Today's Featured Books

Today, LitNuts is shining a spotlight on Building a Team: A Baseball Buddies Story, an award-winning new release for young readers from author Aaron Derr, illustrator Gary LaCoste, and Red Chair Press.

"Readers follow Luis as he learns leadership skills in a smooth, well-paced narrative that models good communication and perseverance. A wonderful narrative for readers who love baseball that also offers valuable lessons to those who don’t." ~Kirkus Reviews

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Bonus
Get the free discussion guide on topics like moving to a new town, being the new kid at school or on a team, leadership, teamwork, peer pressure, self-esteem, and more! 

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Building a Team: A Baseball Buddies Story

NEW RELEASE: April 2, 2024
Genre: Juvenile Fiction, Children's Books on Peer Pressure, Children's Baseball Books
Reading age: 8 - 12
Hardcover: From $15.80
Audiobook: From $4.77
Ebook: From $9.99

When Luis joins his new baseball team, the Manatees, things seem hopeless at first. Some of his new teammates—including "loud and obnoxious" home-run slugger Jimmie—are mean to him or to each other.

The new coach doesn’t tell the players everything to do like the old coach did. And some of the Manatees seem more interested in goofing off than in sportsmanship or working hard.

Then Coach Joe makes Luis team captain. Will Luis rise to the challenge? Can he get the Manatees to balance working hard and having fun? Will he help his teammates learn to be friends rather than compete with each other?

Baseball Buddies explores the power of working together, what it takes to build a team, and the lasting friendships that form on the baseball field.

Praise for Baseball Buddies

• 2024 Mom's Choice Gold Award
• Readers' Choice Silver Award & 5-Star Rating
• Parent and Teacher Choice Award Winner 2024
• "An uplifting story of accepting differences, coming together, and learning the value of cooperation and competition." ~Midwest Book Review
• "A heartwarming story that will make even older readers long to take their glove out and find the nearest baseball diamond." ~Independent Book Review
• "If your child loves baseball, they will want to read this book. It shows perfectly how a team grows, how friendships are formed, and the proper way to behave in the sport—or any sport for that matter! Great images, too!" ~Kameron Brook, Reedsy Discovery

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About the Author & Illustrator
Author Aaron Derr is a writer based just outside of Dallas, Texas. He has more than 20 years of experience writing and editing magazines and books for kids of all ages for Red Chair Press, Time For Kids, Sports Illustrated for Kids, and the Boy Scouts of America. When he’s not reading or writing, Aaron enjoys watching and playing sports with his wife and two kids. He’s learned a lot from his home team about being a good sport and building teams.

Illustrator Gary LaCoste started his career 20+ years ago working on game board and toy designs for clients including Hasbro, Nickelodeon, and LEGO. About 10 years ago his focus shifted to include children's publishing. Gary has since illustrated more than 25 books and is a regular contributor to many kids' magazines, including Highlights, Time for Kids, Jack and Jill, and Clubhouse Jr. He lives in Western Massachusetts with his wife and daughter. 
 

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About the Publisher
Red Chair Press is committed to learning and literacy (and laughter!). Founded in 2009, Red Chair Press has been dedicated to publishing series to engage children in stories that provide models for strong character and good behavior. By working with only the highest-quality artists from around the world, Red Chair Press ensures that their books will appeal to a wide range of readers. Learn more at RedChairPress.com, and be sure to follow them online:
 

Free online: A Sweeping History of Food and Culture. Virtually step into the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American History with Curator Paula Johnson as she discusses the book Smithsonian American Table: The Foods, People, and Innovations That Feed Us, a sweeping history of food and culture that summons everyone to the table for a fresh look at some of the people, ingredients, events, and movements that have shaped how and what we eat. Tuesday, April 2, 2:00 PM EDT.

