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Born in Space: Unlocking Destiny by Jeremy Clift
About the Book:
Seven infants, conceived artificially aboard a rotating space habitat as an experiment to populate the solar system. A fugitive mother anointed as an alien Priestess, determined to reunite with her children. A greedy mining boss set on conquering the planets and the loner who stands in his way.
Competition for control of the lucrative interstellar asteroid mining business triggers a fight for the resources of the Moon and a hunt for an ancient crystal that could be the key to unlocking the mysteries of the universe.
The battle embroils seven infants incubated in a lab as part of an experiment to breed inhabitants off-Earth for future space colonies and sparks a race against time to free their desperate mother held captive by the power-hungry head of a global mining consortium and his shady doctor.
Only the fragment of a distant solar system discovered in a captured asteroid has the lure to win her freedom and unlock the children’s destiny. When a greedy businessman, an unscrupulous scientist, and a power-mad general all covet its remarkable energy, one of the children spies an opportunity to orchestrate the reunion they've long desired.
BUY THE BOOK HERE
Reviews:
“As a fervent lover of science fiction, I've always looked for books that push the boundaries of imagination and challenge the genre's norms. "Born in Space" does just that, delivering a roller-coaster ride across the cosmos that's as thrilling as it is thought-provoking.”
- Dr. Mel, Dr. Mel’s Message Blog
“Jeremy Clift wrote a book which reads fictitious yet real at the same time. Everything from being transported to the future, to the scientific breeding of children, and how human beings relate in diverse situations, are all spectacularly written. I also like how the author describes characters before introducing them to the reader. I appreciate this technique as it gives the reader more context as the story unfolds.”
- Aaron Washington, Pacific Book Review
About the Author:
Jeremy Clift is a writer, editor, and former journalist. “Born in Space” is part of his Sci-Fi Galaxy series of novels built around the growth of orbiting space habitats and the exploitation of asteroids. He examines what life might be like for the first children born off Earth. “How would they feel? Would they have a terrible craving to return “home”? Or are they really extraterrestrials, a new space being, a humanoid but having none of the experiences of the Earth.”
Clift says that solving how babies get born in reduced or zero gravity is one of the key issues for humanity if we want to populate space habitats and other planets. “Maybe what will be “born” is some sort of hybrid that mixes the emotions of humans with the resilience and sturdiness of artificial beings.”
A former non-fiction Publisher, he is a communications consultant who has also worked in magazines and as an international news correspondent for Reuters. A graduate of the London School of Economics and George Washington University, he has lived in a variety of capitals and cities around the world, including Beijing, Mumbai, Cairo, New Delhi, Jakarta, London, Manila, Paris, and Washington DC.
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CarboN The Primitivision by Larry Hodge
Review:
Seattle Book Review – 5 stars
CarboN: The Primitivision is the premiere art book by Lawrence Armondo Hodge (aka CarboN). His new book is a collection of CarboN’s work from 1989 to 2021. This Bay Area native drew his inspiration from many cultures, styles, and art genres. As viewers flip through the pages of his book, it is easy to detect design hints from many civilizations and other artists. Mythological and natural forms can be seen in his drawings and figures from his imagination. The book spans thirty-two years of CarboN’s creative process. This book is broken down into four sections, showing the evolution of CarboN’s stylings.
This book takes the viewer through the years of his progression. Browsing through each section, one gets a sense of how CarboN’s art developed. His early works could be considered flash art. The pieces seem to be smaller and simpler but also detailed. The inkwork is lighter, and the art contains more open spaces. Later works tend to be more complex and abstract. Many later works are very involved, and CarboN explores the whole page. The lines get heavier and darker. At first glance, these larger pieces look like elaborate doodles, but the longer one studies them, the more one sees.
It has been said that all art should evoke emotions. CarboN’s works are no exception. Primarily black and white, some works are repetitive, giving them an Escher-like feel. Others are more in the style of Aubrey Beardsley. With the wide range of influences CarboN cited as his muses, it is hard to put a hard label on his works. Though, if I were to give them a genre, I would have to call his art psychedelic tribal with hints of surrealism and abstractism. It is not hard to lose oneself in the pages of this book for hours. Viewing the later works can be an all-day endeavor. The longer one explores these works, the more one will find.
The beauty of CarboN’s art is on full display in this book. It is well crafted yet simple and elegant. This publication would be a great addition for anyone who collects art books. CarboN holds off explaining his pieces, allowing the viewer to put their thoughts and emotions into how the art makes them feel. This book would be great as a conversation starter, for casual viewing, or in-depth meditations. Aspiring artists could draw motivation from this well-done tome. CarboN: The Primitivision is a highly fulfilling viewing experience.
~ Eric Smith, Seattle Book Review
Buy the Book – Barnes & Noble
About the Author:
Lawrence Armando Hodge (aka ~CarboN~) was born in San Leandro CA on October 11, 1970 and spent much of his life in the San Francisco Bay Area. He has been consistently honing his drawing style since the mid to late 1980's.
During his younger years he was drawn to art and design from a multitude of different cultures including Pacific islander tattoo design, Ancient Hindu and Egyptian design, Greek, Norse mythology, Celtic, Far East and Oriental, Japanese woodcuts, Native American, Islamic, and African Tribal.
Major influences include: Art Nouveau, Art Deco, Aestheticism, Vorticism, 1960's and 1970's psychedelic and Pop Art.
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Self-Publish a Book in 10 Steps by Hank Quense
About the Book:
Self-publishing a book is difficult. This book simplifies it by breaking down a self-publishing and marketing project into 10 steps.
This step-by-step process will get your book published and initiate the pre-launch marketing.]
Hank Quense has written and self-published over twenty books, both fiction and non-fiction. He is the author of the Author Blueprint Series of books. The Series concentrates on providing valuable guidance on fiction writing, self-publishing and book marketing. Self-publish a Book in 10 Steps is Book 6 in the series.
The book details such vital tasks as developing a compelling book description, building an author platform and getting book reviews to list a few.
Learn the ten step process that will self-publish and market your book!
