Today's Featured Books

Congratulations to Gordon Bonnet and Motina Books on the release of The Communion of Shadows, a ghost story set in the bayou country of southern Louisiana.

"A set of compelling and atmospheric ghost stories with a real sense of place and time." ~Amazon Review ★★★★★

The Communion of Shadows by Gordon Bonnet

Sometimes the past refuses to die...

It's August of 1850, deep in the bayou country of southern Louisiana. Four good friends are working in the fields harvesting the crops when a sudden thunderstorm drives them all indoors. There's kind, warm-hearted J. P. Ayo; eager, earnest young T-Joe Lirette; wry, hard-bitten Clovis Dantin; and gentle, easy-going Leandre Naquin.

"Hell of a night," Leandre remarks, as they share a drink and wait for the storm to pass. "The kind of night when the ghosts walk."

This seemingly offhand comment is the impetus for each of the four men to share his own ghost story. The tales the men tell—by turns tragic, funny, frightening, and heartbreaking—give them a window into their friends' souls. When one of them confesses that his own personal ghost story isn't over, that he's still trapped in the middle of it, the events that follow will test the depth of their loyalty and friendship in ways that none of them could ever have dreamed.

What is certain is that after that night, none of the four will ever be the same.

Since his "Crazy Bird Bends His Beak" won critical acclaim in Mrs. Moore’s 1st-grade class at Central Elementary School in St. Albans, West Virginia, Gordon Bonnet hasn’t stopped writing. He just can’t.

Twenty-two books later and he’s just warming up.

Queer speculative fiction, a wildly popular, often-sarcastic but always educational daily blog Skeptophilia, and a bevy of psychic detectives solving mysteries—Gordon wields his useless knowledge of archaic languages and obscure science facts to cut at the very heart of dumb.

Find him conversing with his dogs in Trumansburg, NY, or on:
His website
YouTube
Skeptophilia blog
Twitter
TikTok
Instagram

Free online lit event: Join bestselling author Jessie Keane to celebrate her latest gangland thriller, Never Go Back. Learn about the inspiration behind her many popular novels, including encounters with shady characters in London's East End and Soho. Presented by Cambridgeshire Libraries. Thursday, February 23, 19:00 GMT (1 p.m. CST). 

"The truth, however ugly in itself, is always curious and beautiful to seekers after it." ~Agatha Christie

NBA All-Time Greats, Set 2

$228 Set of Eight Hardcover
$71.60 Set of Eight Paperback
From $7.49 each (For individual books, click on the book covers, below.)

From the pioneers of the 1950s to the global superstars of today, the NBA has always been home to supremely talented players. Get to know the best of the best from your favorite teams through the years. This compelling series is sure to hook readers from the start. The NBA All-Time Greats series is written for children ages 7-10. 

The eight books in NBA All-Time Greats, Set 2, include books about the Atlanta Hawks, Brooklyn Nets, Cleveland Cavaliers, Denver Nuggets, Miami Heat, New York Knicks, Phoenix Suns, and Utah Jazz. 

Also available: NBA All-Time Greats, Set 1, which includes books about the Boston Celtics, Chicago Bulls, Dallas Mavericks, Golden State Warriors, Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers, Milwaukee Bucks, Philadelphia 76ers, Portland Trailblazers, San Antonio Spurs, and Toronto Raptors. 

Coming soon: NBA All-Time Greats, Set 3, which will cover the Charlotte Hornets, Detroit Pistons, Indiana Pacers, Memphis Grizzlies, Minnesota Timberwolves, New Orleans Pelicans, Oklahoma City Thunder, Orlando Magic, Sacramento Kings, and Washington Wizards.

                     

Congratulations to Joseph Lezza and Vine Leaves Press on the release of I'm Never Fine, "a beautiful tribute, full of raw and honest humanity, that makes the reader feel a little less alone.” ~Stephanie Wittels Wachs, author of Everything Is Horrible and Wonderful.

