Today's Featured Books

Free online: The Rijksmuseum of the Netherlands features masterworks from the Dutch Golden Age, including paintings by Vermeer and Rembrandt. The Rijksmuseum itself is also a masterpiece: a stunning building with amazing interior design. You can view many works from the museum's collection and take virtual tours of some of its galleries via Google Art. Free online, any time you like!

“Don’t think about making art, just get it done. Let everyone else decide if it’s good or bad, whether they love it or hate it. While they are deciding, make even more art.” ~Andy Warhol

In the 22nd century, the Corporate Wars rage across the Solar System, but elite commando Alex 9’s latest mission takes an unexpected turn when her ship malfunctions, landing her on a planet resembling medieval Earth. As knights and empires battle for survival, Alex’s arrival threatens to change the course of their world. Armed with the legendary Sword of the Dragon and tied to an ancient prophecy, Alex must navigate this war-torn land and forge a new destiny. Book 1 in the Alex 9 Saga. 4.3 stars, 77 ratings. From $0.99. Free via KU. SHOP NOW / 

Unlock your inner wisdom and self-love, break free from self-doubt, and create lasting transformation with this powerful 30-day program. In just 10-15 minutes per day, you can end destructive patterns and embrace profound change via a practical path to reclaiming joy and balance. Whether you're new to mindfulness or a seasoned practitioner, this is your chance to stop living on autopilot and start creating the life you truly deserve. 4.9 stars, 19 ratings. From $2.99. Free via KU. SHOP NOW / 

Shivani, a gifted witch, has managed to avoid her village’s annual Summoning—until her father, desperate and in debt, volunteers her to break the Prince’s curse. Stripped of her magic, she’s taken to the castle where she must win the Prince’s heart and survive a deadly competition with no guarantee of success. As Shivani uncovers dark secrets behind the curse and the castle’s twisted history, she faces an impossible choice: fight for her freedom and abandon those trapped under the curse or risk everything to break it before time runs out. FREE - SHOP NOW / 

Creative Manifesting: 11 Laws of Manifestation to Amplify Your Intuition and Inner Genius

Awaken your inner genius and creative potential—even if you feel blocked or doubtful of your talents.

Are you tired of seeing your ideas die before they ever have a chance to shine? You have the talent, the vision, the drive…but something always seems to hold you back?

Here’s the hard truth: Most creatives today only tap into a fraction of their potential. The education system trained us to fit molds, follow the rules, and avoid risk, leaving our genius locked away. However, your mind holds access to an endless supply of creative potential. Everyone has access to a divine intelligence capable of attracting opportunities for creativity, connection, and abundance.

Imagine waking up every morning with an unstoppable flow of creative energy, where ideas come to you effortlessly, and your art, business, or brand finally gains the recognition it deserves. This reality is within your reach, but it requires you to unlock the power of multi-dimensional thinking—to expand your perception, see beyond the obvious, and tap into the creative flow that leads to groundbreaking ideas.

Inside Creative Manifesting, you’ll discover:

• A creative “hack” to awaken your inner genius and tap into a limitless reservoir of creative potential.
• How to block out external opinions that cloud your intuition.
• Secrets to unlocking mental flexibility.
• How to access ideas buried deep in your subconscious.
• A guide to maximizing your creative output.
• And much more. 

Focused Manifesting: 11 Laws of Manifestation to Master Your Mind and Attention

Why distractions are blocking your manifestation results—and how to fix it.

You have the tools. You’ve read the books, tried the techniques, and set your goals. Yet, every day feels like a struggle to stay consistent with your practice. Sound familiar?

Here’s the truth: Distraction is the silent killer of your power. We live in a world full of noise—constant demands on your attention that steal your focus and make it almost impossible to manifest consistently. Without focus, your results are unpredictable, scattered, and frustratingly slow.

But here’s the good news: visionaries like Steve Jobs, Warren Buffet, and Tony Robbins have shared a simple truth—where attention goes, energy flows. Once you learn how to control your attention, you can manifest your desires consistently and predictably. This is why Focused Manifesting may be the most important book in the series.