Buy the book – Amazon
Reviews:
This manual stands out among the standard ones about self publishing. In addition to self publishing, there is a focus on marketing. You've published your book. How will anyone know about it? This manual gives great advice on how to market your book, written in 10 comprehensive steps. With a diagram on how to manage publishing your book vs marketing it, broken down into singular tasks to make it easier to do.
Lady Gell, Amazon Reviewer
Self-Publish a Book in 10 Steps and Market It takes the effort of publishing a book a step further than most by making the marketing aspect just as important as the acts of writing and publishing. Writing a book is only the first hurdle. Equally formidable is the task of publishing it and seeing that it receives all the due attention required in order to reach its potential audience. Hank Quense reviews all these keys to success in each of these areas, exploring the pros and cons of different avenues of publication and promoting self-publishing with an eye to explaining the accompanying challenges authors will face in placing more of the decision-making (and work, and profits) in their own hands. He creates an integrated plan that includes a graphical outline of the ten steps covered in his book, treating publishing and marketing tasks as a "unified topic" (as they should be, but too often are not, in competing books). Quense emphasizes that "Self-publishing means the author must undertake ALL the tasks a publisher would do if the author sold the book to the publisher," and he outlines each of these tasks, which are essential ingredients in the formula for success.
Diane Donavan: Midwest Book Reviews
About the Author:
Hank Quense has self-published his books for over 12 years. His non-fiction books cover fiction writing (Creating Stories), self-publishing (How to Self-publish and Market a Book, Self-publish a Book in 10 Steps), marketing (Book Marketing Fundamentals) and author business (Business Basics for Authors). He also lectures on these subjects in schools, libraries and on webinars. Find more information at https://writersarc.com/
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Summer of in Betweens by by Richard Read, Jose Saco
About the Book:
The novel presents a continuation of the lives of Bill McCoy and Susan Myers, key characters in the book, The Go Between. The summer between high school graduation and first year at college finds Bill McCoy working as a handyman on a small farm rented by a woman waiting for the divorce from her abusive husband to be finalized. Bill's girlfriend, Susan Myers, is serving as a summer intern in the Columbus, Ohio office of a federal congressman. Their separation opens the door for unexpected adventures and personal growth as well as dangers to the two young adults that they could never have anticipated.
Buy the Book - Amazon
Reviews:
One summer had never been as eventful as the one that William Bill McCoy and Susan Myers had in The Summer of In Betweens by Richard Read (Jose Saco). As eighteen-year-old William prepared to graduate and start his first year at OSU, he never anticipated that his last summer would be spent separated from his longtime girlfriend, Susan Myers. However, Susan had been selected for a rare opportunity to be a summer aide at the Columbus office of Congressman Roger Bentley. Thankfully, William had his new summer work at the Chase Estate, working for the newcomer in town, Mrs. Maia Storm. Maia had rented an estate in the town of Hartland, escaping a sticky situation at home. However, it may seem the situation followed her to town. William and Susan were both drawn into new experiences that left them shaken, making the summer one they could never forget.
The book started more like a teenage/young adult story, especially with the background the author had given of the book's prequel. Initially, it seemed to be a simple story. But as the book progressed, a more intricate and exciting plot was revealed. The story intrigued, shocked, and emotionally engaged me. I liked that the author showed the story from different characters' points of view. It allowed me to enter the characters' minds, know what they were thinking and feeling, and connect with them on a deeper level. Read further enhanced readers' engagement with the book by providing visual aids in the form of pictures.
The book was graphic in a sexual sense. It explored behind the curtains of marriage as it examined delicate issues often tiptoed around in society, like sexual abuse in marriage. Sensitive readers should read with caution. However, lovers of romantic stories might be scintillated by the sexual tension that permeated some parts of the book.
Many of the characters had a warmth about them. Their conversations were punctuated by a lightness and humor that could make readers giggle with good-natured mirth. William and Susan's characters showed incredible strength and intelligence — a trait that might connect them to the reader. Maia's character embodied a mental strength and personal conviction that made her character endearing.
Some errors were observed in the book, and I found them disturbing. They bordered on misspelled or wrongly used character names. For example, on Page 236, the name 'Bannister' seemed to be a wrongly spelled version of the character Brock Lannister's name. However, it appeared that Roger Bentley ought to have been there contextually. A similar occurrence was spotted on Page 85 when the character William called another character's name that he had not yet known at that stage of the story. However, these errors took nothing away from the book's enjoyment and would only demand further editing.
The Summer of In Betweens was entertaining, and I enjoyed the reading experience. It was exciting and had some action topped off by fun romance. I'd recommend it to lovers of thrillers meshed with some clandestine romance. As a result of the number of errors found, I'd rate The Summer of In Betweens three out of four stars.
OnlineBookClub.org
About the Author:
The author graduated from Bucknell University with a degree in English and then spent two years teaching high school math and English with the Peace Corps in Eritrea. He worked for twenty-five years as a high school counselor and basketball coach for boys and girls teams. Upon retirement, he counseled part-time with sexually abused children and their families. Much of his fictional writing incorporates situations encountered by students and children that he counseled.
Mr. Read lives in northwest Pennsylvania with his wife. They have two daughters, four grandchildren, and two toy poodles. Weather permitting, he enjoys training and competing in sprint triathlons.
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My Expansion by Nancy Manet
Story Summary
Big Bear thinks they know how things are supposed to be for the cub:
Don’t run too fast.
Don’t get your feet wet.
Do what the “good” bears are doing.
Never stray from the traditional path.
But Big Bear’s got a cub on their paws that just wants to go their own way.
Free to explore.
Free to try new things.
Free to love and be joyful.
Free to take a different path.
Big Bear discovers it's hard to love unconditionally when you weren’t raised that way. Parenting is a challenge when you’re glued to the past.
Now Big Bear has a choice: keep stuck in the old thinking they were taught, or see the world brand new through the eyes and actions of their cub.
You are creative and smart.
Your dreams are wild.
You refuse to be
a stay-in-place child!
There is a choice for Big Bear: reject their cub or learn that loving this unique little bear is a chance to experience the wonderful world in a fresh new way.
