Today's Featured Books— Spotlight

LitNuts is shining a spotlight on the work of Kris Bock, author of more than 30 mystery, suspense, and romance novels. Today, we are featuring the first books of three different series: 

• Something Shady at Sunshine Haven, Book 1 of The Accidental Detective series
• Coffee and Crushes at the Cat Café, Book 1 of the Furrever Friends series
• The Billionaire Cowboy’s Christmas, Book 1 in The Accidental Billionaire Cowboys series

Read on to learn more about these enjoyable books and the author.

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Something Shady at Sunshine Haven

Book 1 in The Accidental Detective series
Genre: Cozy Mystery
4.2 stars, 57 ratings on Goodreads
From $4.99

She’s pursued the most dangerous news stories around the world. But can she survive going home?

Injured in a bombing, war correspondent Kate Tessler returns to her hometown in Arizona to recover. For the first time in her life, she's starting to feel her age of nearly fifty despite living like a teenager again: staying in her childhood bedroom with only a cat for company, trying to understand why her sister resents her so much, and running into people who still refer to her as Kitty. The hardest part? Seeing her once-sharp and witty mother stuck in an Alzheimer's unit.

When an old friend asks her to investigate suspicious deaths at the nursing home, Kate limps into action. Is a self-appointed "Angel of Mercy" killing patients to end their suffering? Are family members hastening their inheritance? Is an employee extorting money and removing the witnesses? Kate uses her journalism skills to track clues, but the puzzle pieces simply won’t fit. But if Kate can't uncover the truth quickly, her mother could be next on the killer's list.

Praise for Something Shady at Sunshine Haven
"Suspense, mystery and a little romance along with a lotta laughs.” ~BookBub Review

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Coffee and Crushes at the Cat Café

Book 1 in the Furrever Friends series
Genre: Romance, Romantic Comedy
4.4 stars, 390 ratings on Amazon
From $0.99

What do you do when you meet the guy of your dreams? Set him up with your sister, of course.

Kari doesn't have time for love when she's opening her new cat café. Renovating an old restaurant, hiring employees, fighting with the health inspector—oh, and welcoming 16 shelter cats—keeps her plenty busy. She's doing this for the cats, the community, and most of all her family. The café will give her sister, Marley, a job worthy of her baking skills. Then a tattooed military vet wanders in claiming to be a master baker himself. The café doesn't need another baker, but maybe Marley needs a man. Surely she'll fall for a guy this sweet, this sexy, this tasty.

Colin has other ideas. It's Kari who makes him want to pour on the sugar and turn up the heat. But he's spent the last two years recovering from physical and psychological wounds. Is he really ready for a relationship? He's not even sure he should commit to Samson, the fluffy marshmallow of a cat who steals his heart.

The Furrever Friends Sweet Romance series features the workers and customers at a small-town cat café, and the adorable cats and kittens looking for their forever homes. If you enjoy the friends to lovers trope, work romances, military heroes, and strong heroines completely failing at playing the matchmaker, check out Coffee and Crushes at the Cat Café. You'll also find rescue cats with plenty of personality and their own desire for love.

Praise for Coffee and Crushes at the Cat Café
"A sweet romance, with cats, kittens, yummy pastries (and recipes for some of them), and a hunky hero." ~Reader Review

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The Billionaire Cowboy’s Christmas

Book 1 in The Accidental Billionaire Cowboys series
Genre: Western/Frontier Romance, Contemporary Romance
4.5 stars, 27 ratings on Goodreads
From $3.99

He has everything this Christmas, but all he wants is the quiet ranch life he’s losing…

When Josh Tomlinson’s Texas ranching family wins a fortune in the lottery, the formerly tight-knit family is suddenly on edge. Seeking advice, Josh reluctantly contacts family friend and now attorney, Carly Garza. His business is serious, yet he can’t believe Carly’s morphed from a long-legged colt of a girl to a sophisticated woman. Besides, he knows the intelligent Carly has no interest in a quiet, rugged cowboy like him.

Carly’s crushed on Josh for years, and she plans to ask him out now that she’s back in Last Stand. She’s hoping he’ll finally see her as someone other than his younger brother’s middle school girlfriend. But when Josh needs advice on how to handle his family’s lottery win, his client and billionaire statuses put him firmly out of reach. If only her heart could ignore the sparks that flare between them.

They’re already keeping the family’s lottery win a secret from the town. Can they also hide their budding romance during the most magical time of year?

Praise for The Billionaire Cowboy’s Christmas
"Sweet and earnest and just right for Christmas." ~Goodreads Review

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About the Author

Kris Bock writes mystery, suspense, and romance. In the Accidental Detective series, a witty journalist solves mysteries in Arizona and tackles the challenges of turning fifty. Kris’s Furrever Friends Sweet Romance series features the employees and customers at a cat café. In the Accidental Billionaire Cowboys series, a Texas ranching family wins a fortune in the lottery, which causes as many problems as it solves. Kris also writes a series with her brother, scriptwriter Douglas J Eboch, who wrote the original screenplay for the movie Sweet Home Alabama. The Teenage Adventures of Felony Melanie is a comedy series that follows the crazy antics of Melanie, Jake, and their friends a decade before the events of the movie.

Learn more at KrisBock.com. Also, be sure to sign up for Kris's newsletter (you'll get free short stories set in The Accidental Detective and Furrever Friends worlds) and follow Kris online:
 

Today, LitNuts is shining a spotlight on A Woman's Worth, a series of thought-provoking short fiction from author Jamell Crouthers. 

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A Woman's Worth 1

Genre: Literary Fiction
From $1.99

★★★★★ "A very real and emotional look at the exciting and sometimes arduous journey of motherhood." ~Barnes & Noble Reviewer
 
Brenda is a young, pregnant woman who is in her most exciting time of her life. Brenda and her husband are having a baby girl, and the journey through pregnancy is shared from finding out to having birth. Brenda pens her ups, downs, and struggles of pregnancy, all while preparing for motherhood mentally, physically, and emotionally. It isn't until after she has her daughter that she experiences what so many women in this world go through….postpartum depression. While this can happen before and during pregnancy, it's a topic that isn't discussed enough in today's world, and Brenda shares her experience in a way that can help others learn and prepare for these life events. 

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A Woman's Worth 2

Genre: Literary Fiction
From $1.99

Lisa is pregnant and having her first child. While this should be the most exciting time of her life, it unfortunately isn't. She shares the journey not just of her pregnancy, but also of her efforts to get maternity leave, have time with her newborn child, manage her finances, and start her journey as a mother. And ultimately, she will have to make a big decision when it comes time to return back to the work world.

Maternity leave is imperative to a woman, but the United States is one of the worst nations in the world in regards to this. This story delves deep into maternity leave and related issues, how this issue is handled in other countries, and how change needs to occur within the government and corporations in the United States. 

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A Woman's Worth 3

Genre: Literary Fiction
From $1.99

Role models are a huge component to how young children grow and progress in life. Kayla is a young teenager who is dealing with social media, school, fashion, boys, trends, culture, puberty, and the pressures to be something she really isn't. She shares her story as a teenager, the struggles she goes through, and trying to find the right role models to shape her future. As she tries to understand and figure herself out, there are role models that she can't relate to on her television screen and magazine covers. 

It isn't until she forms a women's group through her guidance counselor in her school that she starts to see role models in different facets. She becomes inspired, happy, and motivated to know that there are women with many different careers, and she figures out what she wants to do with her life through meeting these powerful women in today's society. 

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A Woman's Worth 4

Genre: Literary Fiction
From $1.99

Patricia is someone who is on the path to becoming a better woman and not caving into the pressures of what the world wants her to be. She chronicles her story from childhood to the present day, including her struggles, home life, descent into alcoholism, and her recovery. It's not an easy journey, and she shares her mental, emotional, and spiritual journey.

Everyone has a story, it's just a matter of whether we're empathetic enough to listen...

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A Woman's Worth 5

Genre: Literary Fiction
From $1.99

Sylvia is a licensed therapist who helps women recover from tragic events in their lives, including helping women recover from domestic violence. With their permission, she shares the stories of some of the clients she's helped. 

The stories aren't easy to tell, hear, or listen to, but she knows that she's making the world a better place. Sylvia also shares aspects of her life that inspired her to become a therapist, as well as what can be done to reduce domestic violence and prevent it from happening to others. 

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A Woman's Worth 6

Genre: Literary Fiction
From $1.99

Nancy is at a crossroads of her life, and she has some important decisions to make. As a woman, she feels pressure to have children and raise a family. When she makes the decision not to have kids and become a mother, there's uproar from those closest to her. She goes to great lengths to live her life to the best of her ability and to avoid the judgments and backlash from her family, knowing that she has to do what's best for her. This is the story of a woman who takes a different road, and a reminder that sometimes personal fulfillment comes before making others and the world happy…

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About the Author

Jamell Crouthers is a poet, prose author, podcaster, and blogger. He has been writing since the age of 13, and his plans are to continue writing books on subjects that aren't discussed often enough in today's world and bring those subjects to the forefront. 

Jamell spends his spare time listening to music, traveling, playing basketball, working out, reading, working on various projects, and observing the world. You never know what will inspire Jamell's next podcast, blog, video or book.

Learn more at Jamell's website and be sure to follow him on social media: 
 

Today, LitNuts is shining a spotlight on the work of Chris Cannon, award-winning author of urban fantasies, romantic comedies, and paranormal cozy mysteries. Read on to learn about the first two books in the Mysteries of Mystic Hills Series.

"A funny, relatable, supernatural story. Brims with humor, action, and a dash of romance that keeps you turning the pages!" ~Lynn Rush, New York Times bestselling author

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Murder in Mystic Hills (Mysteries of Mystic Hills Book 1)

Genre: Cozy Paranormal Mystery
4.62 stars, 40 ratings on Goodreads
From $4.99

All she wants is a break from adulting…then she rediscovers a world that’s been wiped from her memory.

Preschool teacher Belinda Harbinger’s summer vacation is going off the rails. After receiving a letter stating she’s inherited a tearoom and home, she’s shocked it’s from a beloved aunt she can’t remember…who could speak to the dead. And finding out she has the same power, it’s up to her to solve her mysterious relative’s murder.

Moving to the mystical town, Belinda takes up with a talking cat, Familiar, and learns she’s the only one who can help her aunt cross over before she becomes a vengeful spirit. But while searching the house for her lost memories, she faces heated magical politics, fresh bodies popping up, and a hidden evil threatening to make her the next victim.

Not knowing who to trust, can she expose a killer and rescue everyone from deadly plays for power?

Murder in Mystic Hills is the spellbinding first book in the Mysteries of Mystic Hills cozy paranormal series. If you like feline sidekicks, quirky characters, and winding trails of clues, then you’ll love Chris Cannon’s humorous hunt for justice.

Praise for Murder in Mystic Hills
"A journey of magic, mayhem, and murder. Once you pick it up you can't put it down!" ~Lynn Stevens author of Game On

"A lot of humor and a light-hearted tone. I loved the worldbuilding and cross-genre story, and found myself rooting for Belinda from page 1. I'd definitely recommend this book for those looking for a little fun reading that has both serious and humorous elements to it." ~Goodreads Review

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Double Trouble in Mystic Hills (Mysteries of Mystic Hills Book 2)

New Release: September 18, 2023
Genre: Cozy Paranormal Mystery
4.53 stars, 15 ratings on Goodreads
From $4.99

In Mystic Hills, blood is power.

After solving her aunt's murder, Belinda Harbinger, preschool teacher and amateur sleuth, hoped for a peaceful summer. But a magical game wreaks havoc in her newly inherited tearoom, splitting her friends into identical twins with distinctly different personalities.

The perplexing selection of victims—a banker, librarian, real estate agent, and a lawyer—leaves Belinda mystified. Could Reed, the man she’d loved and lost, be an unintended casualty?

When one of each twin starts to go missing, Belinda faces a race against time. Someone wants their blood, a vital ingredient to create spells and charms. She must unravel this riddle and find a way to merge the twins back into their original selves before they cease to exist.

Armed with her ability to communicate with ghosts, a scary new witch friend who specializes in vengeance hexes, and a handsome fairy healer, will Belinda solve the Double Trouble in Mystic Hills mystery before it’s too late?