I'm Never Fine by Joseph Lezza

In I'm Never Fine, a collage memoir of essays and poetry, Joseph Lezza shouts in the dark from the backseat of a stranger’s car, a ditch on the Italian coast, a forest outside the arctic, and from the bottom of a shaving cream can.

When Joseph caught himself wishing necrotizing skin infections upon unhurried retirees in the self-checkout lane, and fantasized about loud-talking commuters making quick friends with the underside of a steamroller, he began to wonder if he was fine.

Of all the things Joseph Lezza could have been, he certainly wasn't fine.

The “fine” he’d adopted watching his father succumb to cancer was beginning to wane. It could no longer be used as a shield to melt the face off of anyone who dared inquire. All the “fines” prophesized in every article, every book, and every inspirational meme—courtesy of every armchair expert with a pulse and internet connection—had lost their value.

When Joseph realized he was facing a future that would find him standing over the carcass of an overzealous Costco greeter, one thing became clear: moving on required looking back.

This memoir is an autopsy of perceived missteps, a conclusion to unfinished conversations, and a reframing of flawed judgments through the eyes of a young man in search of a feeling. Search for that feeling with Joseph Lezza in I'm Never Fine.

Praise for I'm Never Fine

“Lezza’s debut memoir is a riot...a tender, hysterical, sharply-rendered and often surprising portrait of love and grief from a talented new voice. Joseph Lezza is a writer to watch.” ~Edgar Gomez, author of High Risk Homosexual

“A standout piece of work. This is tough and true and so well considered. A magnificent achievement.” ~Russell T. Davies, award-winning writer and creator of Queer as Folk and Doctor Who

“Adeptly managing to weave humor and banality into nearly every page, the reader is immersed into a world that feels so familiar...a beautiful tribute, full of raw and honest humanity, that makes the reader feel a little less alone.” ~Stephanie Wittels Wachs, author of Everything Is Horrible and Wonderful: A Tragicomic Memoir of Genius, Heroin, Love and Loss

“A deft blend of tragedy and comedy, these striking lyric essays are essential reading.” ~Rolli, award-winning cartoonist and author of Plumstuff

It's Presidents Day in the United States, a national holiday. And what better way to celebrate than with Rogue Reads, a free online literary event? Authors Deborah Crombie, Sean Doolittle, Carlene O’Connor, and E. A. Aymar will read from their brand-new mysteries, answer questions, and divulge their writing secrets. Monday, February 20, 7 p.m. EST.

"Don't join the book burners. Don't be afraid to go in your library and read every book." ~Dwight Eisenhower

"Scariest book I've read since The Exorcist." A group of boyhood friends in 1977. An annual rite of passage. The channeling of a malevolent Presence. And a childhood game about to go terribly, terribly wrong... Amazon Charts International #1 Occult Bestseller; Winner: Best Occult Horror & Best Supernatural Horror, American Fiction Awards 2022; Bram Stoker Awards Reading List 2021. "Nothing scares me…but this did." 4.3 stars, 1400+ ratings. From $1.99 SHOP NOW / 

I didn't expect to fall for the patient that had murder in her eyes. She didn't expect to need to trust me. Neither of us was ready for the lightning that set our world on fire. A chance at a future with her is worth any risk I have to take. Because one gunshot is all it took to intertwine our lives forever. She might have taken the bullet, but I took one straight to the heart. Dr. Trouble is a steamy military, medical, suspense romance with explosive heat, exciting action, plot twists, and a big HEA. A standalone novel in the Agile Security & Rescue series. 4.6 stars, 400+ ratings. From $2.99 SHOP NOW / 

The Night Owl begins with an empty grave. The main character, both an author and detective, forms a team to solve this mystery and more. This story entails vengeance, crime, murder, and mystery. From $7.99 SHOP NOW / 

Enlighten Up!: Finding Clarity, Contentment and Resilience in a Complicated World

From $3.99
4.8 stars on Amazon



Want to find more clarity, contentment, and resilience in this complicated world we all live in?