Inside Focused Manifesting, you’ll discover:

• The #1 distraction that’s keeping you from manifesting the life you want—and how to eliminate it.
• A simple exercise for choosing goals that create heart-mind alignment.
• How to turn manifestation into a daily habit vs. a random event.
• Feng shui secrets.
• Mindfulness exercises.
• A counter-intuitive way of using technology.
• A little tweak for 10x-ing the effects of gratitude.
• And much, much more!

The Magic of Manifesting: 15 Advanced Techniques To Attract Your Best Life, Even If You Think It's Impossible Now

Unlock the power of your mind to manifest your best life in 2025.

Do you feel stuck—like no matter what you try, nothing ever seems to change? Years pass, and you find yourself replaying the same old script? 

Here’s the truth: Your thoughts have more power than you think. And if you’re not conscious of this, you’ll live on autopilot and at the mercy of random circumstances.

This is not about wishful thinking or blind positivity. Manifesting is about aligning your thoughts, emotions, and actions with the universal laws that govern success and abundance.

In The Magic of Manifesting, you’ll discover 15 advanced techniques to shift your mindset, break free from self-doubt, and manifest the life you’ve always wanted. You'll learn: 

• The science of manifestation they don't want you to know and how to make it work for you.
• How to unlock your mind’s potential to attract success, love, and abundance.
• The #1 mental exercise top performers use to stay focused and thrive.
• How to identify and release hidden blocks keeping you from achieving your goals.
• Simple steps to rewire your beliefs and shift from scarcity to abundance.

Free online tonight: Excited Utterance, a quarterly reading series established 2014 in Chicago. Events are held online via Facebook. Host Larry O. Dean welcomes co-poets Nancy Miller Gomez and Meghan Lamb. Wednesday, December 4, 7 PM CT.

"People don’t notice whether it’s winter or summer when they’re happy." ~Anton Chekhov

When a giant red-and-white striped straw appears in the Atlantic and sucks up his dad’s battleship, twelve-year-old Jim Moss sets out to save his father. With the help of his eccentric inventor uncle, a crew of fishermen-turned-pirates, and some stranded alien castaways, Jim’s adventure takes him from Portsmouth, England, across the ocean, and into the edge of space. "Ideal for teenagers aged 13-17." ~Literary Titan (Gold Award Winner). 5.0 stars, 29 ratings. From $0.99 - SHOP NOW / 

Brenda E Smith's memoir immerses readers in a world where the thrill of exploration knows no bounds. What began as a step outside her comfort zone in Tanzania, rafting and climbing through untamed wilderness, ignited a quest for adventure that led her to some of the world’s most remote and breathtaking places. From Bolivia’s rugged landscapes to Sri Lanka’s leech-filled jungles, Brenda’s escapades push her to confront mysteries and dangers. Through every challenge, she emerges braver and more enlightened, blending adrenaline-fueled exploits with profound reflections. FREE - SHOP NOW / 

Today, LitNuts is shining a spotlight on Daylight Saving Time: The Power of Growing Older, the latest book from award-winning author David W. Berner.

★★★★★ "A contemplative memoir that navigates the themes of time, change, and self-reflection." ~Literary Titan

Daylight Saving Time: The Power of Growing Older

An instruction book on the art of growing older.

When we are young, we think little about growing old. But time soon catches up with us: the first gray hair, a buckling knee, the purchase of reading glasses, or when a heart attack at the age of 56 rattles your world and reminds you that none of us gets out of here alive.

In this meditative and intimate personal narrative on the act of aging, David W. Berner discovers how to accept and revel in the present, when the days that remain are fewer than those that have passed, and offers a path for celebrating life's final chapters. Through the lessons of seasonal change, the natural world, literature, and spirituality, Berner gives us a kind of instruction book on the art of growing older, challenging us to accept aging's transformative powers. As a keen observer of the world, he forms a guiding philosophy on how to discover joy in the time we have left and nourishment in life's remaining seasons.