"One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well." ~Virginia Woolf, A Room of One's Own

Twenty-Five Tales of German Horror and Weird Fiction. Robert Grains is an independent author, occultist, and elite aesthete. For the first time ever, a selection of his writings, inspired by nameless powers, is available in English. In addition to classic hair-raisers, a rich cauldron of sophisticated weird fiction stories steeped in metaphysical and arcane allusions is presented to the gentle readers, a collection that will certainly enrich your personal eldritch studies and expedite your descent into madness. $16.50 - SHOP NOW / 

A Teen Frankenstein Meets Her Match in this YA novel. Caged by the scientist who made her from the torn limbs of accident victims, all Eden knows is the flickering world of Nickelodeon TV. Until she escapes to the mall, meets a fifteen-year-old fashionista, and begins to awake to the true potential of her superpowers. The story of a frankengirl coming of age, a friendship forged in blood, and awkward adolescents growing into fierce social justice avengers. "A dramatic and engrossing look at the everyday horrors adolescents face." ~Kirkus Reviews. From $0.99. Free via KU. SHOP NOW / 

This witty, influential work by Desiderius Erasmus, one of the greatest scholars of the Renaissance, satirizes the shortcomings of the upper classes and religious institutions of the time. This revised and corrected edition is based on the Pascal Covici edition of 1925. It includes Horace J. Bridges’s Introduction, “In Praise of Erasmus,” and illustrations by Anthony Angarola, Hans Holbein, Gene Markey, and Paul L. McPharlin. "A masterpiece of humour and wise irony." ~Dutch historian John Huizinga. Available from the publisher at 25% off [$14.95] via Ingram Spark. From $0.99 SHOP NOW / 

Kathy and her sister, Samantha, have always been a team. Throughout their time as witches, they've taken out more than their share of bad guys. But after Kathy meets Will, who she learns is a demonic Dark Knight, her loyalties begin to change. When Will proposes they take over the underworld, Kathy loves the idea of having power. But it also leaves her with a choice that will change her life: abandon her family and the life she has always known, or give up the love of her life forever. Book 1 of the Under the Moon series. 4.1 stars, 52 ratings. FREE - SHOP NOW / 

USA TODAY bestselling author Claudia Burgoa pens an emotional, heartbreaking romance duet where soulmates can’t be together and everything around them tears them apart. Almost Strangers is the first novel in the Somehow Everlasting duet, a Decker Family Novel. This book ends on a cliffhanger that'll change everything. "A wonderful and emotional story." ~Goodreads Review. 4.5 stars, 160+ ratings. From $0.99 - SHOP NOW / 

A Box Set or the first 3 volumes of this beloved mini mystery series. After losing his leg in the Army, Finn is starting a new career as an insurance investigator. He is joined by Annie, a videographer who lost her hearing but is trying to make it as a single mom. The world might see them as broken and battered souls, but they make a great team as they investigate their way through murder, arson, theft, embezzlement, and maybe even love! FREE - SHOP NOW / 

While fighting predators that attack every three years, the royal family of a tiny, primitive world is accidentally transported to a pomegranate farm in California. Desperate for help, the farm family hires the green-skinned strangers. Deep friendships form, but the predators have followed their prey. They’re hibernating on the farm, waiting to attack an unsuspecting Earth. It will take the diverse skills of both families to defeat them. Finalist in the Wishing Shelf Book Awards. “Entertaining and enlightening.” ~Book Trib. From $0.99 SHOP NOW / 

The day democracy was threatened... Protesters morph into a mob and storm the Capitol. Right-wing militias take hostages. In a standoff, militias unleash terrorist attacks. Civil war threatens as the president fights to stay in office. Can democracy survive? "Unreservedly" recommended by the prestigious Midwest Book Review. "The national nightmare you thought ended," declares another reviewer. From $3.99. Free via KU. SHOP NOW / 

Where “truth” clashes with “legal truth.” A behind-the-scenes look into a “killer” trial lawyer's chaotic journey into the heart of legal battlefields where decisions are 5-dimensional chess moves and every move is a life-altering choice. An exhilarating memoir of a world where truth and deception understand each other. "I didn’t care if I prosecuted or defended as my oath was to serve Justicia and not a particular client." An Amazon #1 Best Seller in multiple categories. From $1.99. Free via KU. SHOP NOW / 

Today, LitNuts is shining a spotlight on Ten Easy Steps to Becoming a Writer by Randall Silvis, a book for writers everywhere and at every point in their careers.

If you are a writer, this book belongs on your desktop alongside On Writing by Stephen King, The Art of Fiction by John Gardner, and Becoming a Writer by Dorothea Brande. If there is an aspiring writer in your life, this book would be a much-appreciated (and quite possibly, a much-needed) gift. 

