Today's Featured Books
FREE - Capitalism, Freedom and Society by Theodorus Frost
The Journey by George Drummer
New release: Saving Raine by Marian L. Thomas
New release! Congratulations to author Marian L. Thomas on the release of Saving Raine, a profound tale of resilience and redemption. Read on to learn more!
"Thomas's potent voice and unique perspective have solidified her place in the literary world." ~Midwest Book Review
Bonus: Saving Raine includes discussion questions for book clubs!
Saving Raine
New release: April 16, 2024Genres: Literary Fiction, Coming of Age Fiction, Family Life Fiction, Women's Domestic Life Fiction, Black & African American Literary Fiction, Contemporary Literary Fiction, Clean & Wholesome Romance
Hardcover: $24.99
Paperback: $15.99
Ebook: $3.99
Raine Reynolds stands at the crossroads of despair and opportunity.
When the life you've built crumbles and the past refuses to release its grip, sometimes you need a fresh start—a new beginning that promises hope and redemption.
Once a celebrated author, Raine's life unraveled, sending her fleeing to the picturesque streets of Paris to escape the tormenting heartache that threatened to consume her. Yet, no matter how far she traveled, the pain remained her unwelcome companion.
Returning to bustling Atlanta as a senior VP for an ad agency, Raine is forced to confront a city steeped in memories she'd rather forget. But as life would have it, an old friend resurfaces, offering a glimmer of healing in the midst of her turmoil. Can she summon the courage to trust once more?
In a world where everyone yearns for the saving grace of love, Raine is no exception. Her story is a testament to the enduring human spirit, a reminder that a path to love can be found even in the face of the darkest storms.
Praise for Saving Raine
- "Thomas delivers smooth, evocative storytelling, portraying the raw realities of challenging experiences while also capturing the healing power of love." ~Kirkus Reviews
- "The author holds the reader's attention right to the last page of this book, with an unexpected ending. It was a joy to read this inspirational story. This book is well worth more than one read." ~B. Longu, Readers' Favorite
- "A powerful tale that follows one woman's journey as she faces a difficult crossroad, unsure of which path to take. Through determination, perseverance, and a little luck, she discovers her true purpose and the strength to overcome any obstacle. Marian L. Thomas is a fantastic author who has created a story that shows one woman's hardships. This book is a testament to her talent as a writer. You'll be captivated from the first page and taken on a ride full of intense emotions that will leave you breathless.." ~Midwest Book Review
About the Author
Marian L. Thomas wouldn’t say that her first career choice was writing novels. She saw herself working as a journalist for a local newspaper. In college, she served as a sports editor for the student paper, and later as the news editor. But Marian’s writing path took a detour when she drafted her first completed manuscript. Now, she can’t imagine not crafting stories for women that bring characters to life—characters who face real obstacles, cross difficult barriers to find love, and discover all the wonderful possibilities that life can offer.
Marian has been featured on NBC, CBS and Fox television, and in many print and online publications, including USA Today. Originally from Illinois, Marian currently resides in Atlanta with her husband, enjoys a big bowl of popcorn every night, and believes that pasta should be a vegetable. Learn more at marianlthomas.com, and be sure to also follow her online:
Free online: Strong Women, Strange Worlds
Free online: Strong Women, Strange Worlds. Join this First Friday/Third Thursday event, which is essentially a "tasting menu" of science fiction, fantasy, and horror stories. Each session features six authors who will each have eight minutes to tempt and tantalizing you with their reading. Thursday, April 18, 6 - 7 PM CDT.
"Certain places seem to exist mainly because someone has written about them." ~Joan Didion
The Hunted by Tayla Holborow
The Woman Beneath the Stairs by Christopher Greyson
Mystery Thriller Crime and Horror
Saving Raine by Marian L. Thomas
FREE - Precious by Zanna Mackenzie
Mystery Thriller Crime and Horror
FREE - The Reluctant Coroner by Paul Austin Ardoin
Mystery Thriller Crime and Horror
FREE - Echo Canyon Brides Boxed Set by Linda Bridey
Brooklyn '76 by Anthony Ausiello
Thorns of Chaos by Jeremiah Cain
Operation: Protected Angel by Margaret Kay
New Release: Ashes, Ashes from author Fredrick Soukup & Vine Leaves Press
Congratulations to Fredrick Soukup and Vine Leaves Press on the release of Ashes, Ashes, a heartbreaking murder mystery for readers who enjoyed Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn, There, There by Tommy Orange, or Nightcrawling by Leila Mottley.