Awards for Daylight Saving Time
WINNER (Autobiography): London Book Festival 2024
WINNER: Firebird Book Award 2024
GOLD STAR AWARD: Literary Titan
WINNER: Book Excellence Awards 
WINNER: Impact Awards

Praise for Daylight Saving Time
"An authentic and moving narrative with fittingly beautiful and powerful writing." ~International Review of Books

"A candid reflection on life...at a time when the trail's end is closer than where it began." ~Midwest Book Review 

"A fascinating read, (the author) writes with a gentle beauty and grace." ~Readers' Favorite

"A touching, introspective exploration of life as we age...of what it means to truly live the beauty of life before it's gone." ~Ryan Lindner, author of The Half-Known Life

"With his best writing yet, David W. Berner takes cues from the events in his life, the seasons, and the natural world to craftily bundle a layered personal narrative that is deeply woven with nuggets of wisdom and reflection that can only come from the power of growing older." ~Nancy Chadwick, author of Under the Birch Tree

"David W. Berner manages to mix the profound with everyday experiences and finds beauty in the mundane. I feel like I am having a conversation with a friend." ~Martin Wells, author of Lost for Words

"A candidly told, thought-provoking, important book." ~The Prairies Book Review

"The lovely prose and the ability to find meaning and pleasure in so many of his daily activities made this work feel like I was wrapping myself up in a cozy blanket." ~Manhattan Book Review

"An authentic and touching memoir that delves into the complexities of aging, offering profound insights and heartfelt reflections on life's journey." ~Book Excellence Review

The Writer Shed: Sign up to receive The Writer Shed, a free monthly newsletter from author David W. Berner about his latest books, writing classes, and what he's reading and writing right now. 

About the Author

      

Free online: Japan's Literary Boom. Join the Japan Society of Boston to celebrate the launch of Volume 5 of MONKEY: New Writing from Japan, the only annual English-language anthology of Japanese contemporary literature. Tuesday, December 3, 6 PM ET.

“Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional.” ~Haruki Murakami

Amid the breathtaking wilderness of Big Sur, Van Weathers and his teenage son set out on a journey that will test their bond and push them to the edge. Van has rebuilt his life after devastating losses, but he can’t escape the fear that happiness may come at a price. Darker Than the Sky is both a heartfelt coming-of-age story and a gripping mountain adventure, blending a fast-paced plot with deep emotion, introspection, and hope. 4.6 stars, 37 ratings. From $0.99 - SHOP NOW / 

In this psychological thriller, author Alexa Wainwright vows to do whatever it takes to get back to being a best-selling author, but as she makes this vow, a lightning bolt cracks across the sky transporting the clueless Alexa to an alternate universe. Here, the characters in her books are given the breath of life, and she meets media mogul, publisher, and possibly the devil himself, King Blakemore, who offers her a lucrative but ironclad book contract that might be more than just a book deal. "Riveting." ~Kirkus Reviews. From $0.99. Free via KU. SHOP NOW / 

Matilda Koontz treasures her life as a wife and mother on a Missouri farm, but her husband dreams of claiming free land in the Pacific Northwest. When he proposes selling their farm to trek two thousand miles along the Oregon Trail, Matilda hesitates but agrees. In the spring of 1847, the family begins their grueling journey west, facing disease, accidents, starvation, and countless dangers. When tragedy strikes, Matilda must summon unimaginable strength to protect her family and survive in this journey inspired by a true story. From $4.99 - SHOP NOW / 

Everyone has the ability to tap into a divine intelligence that attracts creativity, connection, and abundance. Imagine waking up each day with an effortless flow of ideas, fueling your art, business, or brand and gaining the recognition you deserve. This reality is within reach by unlocking multi-dimensional thinking—expanding your perception, seeing beyond the obvious, and accessing the creative flow behind groundbreaking ideas, just as visionaries like Einstein, Da Vinci, and Ford once did. 4.9 stars, 28 ratings. From $0.99. Free via KU. SHOP NOW / 

In a world where Gen-A speaks in meme-fueled riddles, this is your guide to decoding post-Covid slang, TikTok trends, and viral chaos. Far more than a dictionary, this book dives into the origins and cultural impact of phrases like “Rizz,” “GYATT,” and “Fanum Tax,” unpacking why today’s world sounds like a Fortnite dance-off between influencers. Whether you’re a parent trying to keep up or a millennial realizing “lit” is outdated, Brainrot combines humor and sharp commentary to keep you relevant in a culture evolving faster than 5G. The future is brainrotten—embrace it! From $16.99. Free via KU. SHOP NOW /