Will Big Bear change for the better?
Buy the Book – Amazon, Bookshop.org
Reviews:
The narrator in MY EXPANSION is a mama bear. She acknowledges to her cub that she is different from other cubs—she is not a follower but someone who does her own thing—and Mama admits that it may have taken her a while to realize this. She explains that she used to be rigid in her thinking by wanting her cub to be more like her, but in time she learned to listen to her cub and be more open-minded. In the end, she provides encouragement to her cub and tells her to never stop being who she is. Colorful illustrations, by Michelle Buvala, complement the narrative and lighten the mood while dealing with what has the potential for being sensitive subject matter.
Author Nancy Manet’s choice of casting animal characters in the story instead of humans is an interesting one and works well for a number of reasons. First, children seem to be fascinated with animals who take on human-like characteristics. Second, using animals creates a soft distance between the characters and what may be going on in the life of the child, creating a feeling that is likely less hard-hitting than it would were the main character a human. And third, this suspension of reality gives children the opportunity to use their own imaginations.
While MY EXPANSION is clearly a children’s book, the messages it conveys are as much directed at parents as they are at children. The mama bear acknowledges what the cub already knows about herself, reassures the her that it’s okay to be different, and then talks about how she mishandled the situation in the beginning. Accepting responsibility for errors in judgement and conveying the fact that parents aren’t always perfect can only serve to strengthen the bond and respect between a parent and child. Based on the premise that every child is different, there is a broad audience for this book. A child who is not like other children, no matter how significant or insignificant, may need to hear from a parent that there they are nevertheless proud of who they are. The narrative could also have an effect on a child who never thought of him/herself as different by stirring up thoughts germane to the story line.
Nancy Manet’s book MY EXPANSION, beautifully illustrated by Michelle Buvala, is an original, creative and compassionate story to encourage and offer guidance to a child who may be different from other children.
Florence Osmund for IndieReader
About the Author:
Nancy Manet is a singer-songwriter and first-time author. She spent most of her adult life running a small business and raising her children. Raised in a strict religious community, Nancy did all the right things that “good girls” do. When Nancy first had children, she expected they would behave according to rigid, dogmatic rules.
That didn’t work so well.
In appearance and behavior, Nancy thought her kids should be like perfectly-potted tulips arranged neatly in nice rows. Instead, her daughter was more like a wildflower. Her daughter needed to grow in her way. With a child not following the “right way” of doing things, Nancy had a choice. She could destroy her relationship with her kid through dogma, rules, and rejection of her daughter's uniqueness, personality, and sexuality. Or she could respond with love and grace for Hannah … and herself.
As her daughter began to share her different views of the world, Nancy had a choice. Listen to her daughter and expand as a parent or force her rigid belief system on her daughter. Nancy chooses to expand and now embraces the world through a different lens – inclusive and accepting of everyone.
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Resistance, Revolution and Other Love Stories by K
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About the Book:
Is love the most revolutionary of all acts?
In this wide-ranging collection of twelve short stories, a startling array of characters explore their perspectives on love. The stories sweep from sharp realism to heady allegory, haunting fables to sci-fi thrillers, starring teens and drifting husbands, futuristic automatons and talking dogs, gardeners and gatekeepers, a blind girl, a young father, and many more.
In "Calamity Jane," see love through the eyes of teenage boys obsessed with the calamitous girl of the title; revisit the famous Greek love story in "Orpheus and Eurydice"; Dan's mechanical automaton seems to be his truest friend in the harshly conformist world of "Automatonomatopoeia"; a Crimean revolutionary gets waylaid at a mysterious gate in "The Invitation"; on a construction site in Yugoslavia, a young man tries to come to grips with unconventional fatherhood in "Vikings"; and in "The Conversation", a blind woman manages her relationship with a hectoring mother while finding other types of love.
These are just a few of the tales in Resistance, Revolution and Other Love Stories. Anyone interested in the struggle against stifling societal powers and the potency of love will see some of themselves in these pages. By turns exciting, meditative, and funny, these enjoyable, thought-provoking stories will linger long after the book is closed.
Buy the Book – Amazon.com, Bookshop.org
Reviews:
Resistance, Revolution and Other Love Stories by K. contains a series of short stories bound together by the theme of love during times of trouble. This anthology of stories is incredibly diverse and unique. K. soars above other authors with their sense of language, almost lyrically describing events in an abstractly beautiful way.
However, the prose is often so incredibly poetic that it was difficult for me to figure out what was actually happening. For instance, I had to read “Radius” multiple times in order to figure out what was going on with Mustapha’s brother, and I’m still not entirely sure I understood. There are so many abstract images painted to describe the story that are simultaneously poignant and senseless. During the portion describing Mustapha’s brother, I found myself squinting as if I were trying to decipher a Jackson Pollock painting. I knew it was beautiful, but I wasn’t sure exactly what it was.
Then it’s almost as if a different person picks up the pen to write “Calamity Jane,” wherein a teenage boy is exploring love and sexuality and the seemingly wanton need to tear down all women around him. It wasn’t a story that particularly resonated with me as a reader, mostly due to the amount of denigration focused on teenage girls throughout. The focus is on Jane, in particular, but also on any young girl who happens to wear yoga pants, who is thought of as an object in this young boy’s eyes. He constantly refers to them as “bitches,” and yet, he also constantly notes that they make his genitals “tingle.” If that made you cringe, perhaps skip this particular story. It strikes an ugly chord against the rest of the incredibly beautiful short stories.
In “Dog Whistle,” dogs are cruel in order to appease their masters, but with the touch of a gentle soul, realize the world around them is of their own making. Each story is so different in its own way and love truly ties them all together. I appreciate the different kinds of love woven throughout this story, not just pretty and romantic love. In “The Conversation,” familial love is explored, while in “Head Down,” a cheater falls in love. There were so many different voices within the book that it really felt fleshed out with untold ideas and unique stories. The stories were mostly very short and easy to read.
If you like philosophy, wistfulness, and the notion that love conquers all, this book will be a very enjoyable read for you.
~ Jenna Swartz, Seattle Book Review
More Comments:
"Fantastical, meditative, and witty... An outstanding collection."
