Today's Featured Books
Elementary Magic by R. Leonia Shea
Indie author R. Leonia Shea weaves “a non-stop adventurous plot.” -Amazon Review. With more than 115 five-star ratings on Amazon, Elementary Magic kicks off the Relic Hunter Series of magical adventures. This first tale delivers a fun/enchanted romp set in a modern fantastical world filled with mythical creatures, plot twists, and the truth behind an ancient legend. “This is a well-written, fun, and fascinating story that will keep you reading until the very end.” -Goodreads Review. From $2.99. Free via KU. SHOP NOW /
High Desert by Adam Fike
Mystery Thriller Crime and Horror
A rotten sheriff and reluctant hero settle old family scores beyond the reach of the law. Hanner only wants to tinker in his desert junk yard, fish for wrecks on the highway, and forget his family legacy. A corrupt sheriff, fate, and a vault full of organized crime loot have another idea. Part of the People Making Danger series of fun summer short reads. From $0.99. Free via KU. SHOP NOW /
New Release: Jane Austenesque novels to sink into...
Congratulations to author Alice McVeigh on the new release of Darcy: A Pride and Prejudice Variation, the newest addition to the award-winning Warleigh Hall Press Jane Austen Series.
“McVeigh displays a brilliant, spot-on command of Austen's diction and tone." ~Kirkus Review
Susan: A Jane Austen Prequel
Genre: Historical Fiction, Historical RomanceBook 1 in the series
4.2 stars, 321 ratings
From $2.99 (Free via Kindle Unlimited)
Susan is a Jane Austen Prequel, brilliantly capturing Austen's own Lady Susan as a young girl.
Sixteen-year-old Susan Smithson—pretty but poor, clever but capricious—has just been expelled from a school for young ladies in London. At the mansion of the formidable Lady Catherine de Bourgh, Susan attracts a raffish young nobleman. But, at the first hint of scandal, her guardian dispatches Susan to her uncle Collins' rectory in Kent, where her sensible cousin Alicia lives and "where nothing ever happens." Here Susan mischievously inspires the local squire to put on a play, with consequences no one could possibly have foreseen.
Familiar characters abound—Frank Churchill, Lady Catherine de Bourgh, Darcy himself. But Susan—mischievous and manipulative—is the star. This is Austen that even Austen might have loved, with a touch of Georgette Heyer in the romantic sections. Fans of Bridgerton will also relish this classic regency romance, the first in a six-book series.
Praise for Susan
"McVeigh's prose and plotting are pitch-perfect. Emma mingles with Pride and Prejudice in a delightful confrontation between the two books' worlds... This Austen-inspired novel echoes the master herself." ~Publishers Weekly starred review
"Think Emma or Pride and Prejudice, but with the added sense of humor, mischief, and determination that elevates Susan." ~Midwest Book Review
A BookLife 2021 Quarterfinalist, Susan has won the Gold Medal/First Place in the PenCraft, Global, eLit, and Historical Fiction Company Book Awards, along with numerous other awards.
Harriet: A Jane Austen Variation
Genre: Historical Fiction, Historical RomanceBook 2 in the series
4.1 stars, 221 ratings
From $2.99 (Free via Kindle Unlimited)
Harriet is an intriguing and original take on Jane Austen's immortal Emma.
Emma, a privileged young heiress, decides to mentor Harriet Smith, a pretty boarding-school pupil, and to matchmake her as eligibly as she can… But how is she to guess that Harriet has a secret? Meanwhile, the brilliant, penniless Jane Fairfax consents to a clandestine engagement with Frank Churchill—though not daring to confess, even to him, that she is being relentlessly pursued by her best friend’s husband. Harriet sidelines Emma herself in favour of the ingenious Harriet and the fascinating Jane Fairfax. It is Emma—but an Emma with a surprisingly believable twist in its tail.
Recognition for Harriet
- Winner: Bronze medal (European Fiction) IPPY Award, 2023
- Starred Editor's Pick on Publishers Weekly
- Current finalist for Foreword Indies Book of he Year
- Current finalist for Chanticleer's CIBA Chatelaine Award
- Winner: Gold Medal (historical), Global Book Awards, 2022
- Selected as one of "100 notable indies of 2022" by Shelf Unbound magazine
- Finalist in the International and American Fiction Awards
Darcy: A Pride and Prejudice Variation
Genre: Historical Fiction, Historical RomanceNew Release: Book 3 in the series
4.1 stars, 84 ratings
From $0.99 (Free via Kindle Unlimited)
The third in McVeigh's prize-winning series of standalone Jane Austen variations.
“Should she reject me again, I shall have to wed—as I swore I never would—for dynasty alone. I can only ever love Elizabeth Bennet.”
Love is put to the test in this fresh spin on Jane Austen’s starriest novel, entwining original and classic characters in a tale of passion and self-discovery. Alice McVeigh puts the spotlight on Darcy in this witty and imaginative re-telling of Austen’s classic tale. In a timeless story of love amid the clash of social classes, Darcy is faced with a terrible choice: to stay in London to force Wickham’s hand—or to go to Rome, to salvage his family’s reputation.
