Today's Featured Books

Congratulations to Luke Beling and Vine Leaves Press on the release of Beling's new novel, The Field of Plenty, in which a star kicker uncovers dark family secrets after losing a crucial football game and after the death of his father. 

★★★★★ “A winner on the football gridiron and beyond.” ~Paul Volponi, author of The Final Four

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The Field of Plenty

NEW RELEASE: October 22, 2024
Genre: Literary Fiction
4.9 stars, 8 ratings on Goodreads
Paperback: $17.99
Ebook: From $5.99  

Mitchell Baker’s meteoric rise as a star punter and field-goal kicker stunned everyone—except his father, Ken, who had meticulously groomed Mitch into an athletic sensation. But just as Mitch’s career peaks, tragedy strikes: Mitch loses the most crucial game of his high school career, and shortly after his father dies. Struggling to cope, Mitch falls into a pill addiction and reconnects with Uncle Paul, a mysterious family friend and self-proclaimed miracle worker.

Unraveling a web of deceit spun by Uncle Paul and his late father, Mitch confronts the painful truths about his past. He’s thrust into a dilemma—questioning the very foundation of his upbringing. In this turbulent journey, Mitch faces off against his rival Teddy Jones and finds an unlikely ally in the troubled yet captivating Bianca Black.

Confronted with the raw realities of his own broken self-identity, Mitch navigates the chaos of loss both on and off the field, and he must determine what’s real…and what’s worth fighting for. 

Praise for The Field of Plenty
★★★★★ “A gritty, character-led sports novel packed full of hard-hitting drama. Highly recommended!” ~The Wishing Shelf

★★★★★ “A deep meditation on loss, grief, family legacy, and the ways in which human beings heal.” ~Geoff Herbach, author of Cracking the Bell

★★★★★ “A poignant debut from an author to watch. Heartfelt prose threaded with hope about lessons learned—for better or worse—about the power of identity.” ~T.L. Simpson, Strong Like You

★★★★★ “Immersive and intelligent.” ~Craig Leener, There’s No Basketball on Mars

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About the Author
Luke Beling is a South African-born author and singer-songwriter who grew up listening to music from the ’60s and ’70s, influenced by records his father played and the surrounding struggle of his native country. As a twenty-something, Beling developed a fond taste for subversive literature, fiction defending the outcast, stories highlighting the grit of the human spirit. Beling believes art should embody both the miracle and labor of life. Everyday tales borne from world wandering, Beling’s songs and stories hope to impart deep pockets of truth.

Luke lives on the Big Island of Hawaii with his wife and four daughters, is the director of tennis for a private club, and is an author and alternative/folk singer-songwriter. Learn more at LukeBeling.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. 

Free online: Readings from the Room. Join host Spencer Johnson of the Writers Room of Boston for an event featuring the work of authors Lesley Wheeler and Beth Armstrong. Tuesday, October 22, 6-7 PM CDT.

“Keep good company, read good books, love good things and cultivate soul and body as faithfully as you can.” ~Louisa May Alcott

Buzz Merriman, a skateboarding messenger in Chicago, leads a low-key life until a prank throws him into turmoil. A mysterious figure offers him a supernatural remedy in exchange for six weeks of his life, but soon Buzz is plagued by vivid, prophetic dreams of disasters. To reclaim his health and sanity, he must decipher the dreams and prevent each catastrophe. From $2.99. Free via KU. SHOP NOW /

Breaking bad habits is challenging, and building lasting positive ones can be even more difficult. But the 7 Pillars of Habit Building can help you break free from the cycle of self-doubt and frustration and pave the way for lasting success. Overcome emotional triggers, boost motivation, and create habits that foster joy, confidence, and fulfillment—all while strengthening self-discipline and cultivating a life filled with purpose and momentum. 4.8 stars, 30 ratings. From $0.99 - SHOP NOW /

A powerful and honest portrayal of Martha Craig’s life, expressed through poetry that explores healing and breaking through the stigma of seeking help. This collection speaks to those who feel lost or adrift in society’s expectations, offering a voice to anyone striving to be seen and heard with grace. Whether you’re on a mental health journey or supporting someone who is, Driftwood provides comfort, hope, and encouragement in navigating grief and loss. From $3.99. Free via KU. SHOP NOW / 

New release: Three tales of terror, including killer cartoon turtles, a genocidal cyborg, and a psychopath who returns from the dead for vengeance and one-liners. From $2.99 - SHOP NOW / 

Today, LitNuts is shining a spotlight on books of the Scions and Shadows fantasy series from author Dax Murray, a world of magic and intrigue, spanning centuries of political conspiracies, divine machinations and conflicts of ethics, morality, and conscience. There is an overarching plot to the series, but each book can be read as a stand-alone and in any order.