-- The Prairies Book Review
"Undoubtedly eclectic, each selection takes on a life of its own with electrifying energy and the ability to incorporate themes that will keep ruminating in readers' minds long after the story is finished."
-- RECOMMENDED by US Review of Books
"I ventured into every piece and without fail discovered K's phenomenally joyous understanding of the heights and horrors of human existence. Writing does not come any better than this."
-- 5 Stars, Jon Michael Miller, Readers' Favorite
"Each plot is a masterpiece in its own, with such compelling story lines that you are forced to follow them until the end, and to uncover the secret message hidden within."
-- Literary Titan
"This short story collection pairs desperate love with acts of violence in a diverse and moving debut."
-- BlueInk Review
"An entertaining, fast-paced and powerful collection of short stories,author K's Resistance, Revolution & Other Love Stories is a must-read book."
-- Pacific Book Review
"Beautifully penned, thought-provoking, intense and authentically engaging..."
-- BookViral Reviews
"A collection of twelve short stories about the many forms of love. A perfect summer read we highly recommend."
-- Chanticleer Reviews
About the Author:
K., an anti-war advocate, studied English, Religion and Philosophy at University of Toronto and has written fiction for years, publishing several stories in literary magazines. Resistance, Revolution and Other Short Stories is K.'s first book. K. lives in Malton, Ontario, Canada, with their spouse, five children, an American Wirehair cat and a Quaker parrot.
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Choosing Life: One man’s journey through alcoholism and depression to wellness and self-discovery by Blue Andrews
About the Book:
Addiction and avoidance. Inadequacy and isolation.
Even though Blue Andrews went from food stamps to a million dollars, and had an amazing family and many supportive friends, his unhealthy responses to life took their toll.
In August of 2010, to the surprise of everyone but himself, Andrews attempted suicide. He woke up in the psych unit of a hospital with fourteen stitches on his wrists. A few days later, he made the most important decision of his life.
He wanted to live. He wanted to be well.
Choosing Life is the story of how he arrived at that conclusion and his ensuing journey toward health, contentment, and self-discovery.
With an open heart, Andrews describes what it's like to seemingly have it all yet still find yourself alone and depressed. He also shares the steps he took to find his way back and the amazing feelings that emerge with being well. The numerous stories Andrews conveys will be both relatable and beneficial, whether for yourself or someone you care about.
Choosing Life was selected as a Finalist in the Health: Addiction and Recovery category of annual American Book Fest “Best Book” awards
Reviews:
“Honest and poignant, Choosing Life is a beautifully written memoir about alcoholism, depression, and the recovery and grieving processes the author has experienced. Blue Andrews holds nothing back as he shares his story, hoping to help and inspire others to not give up on living. Written from the heart, this book is for anyone who is struggling or has struggled with addiction and/or depression as well as the loved ones who have been there for them every step of the way.”
~ Kristi Elizabeth, San Francisco Book Review
“The book is strongly recommended to readers who have first-hand experience of addiction and/or depression and others who have close relations or friends who do. Also, if you have a hard time comprehending why people feel depressed or suicidal, the book will help you understand that no matter how bad an individual's situation is, they are products of society and not deserving of insensitive judgment. Unfortunately, the pressure to acquire material possessions and gain prestigious titles and recognition is propagated excessively by society. Thankfully, books like this reveal that focusing on one's mental health and self-knowledge can help undo the harmful effects of materialism, peer pressure, unhealthy competition, and people pleasing.”
~ Foluso Falaye, Seattle Book Review
Buy the Book – Bookshop.org
About the Author
Blue Andrews is a stay-at-home dad living across the lake from Seattle with his beautiful wife and four incredible children. Andrews first career was in sales. He spent over fifteen years in the technology industry working for startups, some successful and some not, a mid-sized company, and IBM. He has a BA in Economics from the University of Washington and Certificates from Bellevue College in both Software Development and Database Development. Andrews grew up in Oregon and has lived in Southern California and Atlanta as an adult. These days his favorite things to do are spending time with his family, exercising, listening to live music, and going on road trips. Andrews has interviewed by One Mind’s Brain Waves podcast - https://onemind.org/brainwaves For more of his thoughts on wellness, life, and living, visit his website at www.creedsliving.com.
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The Mommy Clique by Barbara Altamirano
About the Book:
Life in suburbia is typical and ordinary--just the same old same old. Only, not in this neighborhood. Here, the impressively large homes and pure green lawns hide a much darker reality that is far from mundane.
When Beth moves back to her hometown in Connecticut to care for her ailing mother, she is forced to confront not only the ghosts of her youth but the other mothers on her street. There is Elise, the queen bee, who determines the fate of everyone and is all-controlling. There is Kelly, Elise's sidekick and most sycophantic supporter, who secretly longs to have a voice and power of her own. There's Ronnie, the informer, who, with her intelligence and investigative skill, digs up dirt on the others in service to the queen. And then there's Gail, the wannabe, who is constantly striving to feel as important and valued as the others.
Looking for some mom friends, Beth seeks a place for herself within this mommy clique. Turns out they do have an available role for her: it's called the target.
Reviews:
“The Mommy Clique is an entertaining and unpredictable novel filled with gossip and betrayal that will keep readers on their toes. Beth comes back to her hometown after many years to take care of her mother. She is worried about coming back to town, and to make matters worse she is forced to face the mean girl clique of mothers on her street. She soon realizes that she has become the target of these women, and they are looking for some fun. We find out that their ‘perfect’ life in the suburbs is not as great as it looks on the outside.”
~ Literary Titan
Full Review
“If you think that “mean girls” can only be found in the high school cafeteria, think again. Author Barbara Altamirano shows that mean girls grow up to become mean mommies in her newest book, The Mommy Clique. The book takes place in a town in Connecticut and centers around a group of women whom all have elementary school-aged daughters... This book is fun, entertaining, and very humorous at times.”
