Current Recommendations for Booklovers

"This musical introduced Black excellence to the Great White Way. Broadway was forever changed and we, who stand on the shoulders of our brilliant ancestors, are charged with the very often elusive task of carrying that torch into our present." -Billy Porter, Tony, Grammy, and Emmy Award-winning actor. Footnotes is the story of how Sissle and Blake, along with comedians Flournoy Miller and Aubrey Lyles, overcame poverty, racism, and violence to harness the energy of the Harlem Renaissance and produce a runaway Broadway hit that launched the careers of many of the Twentieth Century's most beloved Black performers. From $9.99 SHOP NOW / 

Years ago, when I was running a small book publishing company, I published a collection of essays called Be There Now: Travel Stories from Around the World that featured an essay by a young author named Dominick Domingo. Dominick went on to work as an artist for Disney Feature Animation (working on Lion King, Pocahontas, Hunchback of Notre Dame, Tarzan, Little Match Girl and more) while also illustrating books for major publishers, writing his own books (YA Fantasy, Mythic Fiction and Magical Realism) and teaching others about creativity.

Starting Sunday, May 16, Dominick will be hosting a series of free online events called "Story & Image: Than Language of the Soul." Join Dominick for one session or for the entire series. It should be time well spent! 

"The creative adult is the child who survived." ~Ursula Leguin

"A fantastic page-turner, Closer Than You Think satisfied my brain in so many ways." -Manhattan Book Review. Psychologist Dr. Bryce Davison feels he's becoming unhinged. Is he really being stalked, or is someone gaslighting him? Lives depend on answering these questions. "The active scenes are intense and well described thus allowing the reader to see things as though they were right there in the same room with the characters!" -Amazon review From $0.99 SHOP NOW / 

"An engaging, endearing chronicle of a woman's quest to find her origins." -Kirkus Reviews. Julie's search for her birth relatives spans five years and involves a search agency, a PI, a confidential intermediary, a judge, an adoption agency, a social worker, and a genealogist. "Twice a Daughter is not just another tale of an adoptee's search for truth. This is a story about the discoveries that searching for the truth reveals, how it sets your heart free and offers the gift of love." -Linda Joy Myers, National Association of Memoir Writers From $8.69 SHOP NOW / 

“The author certainly took this book up a notch from its predecessor…[an] enjoyable cruise through gory crime scenes, killer robots, and a clever villain who always seems to stay one step ahead of his pursuers.” – Frank Frission Reviews. When androids are hacked and reprogrammed into hit men, Maddie and Jake investigate and track down the the cyberpunk hackers. But now, an evil genius is using droids to recreate the infamous Jack the Ripper murders. From $0.99 SHOP NOW / 

"I could not put this wonderful book down!" -J. Dubrasky. Are you seeking comfort, healing, hope or inspiration? Do you believe in the afterlife? The true stories and revelations are heartening and enlightening as I take you into the realm with my visits, spiritual encounters and the messages that are being revealed to me to deliver to others. Escape today's problems and engulf yourself into The Angelic Realm for a peaceful mystifying read! "What a spiritually powerful read." -Amazon review From $0.99 SHOP NOW / 

We are finding more and more online literary events that can be attended by anybody from anywhere. Most of these events are free. Here are a couple that look particularly interesting:

Steven Johnson on Extra Life, May 12, 7:00 p.m. central time: Steven Johnson, author of Extra Life: A Short History of Living Longer, will be interviewed by James Hamblin, MD, MPH. (Hosted by FAN - the Family Action Network)

Destress with the Stress Doctor, May 18, 1:00 p.m. pacific time: Spend an afternoon with author Dr. Ben Bernstein for a lively webinar about how to reduce your stress level right now! (Hosted by our friends at Familius)

"A light heart lives long." ~William Shakespeare

A Kirkus Reviews Best Books of the Year in Science Fiction and Fantasy (2019). An alien ship rests over Water Island. For five years the people of the US Virgin Islands have lived with the Ynaa, a race of superadvanced aliens on a research mission they will not fully disclose. A year after the death of a young boy at the hands of an Ynaa, three families find themselves at the center of the inevitable conflict, witnesses and victims to events that will touch everyone and teach a terrible lesson. From $8.69 SHOP NOW / 

As you may have noticed, in addition to sharing great indie books, we also like to share links to virtual literary, cultural and just-plain-fun events. We've also shared links to great music on occasion, and that's what we have for you today.

Here's a beautiful cover of Bron-Yr-Aur by guitarist Gretchen Menn. The song was originally written and performed my Jimmy Page. Yes, Page and Led Zeppelin are mainly known as rockers, but Bron-Yr-Aur is a contemplative acoustic instrumental piece, inspired by Page's time at a rustic 18th Century stone cottage in Wales owned by Robert Plant's family. Bron-Yr-Aur is Welsh for "Hills of Gold." Take a listen and transport yourself to the rolling hills of Wales for a few minutes.

”Light breaks where no sun shines; Where no sea runs, the waters of the heart push their tides.” ~Dylan Thomas

"The story is a ride through Class V rapids that will keep you hanging on white-knuckled till the end." -Jana McBurney-Lin. Fifteen-year-old Mary Donahue of suburban Chicago is a kid on the cusp of failure during the brutal blizzard winter of 1978-79, the end of a hard luck, hard rock era sunk in the cynical aftermath of the Vietnam War. "A teenager from the darker side of life whose struggles, resilience, and courage will be forever seared in your brain and your heart." -Joylene Nowell Butler From $2.99 SHOP NOW / 

From award-winning author G. Willow Wilson, The Bird King is an epic journey set during the reign of the last sultan in the Iberian peninsula at the height of the Spanish Inquisition. “I loved this book so much...The Bird King is ostensibly the story of a journey, of the limits to escape―but it is also a journey into story, and faith, and refuge, the family we choose and the friends we find. It’s deeply beautiful and wondrously sad, and I can't tell if it ended too quickly or if I just needed it not to―if I just wanted to dwell in a home built out of story for a little longer yet.” -NPR From $9.99 SHOP NOW / 

May 3-9 is Children's Book Week, the annual celebration of children’s books and reading. Established in 1919, it is the longest-running national literacy initiative in the country.

Today, we are publishing a special edition of LitNuts, with a great selection of children's books from indie authors, just in time for Mother's Day. Enjoy!

"Fantastic story!! I read this story with my 8-year-old nephew, and we both really enjoyed this. Definitely a story I'd like to read to my son when he's old enough!" -Kylie, ARC Reader. The first book in the series, Marty is the classic family book that’s entertaining for all ages. Join Marty and Ruzo on an adventure that will tickle the funny bone, tug at the heartstrings and spark the imagination. From $0.99 SHOP NOW / 

“Beautifully written and illustrated book. My grandchildren are enjoying Liza‘s letters very much and I appreciate all the sound information behind each story." -Amazon review. Read Letters From Liza and experience the dog’s perspective and adventures with her human siblings, Sam and Bea. "It is essential for children to understand the perspective of others, and using a sweet dog helps to teach children patience and understanding." -Amazon review From $2.99 SHOP NOW /