Praise for Double Trouble in Mystic Hills
★★★★★ "An entertaining and interesting story with magic, enchanting creatures and a mystery that keeps you guessing." ~Goodreads Review

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About the Author

Chris Cannon is author of the Mysteries of Mystic Hills series, the Going Down In Flames series, the Boyfriend Chronicles, the Dating Dilemma Series, and Demon Bound. She lives in Southern Illinois with her husband and various furry beasts. She believes coffee is the Elixir of Life. Most evenings after work, you can find her sipping caffeine and writing paranormal cozy mysteries, fire-breathing paranormal adventures, or snarky romantic comedies.

Learn more at ChrisCannonAuthor.com, sign up for her newsletter, and be sure to follow Chris online:  
 

Today, LitNuts is shining a spotlight on the recent release of Blood Red Deceit, a new suspense thriller from author and former homicide detective Steve Rush.

"To call this a 'thriller' is a huge understatement. Whiplash pace, high octane, high body count. I lost track of the betrayals in the labyrinth of the plot." ~Lynnette Baughman, author of Lost Almost

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Bonus for writers
Get Kill Your Characters: Crime Scene Tips for Writers, tips from a former homicide detective and forensic investigator on how to write realistic crime scenes. 

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Blood Red Deceit

New Release: September 1, 2023
Genre: Fiction, Thriller & Suspense
Paperback: $16.99
Ebook: From $2.99

Ridge Warner donated blood to save his fiancée. But in the process, he exposed a dark secret and opened a window for which she wants him dead.

Gold medals and fame personify the life Angel Meade wants people to see—until a pint of blood Ridge Warner donates to keep her alive alters her future and darkens life's luster to a permanent eclipse over her soul.

Ridge meets the unexpected in Woodland Park, Colorado, three days before his marriage to Angel when he learns more than he cares to know about his fiancée after he agrees to investigate a murder where an IED exploded at the scene.

The matter intensifies when Angel's best friend discovers evidence linking Angel to the murder and IED, which draws Ridge back into the case in search of the reason for Angel's treachery.

Experience the suspense and unexpected climax in Blood Red Deceit as it shows how one person's ambition succumbs to the relentless grip of deceit.

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Kill Your Characters: Crime Scene Tips for Writers

Genre: Fiction Writing Reference
Paperback: $17.49
Ebook: $5.99

2023 Silver Falchion Award Finalist

There's a dead body on the floor, and your detective character has to learn every detail about the crime in order to solve the case and bring the murderer to justice. If you're not an experienced forensic investigator, how can you describe the manner of death accurately so that the evidence means what you want it to mean?

Kill Your Characters by former detective and forensic investigator Steve Rush gives you the tools you need to pass the inspection of all the armchair detectives (and more than a few real ones) out there. Rush's extensive experience is accumulated in a series of writing tips and activities that will significantly improve your story. Kill Your Characters is for any author looking to elevate their murder scenes with credible and authentic details.

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About the Author

Steve Rush's experience includes tenure as homicide detective and chief investigator for a national consulting firm in the field of Forensic Medicine and Pathology. His specialties are blood spatter analysis and recovery of human skeletal remains. He was part of the development team for “Quincy,” a software program designed for coroners/medical examiners. He was once hailed as "The best forensic investigator in the United States" by the late Joseph L. Burton, MD, under whom Steve mastered his skills, and he investigated many deaths alongside Dr. Jan Garavaglia of Dr. G: Medical Examiner fame. Steve lives in Georgia with his wife, Sharon.

Learn more at SteveRush.org and be sure to follow Steve on social media: 
 

Congratulations to Charlotte Stuart and Vine Leaves Press on the release of Raven's Grave.

★★★★★ “A deeply moving story of murder and cultural erosion in an Alaskan Tlingit fishing village during the late 1970s.” ~James W. Ziskin, author of the award-winning Ellie Stone Mysteries

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Raven's Grave

NEW RELEASE: September 19, 2023
Genre: Literary Mystery
Paperback: $17.99
Ebook: $5.99  

A young boy dies during a midnight ceremony. A fish buyer and $75,000 goes missing. And a runaway becomes the object of an Alaskan wilderness search.

It is 1979 in a small native village in Alaska accessible only by boat. The local Tlingits continue to honor many traditions of the past, although increased contact with the outside world is accelerating a cultural shift. Caught in a slipstream of time, the village has become a curious blend of old and new.

When a young boy dies from a potion that was supposed to cure his limp, all the evidence points to the teenage shaman as the killer. It is up to Jonah St. Clair, the only police officer in the village, to solve the murder and, at the same time, find the missing fish buyer. To do so, he must use both his police skills and his knowledge of the local culture.

During his investigation, Jonah becomes prey and predator in a nighttime chase through the Alaskan wilderness and barely survives a rugged boat trip in dangerous waters. In the end, he discovers the bittersweet secret of the Raven’s Grave.

Praise for Raven's Grave
★★★★★ “A masterfully woven mystery...vivid and haunting.” ~Kathi Daley, USA Today Bestselling Author

★★★★★ “Charlotte Stuart’s evocation of the power of Alaska’s untamed wilderness on its inhabitants and her readers is palpable and profound." ~Gerald Elias, musician and author of the Daniel Jacobus mystery series

★★★★★ “Teeming with authenticity and rich cultural detail. A wonderfully satisfying novel.” ~James W. Ziskin, winner of the Anthony and Barry awards for Best Paperback Original, and the Macavity Award for Best Historical Novel

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About the Author
Charlotte Stuart, PhD, writes about diverse topics such as hidden treasure, chimeras, commercial fishing, friendship, and betrayal. Her books have received numerous awards, including a Global eBook gold, two NYC Big Book Distinguished Favorites, and a Pinnacle Achievement Book Award. Before she started writing full-time, she left a tenured faculty position to go commercial fishing in Alaska, spent a year sailing in the Washington and Canadian San Juans, and was a partner in a management consulting group. She lives and writes on Vashon Island in the Pacific Northwest and is the past president of the Puget Sound Sisters in Crime. Learn more at CharlotteStuart.com.

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About the Publisher
Vine Leaves Press likes to blur the line between commercial and experimental works. They publish book-length vignette collections, writing reference books, short story collections, memoir/autobiography, and character-driven novels with a literary bent.​ Subscribe to the Vine Leaves Press newsletter to receive FREE advanced review copies of upcoming new releases, news about their authors and subscribers, and/or to read the monthly opinion column, SPILL IT! or a daily dose of 50-word stories. Learn more at VineLeavesPress.com. 

Congratulations to Melanie Brooks and Vine Leaves Press on the release of A Hard Silence, a memoir that gives readers an intimate glimpse into the author's memories of coping with the tragedy of her father's illness and enduring the loneliness and isolation of not being able to speak.

★★★★★ "Melanie Brooks is that rare writer who can delve as deeply into the world of ideas as she can the pitted terrain of the human heart." ~Andre Dubus III, author of Gone So Long

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A Hard Silence by Melanie Brooks

NEW RELEASE: September 12, 2023
Genre: Memoir / Creative Nonfiction
Paperback: $17.99
Ebook: $6.49  

In the mid 1980s, Canada's worst public health disaster was unfolding. Catastrophic mismanagement of the country's blood supply allowed contaminated blood to be knowingly distributed nationwide, infecting close to two thousand Canadians with HIV. Among them was Melanie Brooks's surgeon father who, after receiving a blood transfusion during open-heart surgery in 1985, learned he was HIV positive.

At a time when HIV/AIDS was widely misunderstood and public perception was shaped by fear, prejudice, and homophobia, victims of the disease faced ostracism and persecution. Afraid of this stigma and wanting to protect his family, Melanie's father decided his illness would be a secret. A secret they'd all have to keep. They did not know that her father would live past that first year, but he did. And for ten years before his death in 1995, from the time she was thirteen until she was twenty-three, Melanie's family lived in the shadow of AIDS. She carried the weight of the uncertain trajectory of her father’s health and the heartbreaking anticipation of impending loss silently and alone. It became a way of life.

A Hard Silence is an intimate glimpse into Melanie's memories of coping with the tragedy of her father's illness and enduring the loneliness and isolation of not being able to speak. With candor and vulnerability, Melanie opens her grief wounds and brings her reader inside her journey, twenty years after her father died, to finally understand the consequences of her family's silence, to interrogate the roots of stigma and discrimination responsible for the ongoing secret-keeping, and to show how she's now learned to be authentic.

Praise for A Hard Silence
★★★★★ "A book with a universal message of love, and the courage every single one of us needs to navigate our way to personal, familial, and communal healing." ~Michael Patrick MacDonald, author of All Souls

~★★★★★ "Those of us whose family members were contaminated by HIV/AIDS around the same time shared her feelings, the agony of family secrecy and the fear of stigmatization." ~Vic Parsons, author of Bad Blood: The Unspeakable Truth

★★★★★ “Fills me with a sense of urgency, gratitude, and awe.” ~Abigail Thomas, author of Still Life

★★★★★ “This beautifully rendered memoir asks important questions about the complexities of loss and grief, the roots of stigma and shame, and the courage necessary to endure that resonate in this new and unfortunate age of social exclusion.” ~Richard Blanco, author of The Prince of los Cocuyos

★★★★★ “A vivid and thoughtful exploration of a daughter’s grief for her father, and a family’s unwanted place in history, A Hard Silence movingly depicts the long toll of stigma and the healing power of words.” ~Alex Marzano-Lesnevich, author of The Fact of a Body

★★★★★ “A profound and riveting journey through shame and grief, A Hard Silence is, quite simply, unforgettable.” ~Monica Wood, author of When We Were the Kennedys

★★★★★ “In this important and profound narrative, Brooks chronicles what gets us all through times of grief: love, empathy, even vulnerability. And, most importantly, nurturing a sense of wholeness, even as it slips from us.” ~Sue William Silverman, author of How to Survive Death and Other Inconveniences 

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About the Author
Melanie Brooks is the author of Writing Hard Stories: Celebrated Memoirists Who Shaped Art from Trauma (Beacon Press, 2017). She teaches professional writing at Northeastern University, narrative medicine in the MFA program at Bay Path University in Massachusetts, and creative writing at Nashua Community College in New Hampshire. She earned an MFA in Creative Nonfiction from the University of Southern Maine’s Stonecoast writing program. Her work has been published in Psychology Today, The HuffPost, Yankee Magazine, the Washington Post, Ms. Magazine, Creative Nonfiction, and other notable publications. Though her Canadian roots run deep, she lives in New Hampshire with her husband, two children (when they are home from college), and two Labs.

Learn more at MelanieBrooks.com.

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About the Publisher
Vine Leaves Press likes to blur the line between commercial and experimental works. They publish book-length vignette collections, writing reference books, short story collections, memoir/autobiography, and character-driven novels with a literary bent.​ Subscribe to the Vine Leaves Press newsletter to receive FREE advanced review copies of upcoming new releases, news about their authors and subscribers, and/or to read the monthly opinion column, SPILL IT! or a daily dose of 50-word stories. Learn more at VineLeavesPress.com.

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Today, LitNuts is shining a spotlight on the release of Hear, O Earth!, a new novel from best-selling sci-fi/fantasy author Daniel Arenson. Read on to learn more.

To celebrate the launch, Daniel is giving away a commemorative coin. Forged from an ounce of pure silver and minted by the world-renowned Scottsdale Mint, this unique coin features an imposing alien and is perfect for sci-fi fans and collectors of precious metals.

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Hear, O Earth! (A Prayer for Earthrise Book 1)

Genre: Science Fiction
New Release: September 5, 2023
From $2.99 (Free via Kindle Unlimited)

They came from beyond.

From beyond the galaxy. From beyond human understanding. They came with one mission.

To kill us all.

Some call them aliens. Others call them gods. Their tentacles grip worlds. Their malice destroys civilizations. They've crushed a million planets.

And now they crave Earth.

Marco and Addy, veterans of the Alien Wars, are retired. They fought for many years. They saved Earth many times. Now they're raising their children in a peaceful forest. They've earned this peace.

But Earth needs them. More than ever.

Because a war is coming. A war unlike any before. A war that can devour our very galaxy.

The enemy is almost here.