★★★★★ "Unflinching acknowledgement of society's unseen. You may be uncomfortable watching, but you won't look away." ~David R. Roth, author of The Femme Fatale Hypothesis
Ashes, Ashes
NEW RELEASE: April 16, 2024Genre: Psychological Thriller
Paperback: From $17.99
Ebook: From $5.99
Dorian is carving a life for himself in Minnesota’s Northwoods. White-knuckle sober, haunted by the memories of his tumultuous childhood and adolescence. He owes his reformation to the wisdom and love of Miss Bonnie, a foster mother to him and so many others—though shame and painful memories have kept him from returning to thank her. After learning of her sudden passing, he resolves to pay his respects. However, what he discovers back home will alter the course of his life forever.
Upon returning to his childhood home, Dorian reunites with Heath, a brother bound to Dorian not by blood, but by the years they spent together under Miss Bonnie’s roof. When Heath unburdens himself of a horrifying secret—that the local police covered up her murder—Dorian sets out to discover the truth and bring the killer to justice.
Laying bare the struggles foster children experience in their pursuit of identity, belonging, and love, Ashes, Ashes a unique and essential tale.
Praise for Ashes, Ashes
★★★★★ "Edgy. Smart. Exhilarating. This breathtaking thriller of small town intrigue demonstrates the heartbreak and redemption that can rise from the ashes of a pillaged youth." ~Martha Engber, author of Winter Light
★★★★★ "Soukup perfectly captures how growing up with trauma leads to harsh choices and, ultimately, a kind of grace." ~Dan Kopcow, author of Prior Futures and Madcap Serenade
★★★★★ "Fredrick Soukup returns to familiar territory—rural Minnesota and its disenfranchised—capturing the abject despair of foster care youth while at the same time offering up a heartbreaking murder mystery." ~Janet Goldberg, author of The Proprietor's Song
★★★★★ "Soukup offers up a heartfelt and genuine slice of life. His characters jump from the page with crackling dialog that transports the reader into an intoxicating, though often terrifying, world. Truly gripping." ~Steve Zettler, author of Two for the Money and Careless Love
★★★★★ "Soukup conducts a chorus of seductively unreliable first-person voices to relate a heartbreaking coming-of-age parable that delves into the depths of human despair and celebrates the redeeming power of compassion." ~David R. Roth, author of The Femme Fatale Hypothesis
About the Author
Fredrick Soukup’s works include Bliss (2020) and Blood Up North (2022). He’s been named an IPPY Bronze Medalist, a semifinalist for the American Short Fiction Prize, and a finalist for both the Erik Hoffer Book Award and the Minnesota Book Award. Blood Up North won the NYC Big Book Award for Literary Fiction and Ashes, Ashes was longlisted for the Petrichor Prize. He lives in Saint Paul with his brilliant wife, Ashley, and daughters/muses, Clare and Nora. To learn more, visit Fredrick-Soukup.com.
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: Street Photography Webinar
Free online: Unleashing the Magic of Everyday Discoveries, sponsored by Nikon. Join photographer Audrey Woulard for this free online class on street photography and learn to discover the extraordinary in seemingly ordinary places along the street. Tuesday, April 16, 6 - 7 PM CST.
“You don’t take a photograph, you make it.” ~Ansel Adams
A Country Kind of Love by K.T. Raine
FREE - Bear Creek Brides Boxed Set by Amelia Rose
Roobala Take Me Home by Jeffrey Penn May
FREE - Chase Tinker and the House of Magic by Malia Ann Haberman
mon-ters by Kaye Bell
Mystery Thriller Crime and Horror
Concerning Intellectual Suicide in The Human Race by Massimo Fantini
The Munich Girl by Phyllis Edgerly Ring
FREE - Emerging From the Dark by Terence Ang
A Portion of Malice by Lloyd Jeffries
Mystery Thriller Crime and Horror
"Simply outstanding." ~Midwest Book Review. Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Emery Merrick presses a pistol to his temple. Then there's a knock at the door. Billionaire Thaddeus Drake hires Emery to write his biography. But Emery soon discovers Drake heads a secret society that aims to fulfill prophecy and sacrifice the Earth to a bloodthirsty God. Can a suicidal reporter save humanity...and himself? Recognized by the Hoffer Awards, Writer's Digest, Literary Titan, Readers' Favorite, Feathered Quill, Chanticleer Int'l, and more. 4.4 stars, 50+ ratings. From $0.99 SHOP NOW /
Free online: Rogue Reads
Free online: Join Rogue Reads for a star-studded night with authors Anne Hillerman (Lost Birds), Lisa Gardner (Still See You Everywhere), Robert Dugoni (A Killing on the Hill), and Carter Wilson (The Father She Went to Find). All authors will be participating "live" to talk about their new books and take your questions. Monday, April 15, 7 PM EST.
"The true nature of the human heart is as whimsical as spring weather. All signals may aim toward a fall of rain when suddenly the skies will clear." ~Maya Angelou