Bonus: Earn rewards by participating in The Shades and Silver Audiobook Kickstarter campaign.
 

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Stars and Soil

Genres: Sword & Sorcery Fantasy, Epic Fantasy
4.6 stars, 7 ratings
From $4.99



The land is dying, commoners are protesting, and workers are revolting. The king is ailing, but the prince is not stepping in to quell the unrest.

Lady Caitlin doesn't care—she hasn't cared about anything since the day her world shattered and she lost everything. But fate intervenes, giving her the influence and power to rule the realm as queen or tear it all down from the inside.

Caught in a web of deception and conspiracies, Caitlin must unravel the truth of a long-hidden magical prophecy or she will become yet another pawn of an enemy that has its sights set on making Caitlin into its weapon.

Stars and Soil is the first novel in the Scions and Shadows series and is perfect for those who like their fantasy full of court gossip, political intrigue, shifting alliances, deep worldbuilding, backstabbing, betrayal, and sapphic and disability representation. Fans of Seth Dickinson's The Traitor Baru Cormorant and Tessa Gratton's The Queens of Innis Lear will feel right at home in this magical, queer-normative world.

Praise for Stars and Soil
"A complex story about grief and trying to find both agency in one's life and what one wants out of it." ~Liz Sauco, author of Lost Blades

"A very emotionally convincing main character, making her journey through her fantastical world all the more engaging." ~Ka'ua Lara, author of A New World For You

Nominated in the Queer Indie Awards 2023 for: Best Overall Fantasy, Best Epic Fantasy, Best Dark Fantasy, and Best Supporting Character

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Smoke and Steel

Genres: Sword & Sorcery Fantasy, Epic Fantasy
From $4.99



Being one of the youngest of the Sua royals never stopped Saritrah from scheming to take the throne. But violent insurrectionists shattered those plans when they stormed the palace and decimated her family.

In the years since, she has amassed an army and will return to claim her crown. However, Ashur, her one remaining sibling, has done the same, and Saritrah must act soon if she's to secure her prize.

Saritrah must retrieve a magical artifact from the hidden city before Ashur does, all while making sure none betray her. If she fails, Sua is lost not just to her, but also forfeited to the insurrectionists and stripped of its pride as a warrior nation.

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Shades and Silver

Genres: Sword & Sorcery Fantasy, Fantasy Anthologies
4.5 stars, 7 ratings
From $0.99



The birthright of every Ástfríður is to know each metal in the earth, command it, bend it to their desires. Each Ástfríður must choose which metal they would wear upon their heads, denoting the path they would walk. 

But Britt does not know if they can choose the path they want...if they can overcome a past which has stolen their identity. And Astrid has never felt the pull of the metal at all while trying to navigate a world that they feel has rejected them. The Veil of the Ástfríður has kept them hidden from the world and safe from intruders. Yet Britt and Astrid feel they are imposters in their own homes. Each must decide who they are and what they want to be, or risk losing their place in the Veil.

Shades and Silver is a duology about identity, doubt, disability, and acceptance set in the universe of Scions and Shadows. 

Praise for Shades and Silver
"Lyrical writing, detailed characters, and exquisite world-building/" ~Amazon Review

2023 Indie Ink Awards Finalist; Writing the Future We Need: Disability Representation by a Disabled Author

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About the Kickstarter Campaign (ends October 25!)
The Kickstarter Campaign for Shades and Silver: The Audiobook aims to bring to life this anthology of fantasy stories about disability, unicorn-people, and belonging via narrator Kyle Rocco East, a finalist for the Indie Ink Award for their narration of Chameleon Moon.

You can become a backer of this project for as little as $1 and earn rewards ranging from an e-book edition of the book to a package that includes audiobook, e-book, and paperback editions of book from the Scions and Shadows Series, including Shades and Silver (all formats), Stars and Soil (e-book and paperback), and Smoke and Steel (e-book and paperback). All print copies will be signed by the author!

Visit the Shades and Silver: The Audiobook Kickstarter campaign now to learn more.

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About the Author
Dax Murray is an award-winning author of revolutionary fantasy that focuses on trauma, healing, and leftist political advancement. After realizing their dream of being a curmudgeonly hedgewitch in the woods of Western Pennsylvania was not possible due to the construction of an outlet mall, Dax took up a new form of sorcery, where they whispered to rocks in arcane languages and taught them how to spy on you, colloquially known as software engineering.

