lily is determined to embrace her newfound independence and recreate herself, one page at a time. With the help of the quirky island residents she has befriended, she slowly finds the strength to seek out happiness on her own terms. But as soon as she has sworn off men and is standing on her own two feet, Lily meets Ian, the alluring artist who lives next door, and her new life is suddenly thrown off course. The last thing she wants to do right now is to open her heart to another man. Ultimately, Lily must decide if it's worth giving up her soul for security or risking everything to follow her heart in this romantic love story.