From the shadows of despair, heroes will rise. Heroes will sound the cry of our world, the prayer of our people. "Hear, O Earth! We will live!"

From the USA Today bestselling author of Earthrise comes a tale of courage, sacrifice, and honor among the stars. A Prayer for Earthrise returns to the bestselling Earthrise universe with a brand new story—one for new fans and old readers alike.

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Praise for Earthrise and Daniel Arenson

"The most exciting and sophisticated space opera I've read since The Forever War! The Earthrise series is shaping up to be a classic readers will remember for years." ~Nicholas Smith, bestselling author of Hell Divers

"Full of soul." ~The Huffington Post

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Bonus Offer: Three Free Books!

Join Daniel's Readers' Group and get three free fantasy and science fiction novels: Requiem's Song, Moth, and Alien Hunters. This "series starters" bundle includes 1000 pages + hours of entertainment.

Be sure to also join Daniel's Dragons of Darkness Facebook Group.

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About the Author

 

Congratulations to Jennifer Lang and Vine Leaves Press on the release of Places We Left Behind, a "memoir-in-miniature" that examines commitment and compromise in a marriage via a creative blend of prose and poetry.

★★★★★ “For anyone who has ever loved deeply and been willing to take risks for the sake of love.” ~Rachel Barenbaum author of Atomic Anna

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Places We Left Behind by Jennifer Lang

NEW RELEASE: September 5, 2023
Genre: Creative Nonfiction
4.8 stars, 49 ratings on Goodreads
Paperback: $13.49
Ebook: $5.99  

When American-born Jennifer falls in love with French-born Philippe during the First Intifada in Israel, she understands their relationship isn't perfect.

Both 23, both Jewish, they lead very different lives: she's a secular tourist, he's an observant immigrant. Despite their opposing outlooks on two fundamental issues—country and religion—they are determined to make it work. For the next 20 years, they root and uproot their growing family, each longing for a singular place to call home.

In Places We Left Behind, Jennifer Lang puts her marriage under a microscope, examining commitment and compromise, faith and family while moving between prose and poetry, playing with language and form, daring the reader to read between the lines.

Praise for Places We Left Behind
★★★★★ “Each facet in this collection is its own world-in-miniature that ultimately coheres into a compelling whole.” ~Sue William Silverman, author of How to Survive Death and Other Inconveniences

★★★★★ “Offers readers a compelling tale of unexpected commitment alongside unconventional nonfiction exploration.” ~Dinty W. Moore, author of Between Panic & Desire

★★★★★ “International marriage, different levels of religious observance, and raising children in both the USA and Israel amidst ongoing conflict...the recipe for gripping, surprising reading.” ~Patrick Madden, author of Disparates

★★★★★ “A poetic, playful and sometimes painful story of marriage, perseverance, commitment, and most of all love—for our families, our partners and finally—ourselves.” ~Corie Adjmi, award-winning author of The Marriage Box and Life and Other Shortcomings

★★★★★ “A fascinating exploration of how to juxtapose one's own happiness with the sacrifices needed to please the other.” ~Evan Fallenberg, author of The Parting Gift

★★★★★ “A smart and compelling narrative about the twists and turns of a relationship when religion, identity, and a sense of place are focal points...this mesmerizing love story is irresistible.” ~Chelsey Clammer, author of Human Heartbeat Detected

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About the Author
Born in the San Francisco Bay area, Jennifer Lang lives in Tel Aviv where she runs Israel Writers Studio. Her essays have appeared in Baltimore Review, Crab Orchard Review, Under the Sun, Ascent, Consequence, and elsewhere. A Pushcart Prize, Best of Net, and Best American Essays nominee, she holds an MFA from Vermont College of Fine Arts and serves as Assistant Editor for Brevity. Often findable on her yoga mat with her legs up her living room wall: practicing since 1995, teaching since 2003. Places We Left Behind was a finalist in Chestnut Review’s chapbook prose competition.

Learn more at IsraelWriterStudio.com. 

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About the Publisher
Vine Leaves Press likes to blur the line between commercial and experimental works. They publish book-length vignette collections, writing reference books, short story collections, memoir/autobiography, and character-driven novels with a literary bent.​ Subscribe to the Vine Leaves Press newsletter to receive FREE advanced review copies of upcoming new releases, news about their authors and subscribers, and/or to read the monthly opinion column, SPILL IT! or a daily dose of 50-word stories. Learn more at VineLeavesPress.com.

Today, LitNuts is shining a spotlight on Ready...Set...Pride!, a coming-of-age novel from author Truscott Jones that resonates with younger and older adults alike. 

Not many gay teens experience their journey of self-discovery on a national stage. Then again, not many high school seniors inherit a team in the National Football League. Welcome to the coming-of-age, coming-out, gridiron novel, Ready…Set…Pride!

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Ready...Set...Pride!

Genre: Literary Fiction, Teen & Young Adult Coming-of-Age Fiction
New Release: August 17, 2023
5 stars, 9 ratings on Amazon
From $0.99

Max only thought his last year of high school was confusing, with the gorgeous but horribly straight Silas Cannon roaming the halls, and Max still in the closet. At least he had two awesome best friends, a loving family, and time to figure things out quietly—or so he thought.

No one foresaw Max thrust into the gladiatorial world of football, a sport he barely followed, and only because his grandpa Gunnar owned the NFL’s newest franchise, the Portland Rogues.

No one imagined Gunnar suddenly dying, leaving the team not to Max's Uncle Fen, the team's general manager and Gunnar's only son, but to 18-year-old Max!

And no one, least of all shy Max, ever dreamed he would be forced to face his own truth, find the love of his life, and run a professional football team, all under the harsh glare of social media, hardcore fans, and brutal sports reporters.

Meanwhile on the field, Portland has never put together a winning season. They have plenty of talent, and Coach Curcio definitely commands respect. But is it even possible for the Rogues to overcome the war between their suddenly jilted GM and his young, “undeserving” nephew?

Can Max survive his peers’ sudden interest, or the judgments of Reddit, Snapchat, and Twitter? Will he overcome the scheming Uncle Fen and the skepticism of Rogues players? And what about the other owners—is accepting a teen colleague their biggest challenge, or the waving of a giant Pride flag?

Most of all, though, does Max believe enough in himself, whether it’s leading the club, confronting his foes, or accepting the affections of an unexpected beau? Can he win the Super Bowl and the hottest guy in school?

Author Truscott Jones draws upon his own experience playing high school football, serving on a major college program’s athletic staff, teaching World Issues to 12th graders, and as a once closeted teen himself to explore what it means to uncover and accept who you are, to experience the gift of love and the blight of prejudice with equal resolve, and to learn that change is both difficult and inevitable.

Reader Reviews

★★★★★ "Captivating read with a lot of heart."

★★★★★ "Fun read with a easy-to-love hero. A solid summer read for both young and older adults alike."

★★★★★ "I was rooting for Max from the first chapter as he navigates his own self doubts and learns to find his courage against ever escalating adversity and pressure. It's a tribute to friendship, family, love, and the human spirit."

Today, LitNuts is shining a spotlight on the work of Ekta R. Garg: Reviewer, Editor, Author, and Dreamer. We are especially pleased to feature two works of fiction by Ekta: The Truth About Elves and In the Heart of the Linden Wood. Read on to learn more about these critically acclaimed books and about Ekta herself.

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The Truth About Elves

Genre: Holiday Fiction, Fiction Short Read (Novella)
4.7 stars, 44 ratings
Signed copy from the author: $15.95
Paperback: From $6.28
Ebook: $6.28

2023 Next Generation Indie Book Awards Winner

As a bartender in Las Vegas, Curtis seems to have the dream life. He’s single, lives close to the Strip, and only has to worry about when to pick up the next extra shift. No one knows the truth about what happened ten years ago, and no one knows how he spends three months every year: as a part-time elf for Santa Claus.

When Curtis went to the Arctic Circle the first time, he thought he could escape the unthinkable. Now, the anniversary of the worst day of his life is coming up, and he’s been asked to do the unbelievable. If Curtis wasn’t a man of his word, he would turn his back on the whole thing. But Mr. C. took Curtis in when he had nowhere else to go, and now the boss is calling in a favor—the kind that will make Curtis face the memory of the unimaginable.

If you’ve ever wondered whether holiday magic is real, come find out. Embrace the season and the power of forgiveness along with Curtis as he discovers The Truth About Elves.

Praise for The Truth About Elves

"Beautiful, surprising, moving, funny, and full of heart." ~Judges, Best Novella, Next Generation Indie Book Awards

"A romp through goodwill, new possibilities, and transformations...the perfect seasonal literary hot chocolate for readers seeking a holiday story with a difference." ~Midwest Book Review

"Garg uses the depth of human lives, interactions, and experiences to create a more relatable and realistic holiday read." ~Jill Rey, Reader Views Book Reviews

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In the Heart of the Linden Wood

Genre: Fantasy, Folklore
4.3 stars, 14 ratings
Signed copy from the author: $21.95
Paperback: $18.95
Ebook: $9.99

How do you overcome a broken heart?

For generations, the magic trees have supported the kingdom of Linden. The wood is prized in kingdoms everywhere for its special properties. It’s one of the few good things King Christopher inherited from his late father, the evil King Vincent.

Vincent also gifted Christopher a lack of confidence. The only person who believes in Christopher is Queen Lily. When he loses her and their only child, Christopher’s grief threatens to undo him. The love of his life has returned to the fates, and now all he wants to do is spend his days mourning her.

Then word comes that the trees are dying, and no one knows why.

Despite the urge to hide in the castle forever, Christopher meets the mysterious Keeper of the Wood to find out what’s killing the trees. The answer demands he go on a quest with old friends and new allies. Along the way, they’ll try to save hostages and mend another broken heart by putting it back together piece by piece.

Through it all, Christopher will fight to conquer his doubt and prove to his people, the memory of Lily, and himself that he deserves the crown.

Praise for In the Heart of the Linden Wood

"An often moving fantasy novel about emotional pain and a quest for personal and natural healing." ~Kirkus Reviews

"Under the veneer of kings, struggles, and magic lays an attention to emotional details that make In the Heart of the Linden Wood as much a psychological draw as an adventure story." ~Midwest Book Review

​"This isn't just a story about a king's heroic journey; it is a poignant tale of overcoming emotional turmoil." ~Readers' Favorite Book Reviews

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About Ekta R. Garg

Since her start in niche publishing in 2005, Ekta has written and edited about everything from healthcare to home improvement to Hindi films. She became a freelance editor in 2011 to cement her belief that words have the power to change people and the world. A writing contest judge and frequent writing workshop host for her local community, Ekta also hosts Biblio Breakdown, a podcast where she examines books to offer writing exercises. 

Ekta began reviewing books for Bookpleasures.com in 2011 and continues to review for them as well as NetGalley and her own book review site. She also manages The Write Edge and its extension blogs of original fiction and book reviews. 

Outside of writing and editing Ekta spends time with friends (the ones other people can see) and counts her many blessings, which include two beautiful daughters who astound her on a regular basis. 

Learn more at ektargarg.com and be sure to follow Ekta's blog and social media accounts:
 

Today, LitNuts is shining a spotlight on the work of New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Susan Hatler.

If you like sweet and funny contemporary romance and young adult novels, you're going to love Susan's writing. Get started with the three books featured in today's special edition newsletter: The Christmas Compromise, A Sugar Plum Christmas, and Million Dollar Date. Each book is the first in a series—and each of the Christmas books are available in audiobook format with narration by Andrea Kummer. 
 

Tip: Audiobook editions of many of Susan's books are available FREE via her YouTube Channel!

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The Christmas Compromise

Genre: Holiday Fiction, Christian Romance
4.5 stars, 2800+ ratings
Audiobook: Multiple listening options (including free!)
Paperback: $9.99
Ebook: $4.99

A sweet holiday mix-up that will make you smile and inspire you to believe in happily ever after.

Morgan Reed is excited to return to her hometown of Christmas Mountain, Montana, and open her beauty salon. But when she arrives to her rented business space she’s shocked to find it already occupied by Dallas Parker—her brother’s best friend, the guy she had a childhood crush on, and the one her mom blames for their family’s greatest tragedy.