With a new Darcyesque slant, omitted scenes from the original, and an extra helping of humour—as well as excerpts from The Wisdom and Wit of Miss Mary Bennet—this is a fresh new Pride and Prejudice with (wedding) bells on!
Praise for Darcy
"The narrative is infused with a dry twenty-first-century sensibility that respects Austen while also peeking into her characters’ true thoughts. Elizabeth, for example, points out Jane’s 'annoyingly obedient hair.' Darcy notes that Mrs. Bennet 'appeared to have not the slightest objection to parting with [Jane]—for months, if need be'…while the prose captures Austen’s tone throughout... Darcy is an often delightful deep dive into what the characters of Pride and Prejudice were thinking but not saying." ~Foreword/Clarion Reviews
Warleigh Hall Press Jane Austen Series (3 books)
Get all three books: $6.97 for the setNote: Individual books are free via Kindle Unlimited!
About the Author
Alice McVeigh has been published in contemporary fiction by Orion/Hachette, in speculative fiction by UK's Unbound, and in historical fiction by Warleigh Hall Press. Her novels have won first prize/gold medals in the Global, eLit, Pencraft, and Historical Fiction Company Book Awards, as well as Kirkus stars, IPPYs, IndieBRAG medallions, and been “Editors picks” in Publishers Weekly. They have also been quarterfinalists in the BookLife Prize, and finalists in the Foreword Indies “Book of the Year,” CIBA’s international Goethe, Cygnus and Chatelaine Book Awards, the International Book Awards, and many others.
Alice spent her childhood in Asia (South Korea, Thailand, Singapore, Myanmar); her teenage years in McLean VA; and her adulthood in London. She arrived in London to study cello with Jacqueline du Pre, married, and spent fifteen years travelling the world with London orchestras before taking fiction seriously
Alice has long been married to Simon McVeigh, professor of music at the University of London. They share a daughter, Rachel - shortly to start her Ph.D in Chinese Literature at Harvard - two long-haired mini-dachshunds, a second home in Crete, and a passion for tennis. Learn more at AliceMcVeigh.com—and be sure to sign up for Alice's monthly newsletter and to follow Alice on social media:
Free online event: Becoming Me with author Martin Boroson
Free online: Join author Martin Boroson and Robert Gass for a free webinar as they use Marty's acclaimed story Becoming Me as a touchstone to help people see how even the most challenging moments are reminders to see the big picture and find the Great Big Love that is always here for you. Publisher's Weekly on Becoming Me: "Gentle yet thought-provoking, this will offer readers another way to contemplate the nature of the divine." Thursday, July 13, 9 AM Pacific, 16.00 UK.
“Try to experience each step as if it were your only destination.” ~Martin Boroson
The Enthronement by Charity Mae
When love and duty clash, it's a bloodbath. Who she chooses to love will decide the fate of a five-hundred-year bloodbath that has plagued the once peaceful coastal kingdom of Purerah. Kascia is content with her life but is left broken and unsure when the men in her life pressure her to join the Enthronement so she can help the rebels assassinate the royal family. Will she go through with it or watch her people drown in their own blood? Book 1 in the series. 4.3 stars, 22 ratings. From $0.99. Free via KU. SHOP NOW /
Always Faithful by Sherry A. Burton
Mystery Thriller Crime and Horror
Marine Veteran Jerry McNeal was born with a psychic ability that allows him to know when something will happen before it happens. Jerry can also see and speak with spirits, making for some “lively” conversations. The series starts when, one fateful night, while on patrol as a Pennsylvania State Trooper, Jerry finds himself aided by the ghost of a K-9 police officer. Without the dog’s help, a woman would have died. With each book that follows, their unique partnership grows as they navigate their next adventure. Book 1 in the series. 4.5 stars, 4200+ reatings. From $2.99. Free via KU. SHOP NOW /
2051 Books 1-3: War on American Soil by Dan Peavler
Mystery Thriller Crime and Horror
The Sicilian Woman's Daughter by Linda Lo Scuro
Mystery Thriller Crime and Horror
Operation Dragonhead by Adam Fike
FREE - Magnolia Song by J. Robert Towery
FREE - The Cannabis Preacher: Sermon Two by Sabine Frisch
Mystery Thriller Crime and Horror
How To Train Your Thinking by Wisdom University
Sharpen Your Mind To Think Bigger And Materialize Your Dreams. Ever feel like your life is out of control? Your circumstances are important, but they cannot stand between you and wealth, contentment, and respect—unless you let them. What you’ll discover in this book is achieving your maximum potential doesn’t lie in lucky breaks or keeping your nose to the grindstone. It lies in how you think. 4.4 stars, 15 ratings. From $0.99. Free via KU. SHOP NOW /
FREE - The Chianti Chronicles by Kevin Cullen
Vows and Vendettas: A Mafia Romance Anthology
Our underworld is filled with bloodshed and malice, and darkness dominates our lives. It’s our world… where limits are built of smoke, and their rules have no power. And when we find the object of our deepest desires, we are ruthless. Nothing, not even their defiance, will stand in our way. From $0.99 SHOP NOW /
FREE - The Turnaround by Robert S. Curry
New Release: Image Breaker from author Mark E. Leib and Vine Leaves Press
Congratulations to author Mark E. Leib and Vine Leaves Press on the release of Image Breaker, a novel about the search for a life that deeply, truly matters.