Cultivating self-awareness on a practical everyday down-to-earth level is the first step. When we lack self-awareness, it gets in the way of navigating life’s ups and downs.

Enlighten Up! presents a contemporary view of the five layers of self-awareness based on a 3,000-year-old model that provides a broader foundation for self-exploration than the more well-known mind/body model. 

Author Beth Gibbs uses humor and stories to teach you to recognize the influence these five layers have on your life.

• Your physical body and environment.
• Your breath and energy, which makes up your life force.
• Your thoughts, beliefs, and emotions.
• Your intuition, which acts with compassionate, nonjudgmental wisdom.
• Your connection to something larger than yourself.

Soul Food: Life-Affirming Stories Served with Side Dishes and Just Desserts

From $4.99
New release coming February 28!




In these heartwarming and uplifting tales that celebrate the human spirit, we’re offered a glimpse into the lives of a diverse group of characters as they search for clarity, contentment, and resilience in a complicated world. From dealing with heartbreak and loss to fighting for their dreams and standing up for themselves, we see them face their struggles with humor, self-reflection, and tenacity.

This standalone companion to Beth Gibbs’s Enlighten Up! expands the ideas from Enlighten Up! in fictional and often humorous ways, as stories, laughter, and entertainment are nonthreatening ways to learn new skills. Great for light reading, self-reflection, and book clubs. Discussion questions included!

"Written with heart, thought, and wit that will make you think, laugh, and learn; a delightful read." ~Nancy Slonim Aronie, Writing from the Heart

Coming soon! Check your inbox on February 28 for news from LitNuts about purchasing Soul Food in additional formats and from additional book retailers. 

About the Author

Beth Gibbs holds a master’s degree in yoga therapy and mind/body health from Lesley University and is certified as a yoga therapist through the International Association of Yoga Therapists. She is a member of the faculty at the Kripalu School of Integrative Yoga Therapy and is guest faculty at The Graduate Institute.

Beth established The Garnett Gibbs Family Fund at the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving in memory of her parents. The purpose of the fund is to support yoga and other healthy living programs in the greater Hartford, CT, region for at-risk populations and people of all ages, especially programs for children in public schools and community settings. Her published writing includes newsletters, magazines, and blog articles on the benefits of yoga, mindfulness, and self-awareness. Learn more about Beth and her work at BethGibbs.com.

Interested in having Beth speak to your group or in interviewing her for your following? Contact her via Emerald Lake Books.

About the Publisher

Emerald Lake Books is a boutique publisher that offers a personalized publishing service to its authors. Every book published by Emerald Lake Books is carefully edited with the author’s message and the reader’s enjoyment in mind. Learn more and browse their catalogue at the Emerald Lake Books website. 

Today is Random Acts of Kindness Day, an occasion intended to help make kindness the norm at school, home, and work. Here are 50 fun ideas for sharing kindness.

We would also like to "kindly" remind you to get in on two great giveaways:

• LitNuts Deals Giveaway: Enter for a chance to win $100 in books. Deadline February 24.
• Reader Central Giveaway (cosponsored by LitNuts): Enter for a chance to win a $150 Amazon.com gift card. Deadline February 28. 

"Kindness extended, received, or observed beneficially impacts the physical health and feelings of everyone involved." ~Dr. Wayne Dyer

"Great cast of characters and two of my favorite hobbies – running and gardening. This mystery makes me want to explore the trails in Ohio, while also providing great tips for my garden." -Amazon review. An abandoned backpack. A damaged walking stick. A broken bridge. What happened on the Buckeye Trail? This charming cozy mystery is set at a garden center with the Buckeye Trail running behind it. When a hiker goes missing, the garden center manager gets involved. 4.4 stars, 56 ratings. From $3.99 SHOP NOW /