With their landlord out of the country and unreachable, Morgan and Dallas must open their businesses together. But, no worries, all small towns need a combo furniture store/beauty salon, right? Ugh. As they work together, Morgan tries to keep her emotional distance, but time and off-the-charts chemistry soon turn a childhood friendship into a blossoming romance.

Unfortunately, just when their relationship develops into something deeper, an unexpected crisis re-opens her family’s old wounds and the blame is on Dallas once again. Will Morgan’s sadness and fear pull them apart, or make her realize Dallas has always been her heart’s true safe harbor?

Christmas Mountain Romance Series, Book 1. 

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A Sugar Plum Christmas

Genre: Holiday Fiction, Romance
4.5 stars, 132 ratings
Audiobook: Multiple listening options (including free!)
Paperback: $9.99
Ebook: $4.99

City girl and former foster child Lacey Lane arrives in Christmas Mountain to do research for a hit reality dating show she produces.

If the location gets approved for filming, she’ll receive a bonus that will allow her to buy her own house—a forever home after a lifetime of moving from place to place.

Jacob Curtis is a small-town guy who doesn’t want his hometown exploited for ratings. Lacey might think he’s her tour guide, showing her all the best places to film her show, but he has a different agenda: show her all the reasons the town wouldn’t appeal to her TV audience.

Lacey catches on quickly to Jacob’s goal to undermine her research, and soon they’re engaging in a dance that takes them from one end of Christmas Mountain to the other. Before long, she’s charmed by the town and its people, including Jacob, who is funny, heartfelt, and honest. For once in her life, she’s slowing down long enough to focus on things other than her career.

But when it’s clear Lacey and Jacob have developed feelings for one another, Lacey is torn. Regardless of where the show is filmed, will she return to the city to buy her dream house? Or will she stay in Christmas Mountain and make a home with the man of her dreams?

The Mistletoe Book Club Series, Book 1.

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Million Dollar Date

Genre: Romantic Comedy, Contemporary Romance
4.2 stars, 1500+ ratings
Paperback: $9.99
Ebook: $2.99

A lighthearted tale that will make you smile and let you believe that dreams really do come true.

Abigail Apple is running late to meet her blind date when she’s pulled over for speeding. Unfortunately, the follow-the-rules cop doesn’t care that she’s late, let alone that she’s heartbroken because her favorite dog rescue is in danger of being closed. Now she has to meet her date with mud drying on her heels, dog hair covering her dress, and the smell of a barn perfuming her hair. But when she arrives, Abigail learns her handsome blind date is none other than the cop who pulled her over.

Abigail has no intention of staying until she learns Cooper Hill is heading a committee for the city that will award a six-figure donation to a charity of their choice. So, what’s a girl to do? Abigail decides a second date is the perfect way to convince Cooper to vote for the dog rescue. But soon, Abigail is less interested in Cooper’s vote than she is in his deep voice, kind heart, and tender touch.

Will this follow-the-rules cop and this follows-her-heart animal lover learn that despite poor first impressions, second chances can lead to love?

The Do-Over Date Series, Book 1.

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About the Author

Susan Hatler writes humorous and emotional contemporary romance and young adult novels. Many of Susan’s books have been translated into German, Spanish, and Italian. A natural optimist, she believes life is amazing, people are fascinating, and imagination is endless. She loves spending time with her characters and hopes you do, too. Learn more at SusanHatler.com.

Be sure to also sign up for Susan's Newsletter (get a free book when you sign up!) and to follow Susan on social media:
 

Today, LitNuts is shining a spotlight on the Oblivion's Galaxy series from author Dylan McFadyen. Oblivion’s Galaxy is set in a distant future dominated by fractious, selfish alien powers. Earth is a barren, self-immolated world, remembered by few, inhabited by none. The last remnants of humanity are an enslaved diaspora, a footnote in galactic history.

First Lieutenant Shaara is one of the few exceptions: a free human, second in command of a mercenary company. Aboard the mysterious AI-powered warship Warden, she and her comrades have fought in dozens of campaigns across the galaxy. But after discovering a derelict human ship lost during Earth’s final days, they will embark upon a mission far more dangerous than anything they’ve taken on before. Follow Shaara as she navigates her way through a future where other beings regard humans as inconsequential. 

"Marries intricate world-building with an engaging plot." ~Two Nerds With Words, Amazon Review

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Oblivion's Cloak: Oblivion's Galaxy Book 1

Genre: Science Fiction
4.3 stars, 83 ratings
Paperback: $17.99
Ebook: FREE

First Lieutenant Shaara was dead this morning.

Her captain is furious at her. She wasted company resources getting herself killed, and it’s coming out of her paycheck. Now, she’s sitting across from the first other human being she’s seen in six years. His name is Adnan. He claims to come from Earth—but that’s impossible. Earth died a long time ago. If Adnan is telling the truth, he and the decaying ship the captain pulled him off are nearly a thousand years old.

Wherever he’s from, he’s Shaara’s responsibility now. Which is the last thing she needs. But it’s either that or the captain sells Adnan into slavery. Shaara knows what that would mean. Most humans do. And something inside her won’t let her abandon Adnan to it: revenant memories, stabbed awake by the look in his eyes.

Facing those memories won’t be easy. It’d be far easier to ignore the feeling driving her forward. Far easier to let it all go to hell and drift back to sleep.

Until a shadowy new faction starts stoking the fires of war. They’re looking for Adnan; Earth’s last survivor holds the key to unleash a terrible, indiscriminate vengeance on the galaxy that wronged them. Who they are is a mystery—to everyone but Shaara. Hard as she’s tried to forget, she knows them all too well. Which means she’s the only one who can stop them.

The question is: does she want to? Maybe the galaxy’s earned a little vengeance.

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Oblivion's Blade: Oblivion's Galaxy Book 2

Genre: Science Fiction
4.9 stars, 10 ratings
Paperback: $21.99
Ebook: $2.99

Shaara never asked to be in charge.

Since taking command of the mysterious AI warship Warden and the eccentric mercenary company that calls him home, she’s only accepted jobs that let her conscience sleep at night. The trouble is, those jobs don’t pay too well. After more than a year of fighting for the downtrodden, the exploited, and the oppressed, the Wardens’ coffers are running dry.

So when they get a suspicious but lucrative offer from a pariah republic on the fringe of galactic politics, Shaara ignores the warning voice in her head and accepts. 

The contract takes the Wardens to the edges of explored space; there, in the vast darkness beyond the galactic core, a great and terrible force is gathering—a foe far deadlier than any they’ve ever fought. The galaxy isn't ready to face it. Has Shaara saved them all from Gaeus Nemesis just to die another day?

What’s more, this new enemy holds the key to another mystery. As they fight for their lives, Shaara and Corax are forced to ask themselves a question they hoped they’d never have to: How much do they really know about Warden?

And can they trust him?

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Oblivion's Triumph: Oblivion's Galaxy Book 3

Genre: Science Fiction
New Release: August 24, 2023
Ebook: $2.99

Shaara is running out of friends.

The sacrifices she and Warden made two years ago bought the League time, not victory. The war against the Undying has left them exhausted, drained of everything but hope—and precious little of that. The simple fact is that the Undying are going to win. Warden knows it, Shaara knows it. The Undying sure as hell know it.

Until, out of the black, the Eternal comes to Shaara with an offer she can’t refuse, however much she’d like to. The threat he warned her about two years ago is real, and now it’s come calling. It cares nothing for their little war. All life in the galaxy, Undying or not, will end if it spreads unchecked. Shaara and the Eternal have little choice but to work together to destroy it. At least, for now.

But people on both sides are unhappy with an alliance, however temporary. Some of them are willing to risk all life just for a shot at power—and revenge. If Shaara can’t find a way to defeat them, she and the few friends she has left will lose more than their lives.

They’ll lose everything.

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About the Author

Dylan McFadyen has been writing original science fiction stories since he was twelve. He's also a history buff with a master’s degree in international relations and conflict, and he spends as much time reading history as anything else.

When not reading or writing, Dylan enjoys spending time with his wife, Victoria, and their dog, El Doggo, who Dylan describes as the fabled "Goodest Boy." Dylan also enjoys shooting sports and video games, including many, many hours of modded XCOM 2. 

Finally, you should know that Dylan has a Lord of the Rings tattoo, which in a way tells you everything else you need to know. But you can learn even more by visiting DylanMcFadyen.com. Be sure to also sign up to get updates from Dylan on future releases (you'll get a free download of Oblivion's Shadow, a prequel to the Oblivion's Galaxy series) and to follow Dylan on Pinterest. 

Today, LitNuts is sharing information about three books from author Terry Lemerond, whose mission is to educate and share the science of botanical medicine and nutrition that will help “Improve the Health of America.” 

"I believe that if you diligently follow a healthy nutrition plan, include moderate exercise, and supplement your diet when appropriate, you will see huge changes in how you feel, think, and perform," says Terry. Read on to learn more about the role botanical medicine and nutrition can play in a healthy lifestyle. 

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Propolis: The Natural Way to Prevent and Heal Infection

Genre: Herbal Remedies, Alternative Medicine
4.3 stars, 8 ratings
Paperback: $7.99
Ebook: $0.99 (Free via Kindle Unlimited)

Propolis is creating a “buzz” in the world of fighting infection.

The same thing that fights off the viral, bacterial, fungal, and parasitic invaders in a beehive is also effective for people. Propolis, a sticky substance also known as “bee glue,” is scientifically proven to be a powerhouse against both common and puzzling viral and bacterial infections, including the virus that causes the common cold, bacterial infections like Staphylococcus aureus, and multiple dangerous and deadly infections. 

While many people turn to antibiotics that only deal with bacterial infections, they are left with a whole host of new issues. Propolis addresses a wider scope of microbial infections, including viral and fungal infections, parasites, and more. Plus, it is free of side effects. Terry breaks down the who, what, where, when, and why of propolis and invites you to understand how it can serve as nature’s strongest infection fighter for you and your family.

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Relieve Pain Without Side Effects

Genre: Pain Management, Herbal Remedies
4.1 stars, 27 ratings
Paperback: $7.99
Ebook: $4.99 (Free via Kindle Unlimited)

Pain has a purpose; it alerts us to a problem that may need serious attention. But once we’re aware of pain, how do we respond? Until now, we’ve addressed acute pain—the type of pain that comes from a headache, an injury, or back pain, for example—with over-the-counter prescription pain relievers. Unfortunately, many of those medications cause unwanted side effects and sometimes, life-threatening consequences. Now, there’s a better way to stop acute pain!

Research has uncovered a powerful combination of nutrients that addresses acute pain, safely and
effectively. This solution from nature tackles acute pain and helps prevent it from morphing into long-term chronic pain. Discover for yourself how this fact-acting breakthrough in pain relief can be your answer to living life to the fullest—pain free!

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Outsmart Cancer with Powerful Natural Medicines

Genre: Alternative Therapies
Paperback: $7.99
Ebook: $4.99 (Free via Kindle Unlimited)

The fight against cancer has changed. Thanks to new developments in treatment, changing attitudes on the part of medical professionals, and a deeper acceptance of integrative therapies, we are gaining ground in the fight against cancer.

In Outsmart Cancer with Powerful Natural Medicines: The Five Alternative Solutions to Prevent and Treat Cancer, you’ll find valuable insights into the powerful nutrients that work together to battle cancer successfully, even in advanced stages. From lifestyle and dietary choices for cancer prevention to treating existing cancer, to enhancing the effectiveness of conventional cancer treatments and stopping cancer from reoccurring, this life-changing book is the guide we all need.

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About the Author

Terry Lemerond has more than 55 years of experience in the health food industry. During that time, he has accumulated a wealth of experience and knowledge in the field of health and nutrition, which he shares with others through his books, broadcast radio show, podcasts, educational webinars, and personal speaking engagements. Having experienced the life-changing effects of proper nutrition, exercise, and effective natural medicines himself, Terry is eager to share the principles others can use to reach their personal and health goals. Learn more at TerryTalksNutrition.com and follow Terry on social media:
 

Learn about Angels of Sin, a three-book fantasy series from author Lara A. Steel featuring angels, demons, and a battle between light and damnation.