★★★★★ “Deeply moving story of a middle-aged man attempting to come to terms with faith, love, and of course, himself.” ~Heather Sellers, author of You Don’t Look Like Anyone I Know
Image Breaker by Mark E. Leib
NEW RELEASE: July 11, 2023Genre: Literary Fiction
Paperback: $17.99
Ebook: $5.99
Tristan Wishnasky seems to have it all: a successful career as a cynical novelist in love with the Void, a romantic relationship with a formidable woman, and admission to the parties and revelries of the glitterati. But just when he’s confident nothing can stop his stupendous rise, he begins to hallucinate mysterious messages telling him he’s wasting his life.
When the messages don’t stop, he turns to his atheist lover, his oracular psychotherapist, and an ingenious female rabbi for guidance and direction. Where has he gone wrong? How should he be living?
In his search for self-knowledge, Tristan lurches from the art galleries of the famous to the homeless shelters of the abandoned; from the arms of college dean Vanessa to the bed of struggling actress Barbara; from a career that ignores every claim beyond ego to the company of people trying to rescue the imperiled Earth.
As he learns to destroy every false image that’s ever laid claim to him, he begins to think possible a life that deeply, truly matters.
Praise for Image Breaker
★★★★★ “A breathtaking rarity.” ~John Fleming, author of Songs for the Deaf
★★★★★ “Only a writer as good as Mark Leib could pull off this literary juggling act, of writing an entertainment that moves the reader, but also he gives us a book that may just change our lives. Reader, be forewarned. Here is a writer asking you directly if you are ready for the challenge.” ~M. G. Stephens, author of King Ezra and The Brooklyn Book of the Dead
★★★★★ “In this deeply moving story of a middle-aged man attempting to come to terms with faith, love, and of course, himself, Mark Leib establishes his genius.” ~Heather Sellers, author of You Don’t Look Like Anyone I Know
About the Author
Mark E. Leib's short works have appeared in Boston Review, Jewish Fiction.net, Adelaide Literary Magazine, American Theatre, and elsewhere. His theatre plays have been produced in New York, Chicago, Cambridge, Tampa/St. Petersburg, Edinburgh, and Singapore. His theatre criticism in the Tampa Bay area has earned seven awards for excellence from the Society of Professional Journalists, including three first-place Sunshine State awards. He is a graduate of the Yale School of Drama, where he won the CBS Foundation Prize in Playwriting, and of Harvard College. He teaches fiction, playwriting, and screenwriting at the University of South Florida. Learn more at markeleib.me.
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: NY Public Library discussion of Rip Van Winkle
Free online literary event: The New York Public Library presents a free online discussion of the short story "Rip Van Winkle" by Washington Irving. Read the story for free online and then join the NY Public Library and other booklovers for a discussion. Choose from one of two sessions: Wednesday, July 12, 11 AM EDT or 3 PM EDT.
"Age is a matter of feeling, not of years." ~Washington Irving
FREE - The Earthling by Daniel Arenson
From million-copy bestseller author Daniel Arenson comes a sweeping tale of courage, honor, and terror among the stars. Jon Taylor is an Earthling. He doesn't care much about space. At least until his brother dies on Bahay, a war-torn planet many light-years away. After the funeral, Jon joins the army. He learns to kill. And he flies to Bahay, sworn to avenge his brother. If you loved Ender's Game, Starship Troopers, and Battlestar Galactica, you'll love The Earthling, a new tale in the bestselling Earthrise universe. 4.1 stars, 1100+ ratings. FREE - SHOP NOW /
Blameforest by Jason Stocks
"Provocative, explicit poetry written with muscular swagger." -Kirkus Reviews. "Blends Southern grit with the South's grief-stained beauty to offer readers a fly's eye view of small mountain town pride. Fierce, bold, and self-aware, Stocks' debut poetry collection is steeped in the Gothic hauntings of Deep South life like, 'wasps, with their legs crossed [that] hover in the upper most angles of gables like ghosts with terrible news they can’t wait to deliver.'" -Jenifer DeBellis, author of New Wilderness. 5 stars, 25 ratings. From $2.99 SHOP NOW /
Emily's House by Sharon Armstrong
Further Exploits of Sherlock Holmes
Mystery Thriller Crime and Horror
The Quiet Ones by Adam Fike
Mystery Thriller Crime and Horror
What Good Luck Bad Luck by Alex Horner
Sisters Of Fangs by Carlo Hart
When Emily and Luna, two sisters from Los Angeles, hear about all the paranormal activity on Frazier Mountain, they decide to move there and see if the stories are true. Armed with a camera and a tripod, they are ready to capture footage that will go viral and jump-start their fledgling social media careers. Now they find themselves surrounded by dark woods and horrible creatures. Will they fight the evil and save the mountain before it's too late? Rent a cabin on the mountain. Come for the fresh air, stay for the monsters. From $0.99 SHOP NOW /