~ Kristi Elizabeth, Manhattan Book Review
Full Review
Buy the Book – Amazon, Bookshop.org
About the Author:
Barbara Altamirano has been blessed with an abundance of awkwardness, which allows her to write about uncomfortable situations with authenticity. She was thrilled to discover that there actually are perks to being a wallflower. She has had essays published in places such as Guideposts Magazine, WOW! Women On Writing and bioStories. The Mommy Clique is her first novel. After exploring the antics of women who refuse to grow up, she is now working on several young adult novels.
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Equipment by Hesse Caplinger
About the Book:
In 2005, Charles Foster is suffering setbacks both personal and professional: he's been pulled from jet-setting overseas duties and stuffed behind a lectern in a rust belt river-city town--where his wife and child have left him to return to the alabaster and cordials of Washington, DC. When he receives a pet assignment and an inevitable personal challenge, he discovers he may make the worst of them both.
Edmund LeFrance is a habitual gambler and itinerant hit man whose employer accepts a job from a CIA agent--it's a simple fix that could have long-term implications.
Hoyt Gamlin is retired SAS from working-class Britain. A missing compatriot draws him from sunny Los Angeles into the search--and his characteristic aggression.
And Marek Hussar is a recent arrival--seemingly a businessman with little furniture and a wealth of kit--an eccentric and enigmatic foreign national whose motions and motivations interleave and unfold beside Foster, LeFrance, and Gamlin, as they each move to discover, subvert, and survive the intentions of the other.
Reviews:
“A well-written, thrilling adventure, Equipment takes the reader on a fascinating rollercoaster ride. Two main players, Doctor Howard Charles Foster, CIA agent, and Marek Hussar, a well-connected hitman, find each other in the most advanced game of cat and mouse you could imagine. And although the storyline is intriguing, what I found the most pleasure in while reading this book was the way it was written. The prose felt like a cross between a James Earl Jones narration and a scene out of Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction. The action was exciting, just as it should be, with car chases that not only describe the vehicles but also every detail as the driver shifts gears and the style of road he is on. The reader can literally hear the gears shift as the two vehicles race through the scene.”
~ Kristi Elizabeth, Manhattan Book Review
Full Review
“I should have put more stock in the foreword, where the editor said this novel doesn’t fit neatly into any particular genre. Is it literary fiction? A thriller? Espionage? There is no easy answer, because it’s easily all of these. The protagonists are spies, the book opens with an explosion, and the author’s tone throughout makes it clear this isn’t your standard genre novel. It’s something far more compelling.”
~ Jo Niederhoff, San Francisco Book Review
Full Review
Buy the Book – Amazon, Bookshop.org
About the Author:
Hesse Caplinger has written fiction, essays, profiles, and criticism. His work has appeared in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, St. Louis Magazine, Glasstire, and elsewhere. He is the author of the novels "Equipment" and "Terrain."
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Tempest Poems by Ryan Meyer
About the Book:
Ryan Meyer departs from the horror themes of 2018's Haunt in his new collection of poems, Tempest. He explores fear, hope, and self-identity through striking fictional vignettes and surreal personal accounts. Tempest is thus a marriage between the dichotomies of musical, rhythmic poetic dialogue, and the deeper, innate anxieties that accompany change. Discover your truest self and brave the Tempest.
Winner of the American Book Fest 2021 Best Book Award for Contemporary Poetry
Winner of the 2021 IndieReader Discovery Award for Best Cover Design in Fiction
Reviews:
”Ryan Meyer’s poetry collection Tempest plays with metaphors and myths, assembling an assortment of short poems that filter ordinary experiences through vibrant imagery.
Elements from mythology stand out in the entries, as when Sisyphus recounts his fate and the power-hungry desires that landed him in the torturous underworld, where he feels a connection to the vultures that watch him. Magical realism is a factor, too: the narrator of “Antlers” laments the antlers that protrude “from my skull / Like antennae– / Tangible headaches.” They complicate his life, scraping ceilings as he moves around. But there are also more common subjects: in “Flamingo,” elements of a typical work day, like deadlines, are contrasted with “pink flamingo sunsets” that are reminiscent of a happy vacation.”
~ Jeana Jorgensen, Forward Reviews
Full Review
“In the foreword, the author explains that, with the poems in Tempest, he aims to capture destructive and terrible things in a beautiful way. Although I can only talk about a couple of the poems in this review, I thought that most of the poems in this book were perfectly in line with this mindset and the dichotomy within them was what kept me interested and fascinated. This poetry collection is about difficult and hard moments as well as incredible moments of clarity. But they don't have the roughness or urgency you'd expect from them. Everything is told with calmness. Reading this book is like hearing the story of a destructive tempest after the boat has been rocked to shore and the sky has cleared again. Everyone is warming up next to a fire. The sea is tranquil and quiet. The fear has gone back into hiding.”
~ Linda Arrighi, Reedsy
Full Review
Buy the Book – Amazon, Bookshop.org
About the Author:
Ryan Meyer is an award-winning writer whose work has appeared in Freshwater Poetry Magazine, Beechwood Review, Moon Tide Press' Dark Ink anthology, Folio Literary Magazine, and Spellbinder Magazine. Ryan and his books have been featured in Forbes, Cosmopolitan, Publisher’s Weekly, Pop-Culturalist, Lambda Literary, Connecticut Magazine, and more. He published Haunt, his first book of poems, in February 2018, and his follow-up, Tempest, in March 2021. He lives in Shelton, Connecticut. Learn more at NothingPeak.com.
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Mia, The Crooked Road by D.A. Jennings
About the Book:
Adventure comes when you least expect it. Sometimes, when that happens life turns upside down. In this sequel to Mia, Ripples in the Water, Mia finds herself wandering down a path she never planned to take.
This detour forces her to question who she is and who she is becoming. It challenges what she believes to be her purpose in life and throws her into turmoil over the issues of forgiveness and friendship.
The crooked road is not part of her plan but perhaps it is exactly where she need to travel to discover who she is meant to be.