"Beautiful, soulful, and exciting." ~Amazon Review of German edition

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Angels of Sin - Blood Moon

Genre: Mythical Creatures Fantasy, Sword & Sorcery Fantasy
4.3 stars, 3400+ ratings (German edition)
English edition release: August 12, 2023
Price: $0.99 (Free via Kindle Unlimited)

Dash is an angel of sin...a berserker.

When it comes to finding escaped dark souls and sending them back to hell, he knows no mercy. But one night he gets into trouble, and a young woman saves his life. Her name is Ava, and her involuntary heroism immediately puts her in the crosshairs of evil.

Human ballast is the last thing Dash needs in his work. But in order not to leave his rescuer to a cruel death, he takes her under his protection...with unimaginable consequences.

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Angels of Sin - Heart of Ice

Genre: Metaphysical Fantasy, Romantic Fantasy
4.5 stars 2800+ ratings (German edition)
English edition coming September 2, 2023
Price: $0.99 

In the darkest part of hell, the young demon Elizah begins her apprenticeship as a torturer, as tradition demands.

Dorian, an angel of sin, is handed over to Elizah to be tortured. But Elizah soon has the feeling that Dorian is undeserving of his fate. Although it’s outside of a demon’s purview, Elizah develops compassion for Dorian, and works behind the scenes to discover what secret he is guarding.

When Elizah actually finds out, one thing becomes clear: she has to help Dorian!

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Angels of Sin - Dark Desire

Genre: Mythical Creatures Fantasy, Romantic Fantasy
4.5 stars, 3200+ ratings (German edition)
English edition coming September 23, 2023
Price: $2.99 

During a weekend getaway in the Canadian wilderness, Rose is attacked out of nowhere. She manages to escape to a solitary cabin where she hammers on the door in a panic. The door is opened by a very disconcerted man who only reluctantly lets her in.

Rose has just begun to recover from the shock when she realizes the stranger, who introduces himself to her as Damian, is as dangerous as he is enigmatic.

A snowstorm forces her to spend more time in the cabin with Damian than she’d hoped, and she soon learns that Damian is far from normal—and that his presence alone is a mortal danger to her.

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Lara A. Steel

Follow author Lara A. Steel to get new release updates and special offers by signing up for her newsletter and following her on social media:
 

Today, LitNuts is shining a spotlight on Vengefully Yours, a steamy collection of short stories from author J. Rose Black. 

"...a thrilling and seductive collection..." ~Literary Titan ★★★★★

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Vengefully Yours

Genre: Romance Literary Fiction, Romantic Mystery/Suspense, Short Story Collections
4.35 stars, 57 ratings on Goodreads
Paperback: $9.99
Ebook: $0.99 (Free via Kindle Unlimited)

Immerse yourself in this collection of short stories filled with dark secrets, tormented pasts, and forbidden desires. Where love still conquers all.

Join six heroes (and the heroines they pine for) on these fast-paced adventures of mystery and romance, longing and loyalty, vengeance and redemption. And get just a taste of how far a man will go to protect the one woman he can't have…

Whether you prefer streetwise private investigators, loyal and protective military men, or even alpha males with a dark past, there's a steamy, suspense-filled story for you inside Vengefully Yours.

Recognition and Praise for Vengefully Yours

• Literary Titan Gold Book Award Winner - July 2023
• "Steamy steamy steamy...packed with testosterone and stunning women, culminating in explosive relationships." ~International Review of Books
• "This was a delightful read with plenty of steam, the right amount of danger, and a fantastic romance." ~NetGalley Reader
• "Keeps the reader glued to the story with intriguing characters and fantastic plot twists." ~Readers' Favorite
• "Extremely fun and engaging to read." ~NetGalley Reader

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About J. Rose Black

Mother to two children and three dogs, Rose lives a technology-driven life in the Dallas suburbs. 3D printers whir away in her husband’s “printing room," and she spends her day-job hours driving cyber security programs. And when bedtime arrives, she dons her PJs and becomes...a coffee-addicted Indie Romance Novelist!

Growing up, Rose wanted to write before she could read. She was eight when her teachers first submitted one of her stories to a kids magazine for publication. At eleven, she was selected to represent her school at the Young Author’s Extravaganza. She was known as “the writer” in the family, and it was just presumed that was what she would be.

Over the years, Rose has written proposals, case studies, fan fiction, articles, white papers, blogs, and more...mostly on tech, software, and cyber security topics. Now she has turned her attention to fiction, and looks forward to sharing many stories and novels with readers. Learn more at JRoseBlack.com.

Be sure to also sign up for Rose's newsletter for news, giveaways, and sneak previews—and don't forget to follow her on social media!
 

Free Romance E-Book!

Get Her Billionaire Man: Tension, the first book in the Her Billionaire Man Romance Series from author Olivia Summer.

Wrap up your summer by reading the start of an addictive, steamy romance series!

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Her Billionaire Man: Tension

Genre: Steamy Romance, Romance Short Books
Book 1 in the Her Billionaire Man Romance Series
4.1 stars, 16 ratings on Amazon
Price: FREE

I'm Amanda Smith, and my life changed dramatically when my dear neighbor, Mrs. Janey, died and left her billion-dollar company to her parrot, Boosh, and to me.

What I thought was a turnaround for the better proved otherwise when I was met with
resistance from Mrs. Janey's grandson, the irresistible Craig Vans. The man was insufferable, and I could not stand him one bit. Except in bed. (I told you he was irresistible.) With the help of Mrs. Janey's lawyer, we gave Craig two weeks to dispute the inheritance or step down as CEO, and just when it seemed that I would finally be getting the break I needed, a new obstacle arose: Craig's mother. That's when things got out of control...

The Her Billionaire Man Romance Series is a collection of 20 romance short reads that will take you into a complex world of characters and emotional arcs leaving you with an addictive itchy-curiosity that only the next book can satisfy. Get ready for light and dark to collide, for laughter and intensity to meet, and for unsuspected lustful thrills to creep up behind you. This is NOT your typical romance series. Are you ready for your new obsession?

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Learn More

Olivia Summer is an experienced romance novelist providing short romantic books that will draw you into a world of emotional flux.

• Sign up to get updates from RomanceShortBooks.com
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Today, LitNuts is shining a spotlight on the work of author Chuck Augello, recognized by Kirkus Reviews as "a promising new literary voice." Read on to learn more about The Revolving Heart and A Better Heart, two critically acclaimed novels by Chuck, as well as Talking Vonnegut, a collection of interviews and essays about Kurt Vonnegut. 

"Augello has a natural ability to balance heavy themes with humor." ~Jessica Purgett, The Mark Literary Review

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The Revolving Heart

Genre: Literary Fiction
3.9 stars, 142 ratings
Paperback: $14.95
Ebook: $3.99 (Free via Kindle Unlimited)

On a beautiful summer morning at the Jersey Shore, four-year-old Sarah Carpenter wanders toward the ocean and never returns. The police think she drowned, but her babysitter, Amy, claims Sarah was abducted. The only other witness, 17-year-old Donnie Marcino, didn’t see a thing. A narcoleptic since birth, he was fast asleep.

Twenty years later, Sarah’s disappearance still haunts Donnie, as does his lingering bond with Amy. When she calls from the hospital after a failed suicide attempt, Donnie returns to his hometown. But how can he help Amy (and help himself) without changing the past? In The Revolving Heart, love and redemption collide as the adult Donnie struggles to atone for his youthful mistakes.

Praise for The Revolving Heart

• A Best Books of 2020 Selection by Kirkus Reviews
• "A reflective narrative about the choices people make, the bonds they forge, and the obligations they can't escape, however much they might try. Augello shows a knack for sharp, believable dialogue, and his character construction is impressive. A superb, captivating work from a promising new literary voice." ~Kirkus Reviews
• “An excellent, must-read novel about a man who returns home to confront his past, filled with memorable characters and written in a style that will draw you in, entertain you, and leave you wanting more.” ~Sublime Book Review
• "Captures the spirt of the Jersey Shore... Filled with wry observations and the unexpected smart and funny things people say." ~Marcy Dermansky, author of The Red Car

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A Better Heart

Genre: Literary Fiction, Humorous Fiction
4.5 stars, 51 ratings
Paperback: $6.49
Ebook: $4.99 (Free via Kindle Unlimited)

For aspiring indie filmmaker Kevin Stacey, it's another day on the set of his first film. But when his estranged father, a failed Hollywood actor, arrives unexpectedly with a bundle of cash, a gun, and a stolen capuchin monkey, Kevin is propelled toward the journey that will change his life.

The monkey, Henry, has been liberated from a research lab by animal rights activists. Inspired by his friend Veronica to reevaluate his relationship with other species, Kevin learns about the pain and suffering inflicted on lab animals as he forges a bond with the capuchin. When father and son embark on a road trip with Henry, Kevin is caught between the egocentric father who abandoned him and the temperamental monkey whose fate is in his hands. With both the FBI and his mother's ghost watching, will Kevin risk his career and his father's freedom to bring the stolen monkey to safety? Meanwhile, Veronica's encounter with an eccentric Catholic priest triggers her own journey toward change.

A heartbreaking yet comic family drama, A Better Heart examines the human-animal bond and the bonds between fathers and sons, challenging readers to explore their beliefs about the treatment of non-human species.

Praise for A Better Heart

• "Madcap and accomplished, this comic novel boasts big surprises, heartfelt characters, and a passion for animal rights." ~Booklife
• "A solid psychological and social examination of rights, choices, and their consequences. A wry dose of humor that excels in tongue-and-cheek observations, the result is a fun, literary story." ~Midwest Book Review
• "Devastating, funny and heartbreaking all in one!" ~The Page Ladies
• "Lively, engrossing, fast paced, and spot on when it comes to nailing what's wrong with animal abuse but in a realistic, not preachy way. A great read, a great beach novel, a great book to pass on." ~Ingrid Newkirk, founder, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA)
• "Finally! A story about animal rights that informs and entertains rather than preaches. This comic family adventure is sure to grab your attention." ~Independent Book Review

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Talking Vonnegut: Centennial Interviews and Essays

Genre: Literary Criticism
Paperback: $49.95
Ebook: From $22.49

This collection of 29 interviews explores the outer reaches of the Kurt Vonnegut universe. Conversations reveal how Robert B. Weide's letter to Kurt led to a long friendship and an acclaimed documentary, how readers in the former Soviet Union fell in love with Vonnegut during the Cold War, how Ryan North and Albert Monteys adapted Slaughterhouse-Five into a graphic novel, how two podcasters introduced Vonnegut to a new generation of readers, and how Vonnegut's time teaching at the Iowa Writers Workshop helped transform him from an unknown paperback writer into a literary superstar.

Also included are eight essays by author Chuck Augello. These cover Vonnegut's thoughts on guns and loneliness, evaluate his posthumous publications, offer a guide to the best Vonnegut videos available online, and ask questions like "Was Kurt Vonnegut secretly a romance writer?" A resource for students, scholars and fans, this book offers windows into Vonnegut's life and art that are often overlooked in standard biographies.

Praise for Talking Vonnegut

• “What a book! All these facets make for a most complete portrait of Kurt Vonnegut.” ~Jerome Klinkowitz, author of The Vonnegut Effect and Kurt Vonnegut’s America
• "I have been a Vonnegut fan my entire life, and I found Talking Vonnegut to be chock-full of information and insights that I had not seen elsewhere. Highly recommended." ~Mike O'Mary, LitNuts

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About the Author

Chuck Augello is the author of The Revolving Heart (Black Rose Writing), a Best Books of 2020 selection by Kirkus Reviews. His novel A Better Heart (Black Rose Writing) was praised by PETA founder Ingrid Newkirk as "Lively, engrossing, fast paced, and spot on when it comes to nailing what's wrong with animal abuse but in a realistic, not preachy way. A great read, a great beach novel." His most recent book is Talking Vonnegut: Centennial Interviews and Essays (McFarland), an exploration of the life and work of Kurt Vonnegut.

Chuck's work has also appeared in One Story, Necessary Fiction, Smokelong Quarterly, and other fine journals. Visit Chuck at CDAWriting.com and at TheDailyVonnegut.com. You can also sign up for email updates from Chuck and follow him on Twitter/X.