"Randall Silvis is an author's author. Those who write for a living (or aspire to do so) could hardly do better than to study his significant body of work, which has been critically acclaimed and recognized throughout the world." ~BookReporter

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Ten Easy Steps to Becoming a Writer

New release: February 2024
Paperback: $16.39
 

• Why Write
• Ten Easy Steps to Becoming a Writer
• Ten Writer's Rules Begging to be Broken
• A Writer's Life
• Profit and Loss
• When Less is More
• The Writer's Obligation
• Act Like a Professional Writer Now
• Financial Planning for Adjuncts
• A Writer's Education
• Reading, Writing, & Teaching Fiction
• And much more.

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Additional works by Randall Silvis:

The Ryan DeMarco Mystery Series

The literary and emotionally propulsive Ryan DeMarco Mystery novels, including Hammett Prize Nominee Two Days Gone, plus Walking the Bones, A Long Way Down, No Woods so Dark as These, and When All Light Fails. 

"Hard-edged and smartly plotted...DeMarco is an interesting character: not just your typical ex-cop-with-a-past, but rather a vividly realized, robust, and abundantly human character." ~Booklist

The Deepest Black

A crime novel unlike any you've ever read―based on true events. Where does the line blur between fact and fiction? Author Randall Silvis is looking for a story―any story to follow up the books of The Ryan DeMarco Mystery Series that catapulted him to success. But when a stranger tips him off about a series of murders in a small Pennsylvania town, Silvis finds himself embroiled in a world of corruption that shatters his sense of reality. A profoundly thoughtful, unsettling read.

From the Mirror

The first installment of what is to be a four-part autobiography, this book contains more than three hundred brief reflections and observations, none longer than a single typed page, on creative writing, fatherhood, academia, politicians, introversion, the afterlife, solitude, romantic love, and more. A must-read for lovers of life, literature, and the pursuit of happiness.

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About the Author
Randall Silvis is the multi-genre author of two dozen books, including critically acclaimed novels, short story collections, and works of creative nonfiction. He is a past winner of the prestigious Drue Heinz Literature Prize, and his work has been published in more than a hundred editions in several languages. Learn more at RandallSilvis.com, and be sure to follow Randall online:
 

Free online: The Art Institute of Chicago "Essentials" Tour. Spend some time with AIC's most iconic works of art and get insights from the experts with this special video series, including close looks at Edward Hopper’s Nighthawks, Georges Seurat’s A Sunday on La Grande Jatte—1884, Vincent van Gogh’s The Bedroom, Marc Chagall’s America Windows, Archibald John Motley Jr.’s Nightlife, and more. Watch the videos anytime, on demand. You can also keep an eye on the calendar of AIC free online events. 

"In art, as in life, everything is possible as long as it is based on love." ~Marc Chagall

In a post-disaster America where a nefarious pharmaceutical company controls all aspects of life, a scientist on the run is ripped from her safe haven and has no choice but to trust a man who might as well wear a "danger" sign. But when she discovers she holds the key to the country’s salvation, she must decide how far she's willing to go to destroy the company before it unleashes a nightmare army—even if it means teaming up with her worst enemies and dragging her darkest demons into the light. And time is running out... From $1.99 SHOP NOW / 

Hey you! Want the secret to becoming extraordinary? We’ve got just the information you need! Everyone has the potential to do GREAT things. The problem is not everyone has the confidence to try. And ONLY a rare few have the Mental Toughness to go after and live their dreams. Forge Your Mental Toughness: Your Foolproof Blueprint On How To Strengthen Your Will, Silence Your Doubts, And Level Up In The Game Of Life is your invitation to join that exclusive group of people. 4.7 stars, 18 ratings. From $0.99. Free via KU. SHOP NOW / 

"Am I good enough?" ask the 3 leaf clovers of themselves. Go on this journey and find the answer to this question. A thoughtful book presented in a fun way. "A great book for teaching young children about self esteem." ~Amazon Review. 4.2 stars, 72 ratings. FREE - SHOP NOW / 

After barely escaping from Tehran two years ago, CIA operative Titus Ray agrees to return to meet with an Iranian nuclear scientist willing to provide intel about his country’s uranium enrichment. But once Titus arrives in country, he quickly learns the tentacles from his past have reached into his present and now threaten to destroy his future. With his life on the line once again, he fears his time may have come to an end. 4.7 stars, 394 ratings. From $0.99. Free via KU. SHOP NOW / 