Reviews:
“In this follow-up to Jennings’ children’s novel Mia: Ripples in the Water (2019), Mia is back with her family of anthropomorphized mice in Italy. She takes part in the daily gathering of food, cooperates with her brothers, Cade and Rupert, and copes with the hostility and jealousy from another group of siblings led by her sister, Invidia. The book opens with an incident in the marketplace, where the mice escape a cat and the attentions of the merchants whose crumbs they steal...This vibrant blend of the spirit of the Redwall fiction series and the Ramona Quimby novels will likely appeal to young independent readers.”
~ Kirkus Reviews
Full Review
Buy the Book – Amazon, Bookshop.org
About the Author:
Mia, The Crooked Road, Receives International Children’s Book Award and 5-star Review.
With her latest book, Mia, The Crooked Road, author D.A. Jennings delivers another adventure where the courageous mouse, Mia, overcomes sibling conflicts, jealousy, and bullying from her sister Invidia. On her unplanned journey of self-discovery, she forms unlikely friendships with different creatures who share their opinions and advice with humor and sincerity. The Crooked Road powerfully shows how lies and misunderstandings can lead to a break in family relationships and even depression, and how forgiveness can lead to self-realization and friendship.
In addition to the Mia series, author D.A. Jennings has written three other successful children’s illustrated books that have been well received. She is an adjunct instructor for creative writing at Harford Community College and is regularly requested to present her books at schools and special events. Her books promote how to overcome conflicts, being a friend, taking care of the environment, and using your imagination. All her books may be viewed and purchased through her website dajennings.com or Amazon.com.
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Breaking the Stigma: Racism, the Opioid Endemic, Lies, and Inviting Grandma to the Dispensary by Charlena Berry
About the Book:
Are you a dispensary who is looking to increase your sales? Are you a budtender who is looking to advance your career? Are you looking to open a cannabis store in your state? If so, Breaking the Stigma is the book for you!
As a cannabis retailer, you face the same challenges as every business today, but there are more obstacles for you than the local brick-and-mortar shops or dominating online stores.
Being successful means creating a customer experience fueled by a thorough understanding of the consumer. For retailers in the still newly forming cannabis industry, this knowledge only comes from breaking through barriers of a deeply ingrained stigma—one with catastrophic consequences.
In Breaking the Stigma, Fortune 500 business executive Charlena Berry provides a framework for becoming a prosperous cannabis retailer, showing you how to overcome your product’s negative connotations and impart vital, need-to-know truths about your industry. With first-hand experience with the devastating opioid endemic, Charlena’s fight for cannabis’s legitimacy is a personal one. She shares decades of business insight to show you how to gain market share using traditional retail strategies to improve the customer experience and ultimately gain profitability. Insure your business and product sustainability and be part of the solution to society’s deadliest problem with this emotionally driven, fact-based strategy for long-term success.
Reviews:
“If there ever was a book that could be named the number one how-to guide on starting your own cannabis business, this would be it. This book covers so much more than just the selling of cannabis...Not only does Charlena talk about the stigma of cannabis, she also gives the readers a solution to the problem. Most of the book contains a full business plan of how to create your own cannabis business. This book is like a gold mine for the entrepreneur! With chapters on customer service, leadership, branding, merchandising, omnichannels, marketing, and story operations, Charlena has literally built a business for anyone who wants to give it a shot.”
~ Kristi Elizabeth, San Francisco Book Review
Full Review
“’The stigma of cannabis is one of the biggest barriers we face as retailers,’ writes Berry, a former Fortune 500 executive who now operates a cannabis business consultancy. This informative book begins with the author’s sobering admission that she got interested in medical marijuana when she witnessed opioid addiction in her own family...Having addressed the negative perceptions and positive impacts of cannabis, Berry turns her attention to the retail side in the book’s remaining chapters. She covers customer relationships, leadership, branding, service, merchandising, omnichannel, marketing, and store operations; in short, it’s a comprehensive menu of what any retailer needs to know, with a specific focus on selling marijuana.”
~ Kirkus
Full Review
Buy the Book – Amazon
About the Author:
Charlena Berry is the author of Breaking the Stigma: Racism, Lies, the Opioid Endemic, and Inviting Grandma to the Dispensary. In this book, she exposes lies that created the stigmas associated with cannabis, and how these stigmas must be addressed to see continued growth in the marketplace. She then outlines a framework that provides key strategies for retailers to implement to improve the customer experience and increase profitability.
Writing from her experiences in the industry, Berry is a global cannabis business executive and the founder of Cannabis Business Growth, a premier cannabis business consulting firm. Prior to that, she spent more than a decade in Supply Chain and Retail Operations for Fortune 500 companies like Whirlpool and Office Depot/Office Max.
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Inhabitant by Charles Crittenden
About the Book:
Experience the marvel of the universe through the eyes of the inhabitant!
After years of mistreating their home, the Inhabitant has been unexpectedly expelled from Earth and must journey across the universe to find a new home by any means necessary. Haunted by dreams of the past and hopes for the future, they can only rely on their experiences. Taking it day by day (and with a little help from a new friend), they explore new worlds, both wondrous and frightening, on the path to solid ground.
Charles Crittenden's Inhabitant brings a unique blend of poetry and storytelling, inviting the reader to join the search for a new home.
Reviews:
“Woven across fragmented poetry, Charles Crittenden’s Inhabitant is at once an adventure, existential questioning, and declaration of hope. Broken into four parts, the poetry collection follows the linear story of an astronaut expelled from Earth, a lonely voyager seeking a new home to sooth the emptiness that comes with eviction from one’s home. Their misadventures take the reader along to the desolate landscape of Mars, through Saturn’s perilous rings, and beyond: to the further reaches of the galaxy that dangle the idea of home just outside our reach.”
~ Dina Dugar, San Francisco Book Review
Full Review
“The search for a place to call home is often a daunting one. Yet, for the speaker in Crittenden's poetry compilation, the challenge is far greater as he is navigating through the entire universe to find an abode in alignment with him. An almost seamless fusion of storytelling and poetry, Crittenden's compilation is bursting with energy and meaningful introspection of life in the cosmos that connects with all audiences. Themes of hope clash with isolation against the backdrop of scenes painted vividly using poetic devices, yielding a stunning splendor of images that probe into what is truly possible. Beyond the earth, are the possibilities truly limitless?