Get the Legends of Elessia: Age of Rekindling, a fantasy series from author Luís Magalhães that beckons readers to embark upon an unforgettable journey, where the courage of heroes, the cunning of villains, and the magic of the realm will take you on the adventure of a lifetime.

Delve into the frozen secrets of Elessia in this enthralling sword & sorcery saga, perfect for fans of the action and intensity of The Witcher, the epic world-building of The Dragonbone Chair, and the charismatic characters of The Wheel of Time.

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Special Offer - Limited Time!
To celebrate the release of The Champion of The Ice (Book 2 in the series), Blades of the Ice e-book is currently free, The Daughter of The Ice e-book is on sale for 99 cents, and The Champion of The Ice e-book is only $2.99!

Sale ends Wednesday, August 2, 2023, 11:00 PM PDT.

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Blades of The Ice

Legends of Elessia Series: Age of Rekindling Prequel
Currently ranked #1 in Classic Fantasy, #2 in Action & Adventure Fantasy, and #3 in Sword & Sorcery Fantasy on Amazon
4.5 stars, 28 ratings
Paperback: $9.99
Ebook: Currently FREE

In a land ruled by patriarchy, an assassin sisterhood delivers justice from the shadows.

Now, their mysterious patron has charged burly fighter Erika Langeshen and lithe shadow-stalker Annah Barksdottir with uncovering a plot against the very rulers that have mistreated and oppressed them their whole lives.

Their quest will take them to a faraway village on the borders of the Razor Teeth Woods, where they will need to use all the tricks of their trade to build a base of power and expose the machinations of the local lord and his allies.

But before they do, they must break into one of the Patriarchate's fortresses and retrieve an unlikely ally…

"A gritty story with some incredibly strong women." ~Amazon Review

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The Daughter of The Ice

Legends of Elessia Series: Age of Rekindling Book 1
Currently ranked #9 in Classic Fantasy
4.6 stars, 46 ratings
Paperback: $19.99
Ebook: $0.99 (Free with Kindle Unlimited)

After a thousand-year slumber, the goddess of frost awakens to a world that has all but forgotten her. She will rule again…even if it means covering Elessia in icy death.

Eregar, a decorated knight in his twilight years, longs for one final adventure—one last chance to test himself against sword and sorcery. When rumors arise of a would-be goddess building an army to the east, he jumps at the offer of leading a band of young mercenaries into the heart of the distant Frozen Plains.

He doesn’t suspect that these are no common sell-swords. Annah Barksdottir and Erika Langeshen, members of a secret assassin sisterhood, have manipulated the street-wise thief Johan and the adventurous red-haired swordsman Andoh into letting them join…and they have an agenda of their own.

But when dark-clad warriors unleash an army that knows no death upon the last bastion of civilization, and the chilling embrace of a curse looms over the group, they must come together in a desperate fight for survival. And Eregar will find that more than his mettle is to be tested, lest the icy wrath of The Daughter of The Ice consume them just as it threatens to engulf Elessia.

"If Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones got together, The Daughter of The Ice would be the result." ~Amazon Vine Voice Review

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The Champion of The Ice

Legends of Elessia Series: Age of Rekindling Book 2
#1 new release in Classic Fantasy
4.8 stars, 19 ratings
Paperback: $19.99
Ebook: $2.99 (Free with Kindle Unlimited)

The Daughter of The Ice is no more. But not even death will stop Her Champion’s march.

Erika Langeshen has left her mercenary past behind to become a rising star among the knights of The Tower—the first woman to be accepted into their brotherhood in generations. Her friends, the former thief Johan Desert-Touched and the assassin Annah Barksdottir, now rub shoulders with nobility as a reward for their service to the rulers of the City-States.

But their untroubled lives are not to last.

When winter refuses to fade, the undead rise again and a demonic army lays siege to the land they call home. At its head marches a ruthless warlord, wielding a blade with the power to bring nightmares to life.

Erika, Johan, and their companions enter a race against time to reforge the artifacts wielded by their ancient gods in a bid to stop The Champion of The Ice before his armies cover Elessia in icy death…but what they don’t suspect is that it is an old ally who wears the Champion’s mantle, and he knows all their strengths…and weaknesses.

"Fans of epic fantasy and tales of adventure will undoubtedly find themselves engrossed in the magical realm of Elessia." ~Amazon Review

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Legends of Elessia (3 Book Series)

Currently $3.98 for all three books—free via Kindle Unlimited!

 

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About the Author

Luís Falcão Magalhães describes himself as "the black sheep of the family." Born the scion of a household of magistrates and physicians, he was groomed from a young age to meet those expectations. But he threw the chain of office away and became a bard instead.

Luís has since traveled the breadth of his homeland, picking up tales here and there. He has dined with aldermen and drank firewater with vagabonds; sung moonlit serenades to hussies and taken the daughters of wealthy merchants to grand balls; joined secret orders, learning their lore and passphrases; and locked arms with tree-huggers and danced with them under the full moon.

But Luís says two things sing to his soul like nothing else. One, the roll of the dice, be it on the wood of the tabletop or within the shards of magical glass that are everywhere in our society. Two, the tales of daring, of heroism and valor, of wickedness and deceit, to be found among the dusty tomes of the world’s libraries. He has made it his life's work to contribute to those tomes.

Learn more at LuisFalcaomagalhaes.com and follow Luís on social media.
 

Learn about the Forgotten Women Series from author Joan Koster...eye-opening historical fiction based on the lives of adventurous nineteenth-century women who never should have been forgotten.

"The world in unreasonable fashion, demands of a woman that she do twice as much as a man to prove she can equal him." ~Anna Dickinson, The Ragged Register, 1879

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Note: All proceeds from Censored Angel will be donated to the Freedom to Read Foundation, a non-profit legal and educational organization affiliated with the American Library Association.

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That Dickinson Girl: A Novel of the Civil War

Book 1 in the Forgotten Women Series
Genre: Historical Biographical Fiction
4.1 stars & 18 ratings on Amazon; 4 stars & 26 ratings on Goodreads
From $4.99

Eighteen-year-old Anna Dickinson is nothing like the women around her, and she knows it. Gifted with a powerful voice, a razor-sharp wit, and unbounded energy, the diminutive curly head sets out to surpass the men of her day as she rails against slavery and pushes for women’s rights. Only two things can bring her downfall—the entangling love she has for her devoted companion, Julia, and an assassin’s bullet.

Forced to accompany the fiery young orator on her speaking tour of New England, Julia Pennington fights her growing attraction to the ever more impertinent woman. When a traitor sets out to assassinate Anna, will Julia risk her life to save her?

Loosely based on the life of forgotten orator, feminist, and lesbian Anna Dickinson, That Dickinson Girl is the story of one woman’s rise to fame and fortune at the expense of love during the political and social turmoil of the American Civil War.

Special Offer: Read an excerpt and order signed copies at JoanKoster.com.

Praise and Recognition for That Dickinson Girl

• “Believable and bittersweet. It captures the era without a single false note.” ~The Literary Redhead
• "A roller-coaster ride. The author took a non-fictional character from a difficult time in history and created a relatable and emotional story. " ~Jayy Jacobs, Sensitivity reader
• "An interesting and unusual look at a period that rarely gets a clear-eyed examination." ~Kathleen Buckley, author of Portia and the Merchant of London
• "The author's passion for bringing Anna to life, as well as the fictional account of Julia's life, is quite evident." ~D. K. Marley, Historical Fiction Company
• Second Place in the 2022 Romance through the Ages Contest
• Finalist in the Historical Fiction Company Best Books Competition

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Censored Angel: Anthony Comstock's Nemesis

Book 2 in the Forgotten Women Series
Genre: Historical Biographical Fiction
New Release
From $4.99

A nineteenth-century mystic marriage counselor and her guardian angel battle the Inquisitor of Smut in this biographical historical novel based on a true story.

Ida Craddock will not be silenced! Brilliant, corseted, and haunted by spirits from the Borderlands, she turns her back on the constrictions of Victorian society and strikes out on her own, becoming a mystic marriage counselor. Sharing what she views as "essential sexual knowledge" puts her in the crosshairs of Anthony Comstock, the nation’s Anti-Obscenity Postal Inspector. Ida vows to bring him down. He promises to silence her forever. With prison looming, Ida and her angel lover must prepare for a battle they may not be able to win.

Special Offer: Read an excerpt and order signed copies at JoanKoster.com.

Praise for Censored Angel

• "It just blew me away. What a story! It was so well written I was right there with her, seeing, smelling, and feeling everything along with her." ~Diana Rubino, best-selling historical fiction author
• "This book was truly wonderful. I love learning about these fascinating women." ~Kristin Campbell, C&D Editing
• "An easy flowing but tragic story... So poignant it brought tears to my eyes." ~Kim Brougher, Beta reader

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About the Author
Joan Bouza Koster is a writer, educator, ethnographer, and artist. When she is not writing in her studio by the sea, Joan lives in an 1860s farmhouse stacked to the ceiling with books. In a life full of adventures, she has scaled mountains, chased sheep, and been abandoned on a island for longer than she wants to remember.

An award-winning author of fiction and nonfiction works in the fields of ethnography, education, anti-racism, and the arts, Joan holds a doctorate from Binghamton University and has published two textbooks on teaching the arts to young children. She is also the author of numerous academic papers based on her ethnographic research on agriculture, shepherding, and weaving in the Southern Peloponnese and on Crete. A professional handweaver, her creative work has been sold across the country.

Joan’s short stories have appeared in several anthologies, and have received awards from Women on Writing, Stone Thread Publishing, Tryst Literary Magazine, and Winning Writers. Her poetry has been published in Potomac Magazine, and her historical fiction has long-listed for the Mslexia Award. Under the pen name Zara West, Joan authored the award-winning romantic thriller series The Skin Quartet. Joan also shares her writing know-how and research into creativity in her top-selling Write for Success series and offers numerous writing workshops every year.

Joan is a member of the Authors Guild, Non-Fiction Authors Association, Historical Fiction Society, Romance Writers of America, and the Women’s Fiction Writers Association. Sign up for her newsletter to learn about more amazing women and great historical fiction facts and books. You'll also get a prequel chapter from That Dickinson Girl and and a chance to win a great historical fiction novel every month. Finally, be sure to follow Joan on social media.
 

LitNuts is shining a spotlight on the Teen Sur-Thrival Series, two books from author Derek T. Freeman to help teens build confidence and navigate high school.

Special offer: For a limited time, the e-book edition of 88 Life-Changing High School Hacks (Book 2 in the series) is FREE!

Help your teen achieve everything they want in life.

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Building Unstoppable Self-Confidence for Teens

Genre: Teen & Young Adult Nonfiction
4.8 stars, 162 ratings
From $9.99 (free via Kindle Unlimited)  

Labels and comparisons stop you from being your real self. You try to live up to an ideal...to be like the teen you think is smarter, better-looking, or more popular than you. And when you do that—when you try to be something you're not—you're living under false pretenses. 

This is when the domino effect kicks in: you start to live in fear that someone may find out who you really are. It wrecks your self-esteem, personal power, and any belief that you deserve more. That's a lonely place to be and no way to live your life. But it doesn't have to be that way.

Whether you're a nerd or a jock, an overachiever or an underachiever, a loner or an outcast—that is not your entire identity. It's just one tiny part of the vast YOU. 

The good news is that you already have the key to unlocking your real personality and fearlessly creating your authentic life; you just need a little help to get started. With Building Unstoppable Self-Confidence for Teens: The Fail-Safe Formula for Finding Yourself, Overcoming Limitations and Creating Your Best Life from the Inside Out, you can uncover the whole, wonderful person within and create an incredible life on your own terms.

Here are a few of the things that you will discover inside: 

• 5 simple steps to find your uniqueness and embrace the amazing personality you didn't know you had
• How to get rid of the negative beliefs about yourself and get your self-confidence back
• 4 things you can do to escape the comparative trap and live from your authentic self
• 6 effective ways to stop bullies in their tracks
• The "1 in 60" rule that will change the way you think about failure
• How to stop being a victim of body shaming and love who you are
• And much more.

This isn't just another workbook; this is your toolkit for confronting anxiety and self-doubt—and your formula to rise triumphantly from it. Discover how to be truly self-confident and boldly bring your inherent magic to the light. 