Can a man without emotions find his mate? There's nothing left in Raze. No love, no hate, nothing but the duty that he owes his people. But when he meets a fascinating and tough human woman on a barren planet, something deep inside comes back to life. And for the first time in years, he yearns for more. Book 1 of the Detyen Warriors series. 4.2 stars, 1000+ ratings. FREE - SHOP NOW

The second John Keegan Mystery pits the detective against a possible serial killer. When a new acquaintance of his is killed, Keegan realizes he can trust no one but himself. Filled with action and revolving around an intricate plot, All in a Row is sure to capture mystery readers' attention. 4.3 stars, 40 ratings on Goodreads. $0.99 SHOP NOW / 

Sydney can endure anything for 90 days—including making sandwiches and serving coffee—until she returns to her jet-setter career. But when grandma mistakes a handsome customer for the “fiancé” Sydney created when she thought her grandma was on death’s door, well...Sydney will do anything to keep grandma's spirits up during treatment. But can Sydney persuade the handsome customer to keep up the charade? And if so, will they both fall for their own fiction? 4.3 stars, 600+ ratings. FREE - SHOP NOW / 

When a streetwise skeptic discovers a cosmic long con, can he rescue humanity from a dark fate? Book 1 of The Faith Trilogy - The Matrix meets The Da Vinci Code. The story brings together the world-shattering concepts of the Wachowskis’ films and the religious intrigue found in Dan Brown’s page-turners, and delves into the nature of reality, all in the pages of a fantasy thriller that moves at lightning pace. “A rare gem…captivating world…a thrilling ride.” ~Amazon Review. 4.6 stars, 25 ratings. FREE - SHOP NOW 

Awaken Into Remembrance is a book of poems and affirmations for the spiritual seeker. Each poem and affirmation is meant to elicit a new vibratory experience to guide the reader toward spiritual growth. We are all called to serve ourselves and then the world. This book is meant to be a message for all who choose the path of service. As our fear disintegrates, we can walk closer to our true nature, and this truth is the constant factor that binds us all together. 4.3 stars, 77 ratings. FREE - SHOP NOW / 

"A terrifically entertaining, complex, and original fantasy." ~Kirkus Reviews. Princess Lilla, a rebel-in-disguise, is fighting for the refugee's freedom. But the arrival of the mysterious and ruggedly handsome Callum brings news of a bigger battle—the Era War—that threatens all in the Seven Galaxies. Lilla must learn to control her magic and defeat the dark god before He finds her - the last Lumenian. Book 1 in the series. 4.3 stars, 4200+ ratings on Goodreads. FREE - SHOP NOW / 

Being a fictional anthology of truism. Aphorism collection, sketchbook, reflections light and dark... all of it a gathering of one person's thoughts and musings. It's not that, says the author, not of anyone you'd know. The book's editor thinks otherwise. FREE - SHOP NOW / 

 

Today, LitNuts is shining a spotlight on the Hearts of the Hall series, three books by three authors spanning the Georgian, Regency, and Victorian generations of the Derringer family:

• Finding Miss Giles by Philippa Jane Keyworth (set in 1780)
• Engaging Miss Shaw by Rachel Knowles (set in 1815)
• Restoring Miss Hastings by Edwina Kiernan (set in 1850)

Get swept away in the romance, misunderstandings, secrets, and happily-ever-afters in the Hearts of the Hall series as you follow the women who capture the hearts of the Derringer gentlemen.

Bonus: Get free book club discussion questions for all three books at HeartsoftheHall.com.

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Finding Miss Giles by Philippa Jane Keyworth

Book 1 in the Hearts of the Hall series
Genre: Regency Romance, Christian Romance, Clean & Wholesome Romance
4.4 stars, 57 ratings on Goodreads
Paperback: $8.31  
E-book: $2.99

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Engaging Miss Shaw by Rachel Knowles

Book 2 in the Hearts of the Hall series
Genre: Regency Romance, Christian Romance, Clean & Wholesome Romance
4.5 stars, 65 ratings on Amazon
Paperback: $7.12
E-book: $2.99

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Restoring Miss Hastings by Edwina Kiernan

Book 3 in the Hearts of the Hall series
Genre: Regency Romance, Christian Romance, Clean & Wholesome Romance
4.2 stars, 46 ratings on Goodreads
Paperback: $12.99
E-book: $2.99

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About the Authors