Right from the opening poem, Crittenden's comfort with experimental structure is on full display. The structural wordplay throughout takes on a life of its own and imbues the readers with the feelings the poet is trying to convey. For instance, in "Falling," the cascading structure gives off the effect of literally falling. While there isn't a distinctive rhyme scheme, the narrative structure more than holds its own as the speaker ruminates over his actions and their ramifications on an earth that is being destroyed with every passing second, whether that is with ‘people under collapsed buildings, houses swept away, cities leveled.’”
~ Mihir Shah, The US Review
Full Review
Buy the Book – Amazon
About the Author:
A child of the 90s, Charles Crittenden is a creative type born and raised in St. Louis, finding escape in art and music while studying math and science. This path has led him through many projects with close friends while finding a path to bring the Inhabitant story to fruition. His best days are busy ones with family and a dog by his side.
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50 Ways to Love Wine More by Jim Laughren
About the Book:
Winner-Best Wine Book, National Indie Excellence Award; Winner-Best Cookbook, Independent Press Award; Winner-Best Design, NYC Big Book Award. Finalist-USA American Book Fest Awards; Finalist-Foreword Indies.
Wine appreciation as it was meant to be. No textbook necessary, just open arms and a mind and palate ready to explore. 50 Ways to Love Wine More is about discovering wine on your terms, at your pace, with your friends and fellow wine lovers. Let your ideas and desires intersect with the wonder of wine to enhance and expand your wine knowledge and appreciation.
Author Jim Laughren, a certified wine educator--and certifiable oenophile--shares the insights and lessons learned from 20+ years as a wine importer, distributor, collector, consultant and confirmed aficionado. He reaffirms what is important about wine and our relationship to it. With this foundation to build on, the details, the history, the geography, the art, and the science of wine are easy to assemble and appreciate.
While 50 Ways to Love Wine More is brimming with facts and "vintellect" on a wide variety of wine-focused topics, what you'll learn most is how to let wine wrap you in its embrace, whisper its secrets in your ear, and welcome you to its confederacy of aficionados.
Reviews:
“This book is a must-have for anyone who is even remotely into wine or wine-drinking. 50 Ways to Love Wine More is an easy-to-read book with simple ways to enhance the reader’s knowledge of wine. One aspect of the book that I immediately noticed and loved was the use of wine glass rings on several of the pages. That little ring that red wine makes on the table or napkin gives the book an authentic, warm feeling whether you are drinking while reading or not. The overall design was so thoughtfully laid out, with the rings and corks labeling each chapter along with the red wine accent color used for the page number borders. Jim Laughren does a wonderful job of teaching the reader about all aspects of wine, not only what to look for when tasting but also the history of wine and methods of wine-making.”
~ Kristi Elizabeth, Manhattan Book Review
Full Review
“Jim Laughren’s 50 Ways to Love Wine More: Adventures in Wine Appreciation is a fun and approachable guide to becoming more knowledgeable about buying, serving, and drinking wine. There’s no fug of elitism or pretension here; each of the fifty short chapters sets up a self-directed task that expounds on an aspect of wine history, grapes and regional wine types, aspects of viticulture and winemaking, and other related topics, making it easy to dip in and out. One could use the book as a solid wine appreciation course, plowing through it in linear fashion, or meander through it over time to pick up wine hints and tips as one’s social calendar and wine purse allows.”
~ Rachel Jagareski, Forward Reviews
Full Review
Buy the Book – Amazon, Bookshop.org
About the Author:
Jim Laughren loves wine. And has for a very long time. He is a former importer and distributor of fine wines from around the world. He is also a Certified Wine Educator who has both taken and taught dozens of classes and seminars dealing with various aspects of wine and spirits.
But it’s sharing—with you!—that means the most to him. And it’s writing that allows him to share his knowledge, experience, and passion with all the people he’d love to meet but probably won’t have the chance to.
He has little use for the snobbery and condescension that have, somehow, become part of the world of wine. “Wine is a joy, a gift of the gods, bounty of the earth, and should be shared and celebrated. Whether someone is brand new to the wine scene or has many years of vinous pleasure at his or her back makes no difference.
“Wine, to me, is part of the human story. From Mesopotamia to the ancient lands of Egypt, Israel, Persia, Greece, or Rome, wine has been drunk and shared and influenced cultures and lives in ways we can only imagine.”
Known for his irreverent, fun-loving approach and abiding enthusiasm, his writings, whether in the pages of “A Beer Drinker’s Guide To Knowing & Enjoying Fine Wine,” “50 Ways to Love Wine More,” or the coming series of “Everything You Need to Know About Wine in 15 Minutes” is targeted squarely at the wine enthusiast with an open heart and curious mind.
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Dangerfield's Promise by Terrance Newby
About the Book:
Dangerfield's Promise explores what freedom truly means to two protagonists living in two different centuries. Blending historical events and contemporary fiction with elements of magical realism and psychology, Dangerfield's Promise weaves the two story lines together as both protagonists search for their families, and ultimately, their souls. Dangerfield Newby, a newly-emancipated black Virginian, wants to buy his wife Harriet and all of his children out of slavery and move them into the free state of Ohio. Harriet's owner refuses to sell Harriet or any of the children. Outraged but powerless, Dangerfield decides to join abolitionist John Brown, who he has met previously during his travels through Ohio.
Dangerfield sees John Brown's bold plan to capture the armory in Harpers Ferry and eliminate American slavery as his best option to free his enslaved family. But the insurrection in Harpers Ferry is quickly put down, and Dangerfield is the first of Brown's men killed in the raid, shot down in an alley as he flees the approaching army. He carries letters from Harriet in his pocket when he dies. Fictional protagonist Michael Turner is a brilliant black surgeon who embodies the late 20th Century American dream. But his success has come at a high price. He is estranged from his family - he regards them as lacking ambition and innate talent. And his family views him as aloof, arrogant, and neglectful of his responsibilities to his family and the black community. After Turner's dying grandmother tells him that he may be distantly related to Dangerfield Newby, he begins to research this possible link with history, and in the process, uncovers dark family secrets unknown to anyone living.