Praise for Building Unstoppable Self-Confidence for Teens

• "A candid, conversational guide to navigating adolescence that comes from a place of hard-won wisdom and deep compassion." ~John B. Valeri, author, book critic & host of the web series Central Booking
• "A warm, supportive pep-talk from a coach/friend/big brother/uncle/dad for both guys and gals—and their parents." ~Leslie A. Lindsay, creator & host of the award-winning author interview series Always with a Book

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FREE: 88 Life-Changing High School Hacks

Genre: Teen & Young Adult Nonfiction
New Release
Price: FREE  

You can master adulthood before you get there or wait for it to master you. Which will you choose?

We all love a good hack—that one piece of advice that cuts straight to the heart of a problem and shows you how to handle it with ease. But don't let the title of this book fool you—reducing this wisdom to mere "hacks" would be a massive disservice.

You're about to uncover a treasure trove of insight: 88 of the best tips, tricks, and techniques to launch you from teendom to adulthood with resounding success. And don't worry, you won't lose yourself along the way. You won't have to trade your joy, curiosity, or spark. You won't have to become "boring"—or bored. You'll simply be one step ahead of the game.

Inside this unique resource, you'll discover:

• 88 game-changing life hacks, numbered and arranged by category so you can come back to them time and time again
• How to save time and energy at school while taking control of your environment
• The secret to building and maintaining good relationships
• Multiple ways to improve your memory (even while you sleep)
• Essential financial literacy skills you'll never learn in school
• Mind hacks that will set the stage for a lifetime of growth and self-realization
• Everything you didn't know you needed to know about cars and driving
• Timeless principles to take forward into the working world
• And much more.

One day you're in high school, and the next, you're navigating the adult world without a map. This book is full of information that you will need in order to ace the game of life.

Praise for 88 Life-Changing High School Hacks

• "Freeman has taken the crucial things to know and put them into bite-sized pieces. The sooner you get this book in your teens' hands, the better." ~Cynthia Coufal, podcast host & teen life coach at "Better Regulate Than Never"
• "Engaging, funny, and addresses many issues teens and young adults may face... Keeps you thinking long after the read." ~Samantha, life coach & content creator of the YouTube channel "Stop Look and Listen with Samantha"

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About the Author
Derek T. Freeman aims to inspire tweens, teens, parents, and families by providing motivational content and guiding them through the years that are often seen as the most challenging parts of both parenting and growing up.

As a young teenager, Derek struggled with self-esteem, bullying, and fitting in. Moving schools at the age of 13 threw him into a period of isolation and victimization, which knocked his confidence and made his adolescence very difficult. Although his experiences didn’t affect his success or happiness as he grew up, as his children have gotten older, he’s realized the importance of empowering young people and their families to navigate all sorts of challenges. He is determined to make the turbulent waters of adolescence easier to navigate for other young people.

Derek is a musician by trade and toured the United States after graduating high school, releasing six albums before the birth of his first child. He then moved into the restaurant business, managing a small team for more than a decade. Derek was born and raised in New York and currently lives in Connecticut with his wife, three children, and two cats. Learn more at Derek's Amazon Author Page.

Congratulations to Joanne Nelson and Vine Leaves Press on the release of My Neglected Gods, a moving collection of essays from the author of the memoir This is How We Leave.

★★★★★ “A record of the compassion for self—and ultimately for family—that comes with clear seeing.” ~Joanna Penn Cooper, author of The Itinerant Girl's Guide to Self-Hypnosis

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My Neglected Gods by Joanne Nelson

NEW RELEASE: July 25, 2023
Genre: Creative Nonfiction
Paperback: $14.99
Ebook: $4.99  

We all have our rituals and talismans to protect us from the unknown, but will we admit what they are?

Tarot cards, speeding cars, several saints, and old dogs make appearances in Joanne Nelson’s new collection of prose and poetry. She unravels the secular deities giving shape to her days, not only on planes, but in summer crowds, at conferences, and in long post office queues. Whether it’s a bandaid in a pocket, the backup pen in a purse, or a hidden $20 in a wallet for just-in-case, Nelson explores what we carry for comfort. She delves into the Mercury retrograde conundrum and examines the significance of kitchens as holy places. Beer runs through it. There will be coffee.

Join Nelson, author of the memoir This Is How We Leave, in this humorous and heartfelt journey through life’s often-ignored quiet moments. Ignored until, plate of cookies in hand, they come begging for a chat. All the while, the kids move out, the house gets put up for sale, and loved ones age.

Praise for My Neglected Gods
★★★★★ “There’s sadness here, and grief and regret. But there’s also appreciation and gratitude... characterized by an assurance Nelson experienced during a mystical connection with her deceased grandmother: everything is going to be all right.” ~Lynn Domina, author of Framed in Silence and Corporal Works

★★★★★ “Never leaves the reader behind, no matter how deep into the sublime Nelson dives, and with each page that turns we find ourselves willing to go deeper and deeper into that amazing pool of reflection with her.” ~Paul Corman-Roberts, author of Bone Moon Palace, 2021 CLMP Firecracker Nominee

★★★★★ “A lyrical dance through sepia-colored memories that make us at once melancholy for what we’ve left behind, and joyful at how far we’ve come.” ~Martha Engber, author of Bliss Road

★★★★★ “The vignettes may be miniature in scale, and composed with elegant precision, but they contain entire worlds.” ~Benjamin Anastas, author of the memoir Too Good To Be True

★★★★★ “Joanne Nelson jolts her reader with an electricity that comes from a masterly conjuring of the dead and the lost.” ~Alden Jones, author of The Wanting Was a Wilderness

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About the Author
Joanne Nelson is the author of the memoir This Is How We Leave. Her writing appears in numerous journals and anthologies. She won the Hal Prize in nonfiction, as well as other literary awards, and has contributed to "Lake Effect" on Milwaukee’s National Public Radio station. Nelson lives in Hartland, Wisconsin, where she teaches at the university level and leads community programs. She gives presentations on mindfulness and writing, creativity, and the second half of life. Nelson holds an MFA from the Bennington Writing Seminars, an MSSW from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and is a certified meditation instructor. Learn more at the Wake Up the Writer Within website.

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About the Publisher
Vine Leaves Press likes to blur the line between commercial and experimental works. They publish book-length vignette collections, writing reference books, short story collections, memoir/autobiography, and character-driven novels with a literary bent.​ Subscribe to the Vine Leaves Press newsletter to receive FREE advanced review copies of upcoming new releases, news about their authors and subscribers, and/or to read the monthly opinion column, SPILL IT! or a daily dose of 50-word stories. Learn more at vineleavespress.com.

Today's Spotlight is on the work of Stella Atrium, author of speculative fiction—including the three books of The Tribal Wars Series, a space colonization story about seeking independence and home rule in the face of corporate greed. 

"An emotionally intimate narrative for sci-fi fans, with broad themes that appeal to a mainstream audience, too." ~Kirkus Review

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The Bush Clinic

The Tribal Wars Book 1
4.2 stars, 40 ratings
Price: From $1.99  

Tribal women bind together in a war zone where they are discounted as not important enough to save or keep safe.

On Dolvia, Lt. Mike Shaw demands Dr. Greensboro’s doctoring skills at the hospital, forcing the closure of her bush clinic. She witnesses forced labor, forced migration, and the threat of an epidemic from bad water. She sees how tribal women—often wearing burkas—find solutions for saving the children in a conflict zone, and she commits to their cause for Home Rule.

Brianna Miller is an isolated girl—a mixed-blood orphan—among the Dolviet tribes. With the lessons from Dr. Greensboro, the abuse from soldiers, and the sisterhood among victims, Brianna prepares for a future she will choose for herself. But first, she must travel offworld.

Recognition and Praise for The Bush Clinic

• Distinguished Favorite from the 2023 Independent Press Award
• Winner of the Artisan Book Reviews 2022 Book Excellence Award
• BookLife Editor's Pick (Publishers Weekly, 10/31/22)
• "An honest examination of human character and creates realistic characters and powerful organizations that depict real human conflict." ~ArtisanReads
• "Far more than standard sci-fi; it is a femme-led examination of our societal ills, and a celebration of the strength found through open-mindedness and sisterhood." ~Self-Publishing Review
• "An imaginative and deeply thoughtful space opera." ~Literary Titan
• "Vivid world-building at its best, as gripping as it is poignant." ~Books Go Social

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The Body Politic

The Tribal Wars Book 2
4.4 stars, 31 ratings
Price: From $1.99  

Brianna Miller returns to Dolvia where tribal women protest the oppressive rule of Rabbenu Ely by self-torchings in the Cylay Square. Brianna re-establishes her tribal schools and takes on assistant Kelly Osborn who is mixed blood and also a poet.

Kelly visits the neighboring planet of Cicero where her aunt Carline Bryant takes over her education. While returning to Dolvia, Kelly meets Australian adventurer Hershel Henry who has signed on for a tour of Dolvia as a photojournalist. Henry takes an opportunity to interview the khalif on the opposing side of the tribal wars.

Recognition and Praise for The Body Politic

• "The striking second installment in Atrium's Tribal Wars series tackles exploitation and culture clashes on a newly discovered planet, with the rich intelligence, invention, and characterization that are the hallmarks of Atrium's work." ~BookLife Editor's Pick (Publishers Weekly, 1/30/23)
• "A thoroughly gripping, poignant sci-fi saga." ~Artisan Book Reviews
• "Deftly weaves together themes of war, adventure, love, politics, and unwavering determination, lending depth and resonance to the narrative." ~Literary Titan, 5-star review
• "An intelligent, powerful work of science fiction." ~Asher Syed for Readers' Favorite

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Home Rule

The Tribal Wars Book 3
4.6 stars, 22 ratings
Price: From $0.99 (Free via Kindle Unlimited)  

Photojournalist Hershel Henry witnesses the self-torchings of tribal women protesting the oppressive rule of Rabbenu Ely. While Brianna Miller seeks peace among the tribes, Kelly sets the bride price for a wedding at Stargate Junction.

Recognition & Praise for Home Rule

• "First-rate SF novel of revolution, oppression, and the urgent textures of life." ~BookLife Editor's Pick (Publishers Weekly, 7/3/23)
• First place: 2023 Artisan Reads Book Excellence Awards, Science Fiction and Fantasy: "A masterpiece of science fiction world-building and plotting."
• "Dramatic, passionate, and rich in detail at every turn." ~Self-Publishing Review
• "Richly detailed world-building and compelling storytelling." ~Literary Titan 5-Star Review
• "An accomplished work that will impress fans of the existing series, and I would certainly recommend the series in general for literary sci-fi fans everywhere." ~Readers' Favorite 5-Star Review

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About the Author
Stella Atrium is an award-winning fantasy writer who presents otherworld stories about female protagonists. Although set in a fantasy world, the obstacles encountered are relatable to our lives today. How do women respond to the kinds of obstacles women encounter using the tools available to women? 

Says Stella: "I was a great reader of science fiction as a young person, but I began to wonder why the protagonist in a sci-fi or fantasy story was always a man, even when the writer was female. Where were the stories that presented a woman as the problem solver? 

"A real heroine cannot call on armies to follow her, or pay assassins for special work. She may have children already, so adventure is out of the question, and her family must be secure before she can enter the public square where she has no voice.

"So how does a story shape if the young hero must solve problems that girls experience in ways that females address problems? I could find no books that started with this premise, so I had to write some." 

Stella teaches at university in addition to online writing courses. She lives in Chicago, Illinois. 

Special offer! Sign up to get news from Stella and get a free download of Brittany Mill: A Dolvia Origins Story.

Learn more at StellaAtribum.com and be sure to follow Stella on social media.
 

Today's Spotlight is on the work of an author known as C.O.B., whose writings include an intriguing mix of poetry, thoughts, dialogue, and graphics, as well as an award-winning thriller that has been described as "Psycho meets The Boy Next Door." If you're ready for critically acclaimed writing that's off the beaten trail, read on!

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A Drinker's Poems, Thoughts and Dialogue by C.O.B.

Genre: Poetry
Price: FREE  

On the anniversary of his dear friend's death, an old man enters a bar and shares a story of a time when love came at a cost. Through a collection of poems, you will experience the joy of living, loving, and crying, plus lots and lots of laughter. A merry-go-round of raw emotions, this collection of poetry is a testimony to how life was lived and is meant to be lived...from the perspective of an old drinker.