But this new career lead to an epic battle between the valiant forces of Ethics and all-powerful legion of Student Loan Payments, and Dax left that behind to join the magical order of word-placing. Today, they can be found waiting on the god (ie: cat) who has allowed them to live in their abode and use their word-magic to make others cry.

Learn more at DaxMurray.com, and be sure to sign up for Dax's Diatribes (via website pop-up or sign-up form at bottom of left column on the website) to get exclusive sneak peeks, behind-the-scenes looks, and exclusive updates from Dax Murray, including a free copy of Scorched Scars, a novella set in the world of Scions and Shadows, and Shrouded Sight, a short story anthology set in the world of Scions and Shadows.

• Moonlight Cowboy - Book 1 in the Series
• The Warrior's B & B - Book 2 in the Series

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Moonlight Cowboy

Book 1 of the Victory Island Series
Genre: Small Town Romance
5.0 stars, 9 ratings
From $1.99
 

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The Warrior's B & B

Book 2 of the Victory Island Series
Genre: Small Town Romance
New release: October 14, 2024
From $1.99
 

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About the Author

Free online: What's New in Historical Fiction, a regular panel series featuring historical novelists with new and upcoming titles. This week, Colin Mustful, founder of History Through Fiction, moderates a panel discussion with Anna Rasche, author of The Stone Witch of Florence: Lynda Cohen Loigman, author of The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern; Rose Sutherland, author of A Sweet Sting of Salt; and Jillian Forsberg, author of The Rhino Keeper. Sunday, October 20, 12 - 1 PM CDT.

"You cannot swim for new horizons until you have courage to lose sight of the shore." ~Madeline Miller, Circe

Olivia Penn returns to her hometown in Virginia for a peaceful spring visit, but a shocking murder disrupts her plans. When her childhood friend becomes the prime suspect, Olivia takes it upon herself to investigate. Racing against time, she must unmask the killer and save an unlikely ally before it’s too late. Will she clear her friend’s name, or will they both fall victim to the killer's plot? 4.2 stars, 41 ratings. From $2.99. Free via KU. SHOP NOW / 

In 1940, the Nazis launch a brutal aerial assault on the outnumbered British RAF. Spitfire pilot Johnnie Shaux must find the courage to keep flying despite the near certainty of death, while Eleanor Rand, a brilliant Fighter Command mathematician, detects the potential for a breakthrough. Based on actual events, this book immerses readers into intense air combat, strategic decisions, and personal struggles from the Battle of Britain. 4.5 stars, 1750+ ratings. From $0.99. Free via KU. SHOP NOW / 

Life is a series of crossroads, each asking the same existential question: where to next? Inspired by the legend of Robert Johnson's fateful bargain at the Devil’s Crossroads in Clarksdale, Mississippi, Alexis Brunet reflects on the pivotal moments that shaped his journey. These defining intersections remind us that change is constant, and at every turn, our virtues and vices wrestle for control, shaping who we are becoming. While the meaning remains elusive, we are all part of this eternal dance, and participation is inevitable. From $0.99 - SHOP NOW / 

All The Beautiful Things is a short collection of poems and writings on relationships, capturing snapshots and fragments of dreamlike memories. Written over four and a half years, this collection weaves together emotion, moments, and memories, all centering on the theme of relationships. A blend of free verse and avant-garde poetry transforms pieces of life into loosely painted images. Available now for pre-order. From $1.29 - SHOP NOW / 

In this memoir, the author details her cancer journey, from pre-diagnosis and diagnosis, through treatment and post-treatment—including a chapter with true accounts of the memory lapses the author experienced as a result of her brain tumor. These stories range from humorous to deeply raw and emotional in this candid portrayal of what it's like to live with brain cancer. From $3.99 - SHOP NOW / 

“What have I done?” Navy SEAL Jack Thibideaux thinks as he stands over the shepherd girl he has just accidentally shot in Afghanistan. Thus starts Jack’s perilous journey to save the girl, and himself. Years later, in his new life as a bookstore owner in a small Port Townsend, Washington, Jack seeks solace from PTSD and a new life. But his bloody past is sinking its teeth into him. 4.6 stars, 200+ ratings. From $2.99. Free via KU. SHOP NOW / 

Some doors are meant to stay closed. Others force their way open. As the sun sets over the abandoned island of Astulusia, the occasional flicker of light and distant howls serve as eerie reminders of its forgotten secrets. For the members of the Blindspot urban exploration group, the urge to uncover those mysteries burns deeply. But when one of their own dies, curiosity turns into a desperate need to honor their fallen friend. Little do they know, desire and obsession often walk a dangerous line. From $8. Free via KU. SHOP NOW / 