Reviews:
“Dangerfield’s Promise by Terrance Newby is part Historical Fiction mixed with a transformative journey of self-discovery. Destiny forms a crucial part of Dangerfield’s and Turner’s lives, especially when it comes to each man reaching a fork in the road: Dangerfield in joining the abolitionist fray and whether Turner relinquishes his investigative journey. The splitting of the narrative between past and present makes this excellent book no less compelling. A moving and wonderful book.”
~ Philip Zozzaro, Manhattan Book Review
Full Review
“The book is a must-read for fans of classic historical narratives, like Django Unchained and 12 Years A Slave. Plus, readers who enjoy magical realism will have their fill of thrills with the hair-raising ghost appearances and intriguing visions. Told through multiple third-person perspectives, the book brings different strong characters and times together in a one grand, epic narrative that is perfect for a complete escape from the mundane.
This remarkable story about the inhumane act of slavery will inspire readers to question the practices they view as normal but future generations might find equally deplorable. Dangerfield’s Promise is so lifelike and emotional that it helped me appreciate how far humanity has come—even though there’s still much room for improvement. Terrace had better make it a series because I want more!”
~ Foluso Falaye, Seattle Book Review
Full Review
Buy the Book – Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org
About the Author:
Terrance C. Newby is an attorney, writer, and playwright based in Roseville, Minnesota. His first play, "The Cage," was professionally staged in St. Paul in 2016. His play, "The Body Politic," was professionally staged in June 2018. His short stories have appeared in OurEcho and in Straitjackets Magazine. "Dangerfield's Promise" is his first novel.
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The Art of Lifelong Customers by Mihaela Akers
About the Book:
We’ve been conditioned to treat strangers better than customers and to endlessly chase what we don’t have. But the key to a highly profitable and fulfilling business is acknowledging and appreciating what we already have—in particular, our existing customers.
Products are replicable, but the way you make people feel can never be replicated. You can stand out in a crowded market by making your customers feel acknowledged, respected, and appreciated.
Drawing from her career in customer-relationship marketing with major brands like Gucci, Ralph Lauren and La Redoute, Mihaela Akers lays out the essential ideas for building sincere, long-lasting relationships with customers who not only adore you, but who also eagerly buy from you for life.
In The Art of Lifelong Customers, you’ll discover how to:
Become a magnet for high-quality customers
Make your customers feel seen and appreciated
Speak differently to different customers
Build a VIP Customer Love Program
Become best friends with your customer data
Create an authentic emotional connection
You’ll find that the forgotten art of making people feel appreciated is the new science of making customers stay.
Mihaela Akers’ marketing insights have been featured in major media venues, including NBC News, Fiscal Times, and U.S. News and World Report. She’s helped shape the marketing strategies of some of the world’s leading companies, including Ralph Lauren and Gucci. She believes in the power of acknowledgement, sincerity, and caring about your customers.
Reviews:
“Mihaela Akers brings to the table only what years of experience can. With tips on everything from mindset to gift-giving to marketing, The Art of Lifelong Customers is simply fantastic. This book will help business owners create lasting customer retention by building meaningful, authentic relationships."
(Manhattan Book Review)
“This book is packed with essential information. The Art Of Lifelong Customers will engage readers and provide much-needed advice. People who have a business or provide any services will find this book extremely useful. The friendly tone feels like talking to a friend. The author does not simply write the do's and don'ts, but she backs it up with analytics, good examples, personal experiences, and proper research.”
(Independent Book Review)
The Art of Lifelong Customers is a fantastic way to help you stand out in the crowd, whether your business is a kitchen table start-up or a multinational enterprise.”
(Readers’ Favorite)
Buy the Book – Amazon,
About the Author:
Mihaela is the author of The Art of Lifelong Customers, the non-fiction book in which she lays out the essential ideas for building sincere, profitable and fulfilling relationships with customers who not only adore you, but who also eagerly buy from you for life.
Mihaela’s 14+ years of marketing experience includes working with Gucci, Ralph Lauren, La Redoute, KingSize Direct, MedicAlert Foundation and others. She started her career as a marketing analyst and in her last full-time role, she was a Director of Global Customer Intelligence and Experience Management at Ralph Lauren. She’s worked with databases of millions of customers and conducted hundreds of marketing experiments.
Mihaela’s marketing ideas have been featured in NBC News, Authority Magazine, Shopify Plus, US News and World Report, Fiscal Times, National Federation of Independent Business and others.
Mihaela is passionate about writing, sharing her expertise and inspiring people to become fulfilled, peaceful and abundant. She writes about business and personal growth on her website, www.builduplab.com.
Mihaela holds an MBA from NYU Stern Business School, a M.S. in Direct Response Marketing from NYU and a B.A. in English from Vassar College.
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The Greek Gambit by Charles Salter
About the Book:
Along the North Carolina coast, random people are aging decades in days and dying within a week. Suspecting some weird new form of radiation, the Pentagon sends its top secret Nuke Response Team Alpha to investigate.
Team chief Colonel Blake Hunter is on vacation in Greece when unknown agents try to kill him and kidnap his young family. What horrifying new weapon have the terrorists created? How can Hunter stop them when his wife and children are in the danger zone?
Reviews:
“Fans of plots with highly competent protagonists and sophisticated technology, such as the James Bond series, should read this book. The vividly depicted action sequences are excellent movie material, and I appreciated the use of functional technology, such as GPS and sensors that tell the protagonist's location and health state, as well as a holographic shield that works as an invisibility cloak.<br><br>This all-around thrilling story offers readers an opportunity to immerse themselves in the exciting and challenging world of a relentless agent on a highly dangerous mission from the comfort of their own homes, as well as appreciate the mundane after exploring the possibility of losing it all in the book. A tremendously captivating and addictive experience!”
~ Foluso Falaye, San Francisco Book Review
Buy the Book – Amazon, Bookshop.org
About the Author:
Charles A. Salter has published dozens of fiction and non-fiction books and hundreds of magazine and newspaper articles over the past 4 decades. This is Book One of his new series NUKE RESPONSE TEAM ALPHA.
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