“I loved the author’s raw, uncensored, and genuine voice... It’s a must-read book to take to a bar!” ~Reader Views

“Experimental in its own way, this collection will appeal to poetry readers who appreciate Bukowski-like verses fueled by a Baudelaire-like existence.” ~The U.S. Review of Books

"Each piece feels like a note written in a bottle found ashore... C.O.B. shows that, no matter what form it’ll take, a gut-wrenching piece of writing awaits." ~Independent Book Review

“Ideal for meditating on time and life.” ~Readers’ Favorite

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Words & Graphics - The Four Seasons of Love

Genre: Poetry
Price: $1.99  

The Four Seasons of Love is the final installment in the Words and Graphics concept series that tells a coming-of-age story—of an adult who unexpectedly becomes a dad and then reverts to a childlike state of being. Growing into manhood—rather, a responsible father, after his childish journey causes him to lose a life—the four seasons that we all must endure reveal why all the colorful loves that entered this man-child’s life triggered the fallout between him and his one pure love, his daughter.

With the mixed use of different forms of writing that include poems, short stories, and simple observations, in addition to its provocative images, The Four Seasons of Love is a fitting end to the series, yet it also stands alone, as the best and most compelling of introductions.

"A powerful and brutally honest look at the impact of drugs and alcohol on the psyche of one's mind and life...a must-read for anyone who enjoys experimental storytelling and creative narrative styles." ~Readers' Favorite, 5 Stars

“The sometimes surreal leaps in tone or subject matter are masterful enough to recall Brautigan's Trout Fishing in America. Indeed, the writing evokes other Beat writers like Kerouac or Burroughs, bringing their style into the twenty-first century.” ~The US Review of Books

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The Beauty in Ms. White

Genre: Thriller, Suspense, Romance
Price: $1.99  

What happens when fantasy crosses over into reality? For Carlos Castillo, a lonely store manager, it creates a twisted story, a convolution of the truth that lies behind most fairytales: Love is real, but at times, it is concealed by a veil of mischief. 

The Beauty in Ms. White is a chilling, suspenseful love story that rips apart, then re-creates the meaning of star-crossed lovers.

"Psychological...compelling...powerful...and highly recommended." ~Midwest Book Review

“Psycho meets The Boy Next Door. Filled with suspense and intrigue.” ~Readers’ Favorite, 5 Stars

"If you enjoy being on the edge of your seat, read this not-to-be-missed novella." ~BookTrib

“A striking novel about the power of delusional assumptions... An intriguing mixture of dark romance and thriller.” ~Self-Publishing Review

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About the Author
With his education in screenwriting, C.O.B. was trained to think visually, which he has now combined with his passion for all forms of creativity. His works span many genres, authoring poems, novels, and uniquely conceptual short stories told with the use of graphics and photographs. When he's not writing, C.O.B. is...thinking about writing.

Sign up to get news from C.O.B. about future releases and events, and be sure to follow C.O.B. on social media.
 

Congratulations to author Alice McVeigh on the new release of Darcy: A Pride and Prejudice Variation, the newest addition to the award-winning Warleigh Hall Press Jane Austen Series. 

“McVeigh displays a brilliant, spot-on command of Austen's diction and tone." ~Kirkus Review

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Susan: A Jane Austen Prequel

Genre: Historical Fiction, Historical Romance
Book 1 in the series
4.2 stars, 321 ratings
From $2.99 (Free via Kindle Unlimited)  

Susan is a Jane Austen Prequel, brilliantly capturing Austen's own Lady Susan as a young girl.

Sixteen-year-old Susan Smithson—pretty but poor, clever but capricious—has just been expelled from a school for young ladies in London. At the mansion of the formidable Lady Catherine de Bourgh, Susan attracts a raffish young nobleman. But, at the first hint of scandal, her guardian dispatches Susan to her uncle Collins' rectory in Kent, where her sensible cousin Alicia lives and "where nothing ever happens." Here Susan mischievously inspires the local squire to put on a play, with consequences no one could possibly have foreseen. 

Familiar characters abound—Frank Churchill, Lady Catherine de Bourgh, Darcy himself. But Susan—mischievous and manipulative—is the star. This is Austen that even Austen might have loved, with a touch of Georgette Heyer in the romantic sections. Fans of Bridgerton will also relish this classic regency romance, the first in a six-book series.

Praise for Susan

"McVeigh's prose and plotting are pitch-perfect. Emma mingles with Pride and Prejudice in a delightful confrontation between the two books' worlds... This Austen-inspired novel echoes the master herself." ~Publishers Weekly starred review

"Think Emma or Pride and Prejudice, but with the added sense of humor, mischief, and determination that elevates Susan." ~Midwest Book Review

A BookLife 2021 Quarterfinalist, Susan has won the Gold Medal/First Place in the PenCraft, Global, eLit, and Historical Fiction Company Book Awards, along with numerous other awards.

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Harriet: A Jane Austen Variation

Genre: Historical Fiction, Historical Romance
Book 2 in the series
4.1 stars, 221 ratings
From $2.99 (Free via Kindle Unlimited)  

Harriet is an intriguing and original take on Jane Austen's immortal Emma.

Emma, a privileged young heiress, decides to mentor Harriet Smith, a pretty boarding-school pupil, and to matchmake her as eligibly as she can… But how is she to guess that Harriet has a secret? Meanwhile, the brilliant, penniless Jane Fairfax consents to a clandestine engagement with Frank Churchill—though not daring to confess, even to him, that she is being relentlessly pursued by her best friend’s husband. Harriet sidelines Emma herself in favour of the ingenious Harriet and the fascinating Jane Fairfax. It is Emma—but an Emma with a surprisingly believable twist in its tail.

Recognition for Harriet

• Winner: Bronze medal (European Fiction) IPPY Award, 2023
• Starred Editor's Pick on Publishers Weekly
• Current finalist for Foreword Indies Book of he Year
• Current finalist for Chanticleer's CIBA Chatelaine Award
• Winner: Gold Medal (historical), Global Book Awards, 2022
• Selected as one of "100 notable indies of 2022" by Shelf Unbound magazine
• Finalist in the International and American Fiction Awards

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Darcy: A Pride and Prejudice Variation

Genre: Historical Fiction, Historical Romance
New Release: Book 3 in the series
4.1 stars, 84 ratings
From $0.99 (Free via Kindle Unlimited)  

The third in McVeigh's prize-winning series of standalone Jane Austen variations.

“Should she reject me again, I shall have to wed—as I swore I never would—for dynasty alone. I can only ever love Elizabeth Bennet.”

Love is put to the test in this fresh spin on Jane Austen’s starriest novel, entwining original and classic characters in a tale of passion and self-discovery. Alice McVeigh puts the spotlight on Darcy in this witty and imaginative re-telling of Austen’s classic tale. In a timeless story of love amid the clash of social classes, Darcy is faced with a terrible choice: to stay in London to force Wickham’s hand—or to go to Rome, to salvage his family’s reputation.

With a new Darcyesque slant, omitted scenes from the original, and an extra helping of humour—as well as excerpts from The Wisdom and Wit of Miss Mary Bennet—this is a fresh new Pride and Prejudice with (wedding) bells on!

Praise for Darcy

"The narrative is infused with a dry twenty-first-century sensibility that respects Austen while also peeking into her characters’ true thoughts. Elizabeth, for example, points out Jane’s 'annoyingly obedient hair.' Darcy notes that Mrs. Bennet 'appeared to have not the slightest objection to parting with [Jane]—for months, if need be'…while the prose captures Austen’s tone throughout... Darcy is an often delightful deep dive into what the characters of Pride and Prejudice were thinking but not saying." ~Foreword/Clarion Reviews 

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Warleigh Hall Press Jane Austen Series (3 books)

Get all three books: $6.97 for the set
Note: Individual books are free via Kindle Unlimited!

 

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About the Author

Alice McVeigh has been published in contemporary fiction by Orion/Hachette, in speculative fiction by UK's Unbound, and in historical fiction by Warleigh Hall Press. Her novels have won first prize/gold medals in the Global, eLit, Pencraft, and Historical Fiction Company Book Awards, as well as Kirkus stars, IPPYs, IndieBRAG medallions, and been “Editors picks” in Publishers Weekly. They have also been quarterfinalists in the BookLife Prize, and finalists in the Foreword Indies “Book of the Year,” CIBA’s international Goethe, Cygnus and Chatelaine Book Awards, the International Book Awards, and many others.

Alice spent her childhood in Asia (South Korea, Thailand, Singapore, Myanmar); her teenage years in McLean VA; and her adulthood in London. She arrived in London to study cello with Jacqueline du Pre, married, and spent fifteen years travelling the world with London orchestras before taking fiction seriously

Alice has long been married to Simon McVeigh, professor of music at the University of London. They share a daughter, Rachel - shortly to start her Ph.D in Chinese Literature at Harvard - two long-haired mini-dachshunds, a second home in Crete, and a passion for tennis. Learn more at AliceMcVeigh.com—and be sure to sign up for Alice's monthly newsletter and to follow Alice on social media:
 

Congratulations to author Mark E. Leib and Vine Leaves Press on the release of Image Breaker, a novel about the search for a life that deeply, truly matters.

★★★★★ “Deeply moving story of a middle-aged man attempting to come to terms with faith, love, and of course, himself.” ~Heather Sellers, author of You Don’t Look Like Anyone I Know

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Image Breaker by Mark E. Leib

NEW RELEASE: July 11, 2023
Genre: Literary Fiction
Paperback: $17.99
Ebook: $5.99  

Tristan Wishnasky seems to have it all: a successful career as a cynical novelist in love with the Void, a romantic relationship with a formidable woman, and admission to the parties and revelries of the glitterati. But just when he’s confident nothing can stop his stupendous rise, he begins to hallucinate mysterious messages telling him he’s wasting his life.

When the messages don’t stop, he turns to his atheist lover, his oracular psychotherapist, and an ingenious female rabbi for guidance and direction. Where has he gone wrong? How should he be living?

In his search for self-knowledge, Tristan lurches from the art galleries of the famous to the homeless shelters of the abandoned; from the arms of college dean Vanessa to the bed of struggling actress Barbara; from a career that ignores every claim beyond ego to the company of people trying to rescue the imperiled Earth.

As he learns to destroy every false image that’s ever laid claim to him, he begins to think possible a life that deeply, truly matters.

Praise for Image Breaker

★★★★★ “A breathtaking rarity.” ~John Fleming, author of Songs for the Deaf

★★★★★ “Only a writer as good as Mark Leib could pull off this literary juggling act, of writing an entertainment that moves the reader, but also he gives us a book that may just change our lives. Reader, be forewarned. Here is a writer asking you directly if you are ready for the challenge.” ~M. G. Stephens, author of King Ezra and The Brooklyn Book of the Dead

★★★★★ “In this deeply moving story of a middle-aged man attempting to come to terms with faith, love, and of course, himself, Mark Leib establishes his genius.” ~Heather Sellers, author of You Don’t Look Like Anyone I Know

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About the Author
Mark E. Leib's short works have appeared in Boston Review, Jewish Fiction.net, Adelaide Literary Magazine, American Theatre, and elsewhere. His theatre plays have been produced in New York, Chicago, Cambridge, Tampa/St. Petersburg, Edinburgh, and Singapore. His theatre criticism in the Tampa Bay area has earned seven awards for excellence from the Society of Professional Journalists, including three first-place Sunshine State awards. He is a graduate of the Yale School of Drama, where he won the CBS Foundation Prize in Playwriting, and of Harvard College. He teaches fiction, playwriting, and screenwriting at the University of South Florida. Learn more at markeleib.me.

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About the Publisher
Vine Leaves Press likes to blur the line between commercial and experimental works. They publish book-length vignette collections, writing reference books, short story collections, memoir/autobiography, and character-driven novels with a literary bent.​ Subscribe to the Vine Leaves Press newsletter to receive FREE advanced review copies of upcoming new releases, news about their authors and subscribers, and/or to read the monthly opinion column, SPILL IT! or a daily dose of 50-word stories. Learn more at vineleavespress.com.