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Avenging Love

Book 1 of The Trinitarian Knights Collection
Genre: Epic Fantasy
4.4 stars, 59 ratings
Paperback: $14.99
Ebook: FREE
 

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The Trinitarian Knights Collection Special Edition Boxed Set

Genre: Epic Fantasy
Price: $5.49 (Free via Kindle Unlimited)
 

• Avenging Love (Book 1): See description, above.
• Behind the Bravery (a bonus-content short): Get the perspective of Duke, David's canine companion in Avenging Love. 
• Protecting Love (a novella): Before Avenging Love, a tormented David battles to protect his family. Plagued by nightmarish visions, he confronts a sinister offer that could silence the demons within.
• The Deception of Fear (Book 2): David's illusion of tranquility shatters when a nemesis, long believed dead, appears on his doorstep, igniting a maelstrom of mystery and fear. 
• Buried Within (Book 3): A creeping darkness threatens to engulf the world as David's closest ally, the fallen Archangel Michael, prepares for a long-foretold battle. 

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About the Author

Free online: Bellevue Literary Review Fall Reading. BLR’s latest issue is on “Body Politic,” featuring stories, essays, and poems on the intersection of our bodies and society. Join BLR's Fall Reading to meet three writers from this special issue—Mehr-Afarin Kohan, Laura LeMoon, and Sean Sam—who will read from their work, as well as be interviewed by BLR editors. Thursday, October 17, 7 PM ET. 

"Your body is not who you are. The mind and spirit transcend the body." ~Christopher Reeve

Chock full of snapshots of unbelievable but true stories, the author shares tales of arrests, court appearances, and ugly circumstances brought on by drug addiction and alcohol abuse. His recovery gave him the ability to move forward without forgetting his past, a gift that will take him to his grave with gratitude. From $0.99 - SHOP NOW / 

They came from beyond the galaxy, with a single mission: to destroy us all. Once called aliens or gods, their power has crushed countless civilizations, and now they hunger for Earth. Marco and Addy, veterans of the Alien Wars, have retired to a peaceful life with their children. But as a new war looms—one that could devour the galaxy—Earth needs them again. From the brink of despair, heroes will rise to defend humanity. 4.4 stars, 145 ratings. From $0.99. Free via KU. SHOP NOW / 

Why do we fear the number 13, knock on wood, or carry lucky charms? J.D. Arden delves into the fascinating world of superstitions, exploring how they shape our choices and reveal our deepest fears. Through engaging storytelling, Arden unpacks the psychology and cultural roots of these beliefs, offering sharp insights into why we cling to them—and what it takes to break free from their grip. From $2.99. Free via KU. SHOP NOW / 

The damaged man next door is my ex—my high school sweetheart—and now I’m forced to live with him. Returning to my hometown for marine biology research seemed perfect until I realized my seaside cottage was uninhabitable, leaving me no choice but to stay in Luke’s guest room. Despite his sharp words, there's an undeniable spark between us, and as we reconnect, his protective instincts flare when corporate bullies threaten my work, making Luke my only hope to save it—and our rekindled love. $0.99. Free via BookFunnel. SHOP NOW / 

New release: A riveting disaster thriller that will have you pondering Earth’s fate! If you enjoy exciting adventures of surviving against all odds, you’ll want to read this edge-of-your-seat thriller. The author puts you in the driver’s seat along with the hapless climate refugees held hostage by the weather whiplash pummeling the country—if not the entire planet. #1 new release in Natural Disasters on Amazon. From $0.99 - SHOP NOW / 

On a mission to capture a ruthless Al Qaeda terrorist, Sergeant Amber Downing is captured, and her military working dog, is injured and left for dead. Special Forces and SEAL teams make heroic attempts to rescue her, and Amber is eventually freed. Years later, Amber works for a VA Medical Center where she tracks Veteran suicides and finds anomalies in the data that she can’t ignore, revealing a dark conspiracy. 4.8 stars, 49 ratings. From $2.99. Free via KU. SHOP NOW / 

When bad things happen, we search for answers. Imagine meeting the one person who holds them, sitting on a park bench. The Bench pulls you in from the first page, weaving the lives of five strangers through trauma and a mysterious figure. Inspired by the emotional depth of The Shack and the philosophical insights of The Alchemist, Dr. Flood's thought-provoking story offers comfort and healing for the soul. 4.8 stars, 73 ratings. From $4.99. Free via KU. SHOP NOW /