Today's Featured Books

Elementary Magic by R. Leonia Shea

Science Fiction and Fantasy

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...

Spotlight

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 Romance
Book 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 Romance
Book 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 Romance
New 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 set
Note: 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

Events

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

Book of the Day

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

What would your family do if foreign powers used gangs to paralyze American cities and the heartland? What would your family do If EMPs knocked out power and society was on the brink of chaos? The War on American Soil trilogy chronicles the terrifying concept of Americans fighting Americans as foreign enemies invade the homeland. "A dramatic vision of what a future invasion of the United States would be like." -Amazon Reviewer. From $2.99 SHOP NOW


The Sicilian Woman's Daughter by Linda Lo Scuro

Mystery Thriller Crime and Horror

As the teen daughter of Sicilian immigrants, Maria turns her back on her origins and fully embraces the English way of life. Notwithstanding her troubled and humble childhood in London, and backed up by her intelligence, beauty, and sheer determination, she triumphantly works her way up to join the upper middle class of British society. There she becomes a bastion of civility. But an incident causes Maria to delve into her mother's murky family history, drawing Maria more and more into a mire of vendetta. From $2.99. Free via KU. SHOP NOW


Operation Dragonhead by Adam Fike

Science Fiction and Fantasy

Fun summer short read! Based on a true story. Early one morning, at the end of the 1950s, the sky above a small mountain town fills with parachutes. The streets flood with tanks and troops. An impressive, highly coordinated Army training exercise goes off without a hitch. Until the friendly town folk decide to fight back. Who launched Dragonhead? Sorry, that's top secret. However, this satire IS based on a true story. From $0.99. Free via KU. SHOP NOW


FREE - Magnolia Song by J. Robert Towery

Literary Fiction and Poetry

The explosive saga of two Memphis families whose intertwined fates spiral out of control over four generations of heartbreak and renewal. A rollicking gallop of a novel…a yeasty mix of sin, sacrifice, and redemption, imbuing the least of the characters with an irrepressible dignity. “More than breadth, Magnolia Song has depth. Its interweaving stories are all rooted in a philosophic consciousness of history, particularly in its treatment of race relations. This is one of those novels that grabs you and doesn’t let go.” -author Thomas McNamee. FREE - SHOP NOW


FREE - The Cannabis Preacher: Sermon Two by Sabine Frisch

Mystery Thriller Crime and Horror

The biggest grow op in the world is broken. How do you resurrect it? Is it even possible? Tadeo has an idea, and he forces Rafael to make it happen or else. Failure will not be accepted. Every step of the way reveals another obstacle, and no one is more surprised than Rafael when he finds love in the most unusual place right when he wants to give up. Rafael's efforts, his new love, his strange boss, and his former friend collide in a heart-pounding moment, and someone will not see the next day. FREE - SHOP NOW


How To Train Your Thinking by Wisdom University

General Nonfiction

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

Literary Fiction and Poetry

Volume One - Tales of Vietnam Vets. The Vietnam War ended long ago, but its heroes are still among us in this collection of short stories: A young boy learns the truth of his father's service in Vietnam. A survivor of Ia Drang Valley contemplates ending his life right before Christmas. An Air Force Major returns home to New York to bury her beloved brother. A "tunnel rat" saves a woman from her abusive boyfriend. A Silver Star recipient performs one last act of selfless courage. This collection will touch your heart and remind you of the real people hidden behind the history.​ ​FREE - SHOP NOW


Vows and Vendettas: A Mafia Romance Anthology

Romance

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

General Nonfiction

ABC Computer Distributors was heading for bankruptcy due to poor leadership. In The Turnaround, Robert Curry accounts the actual events of this successful turnaround, describing the profit-improvement process he used to grow the company from losing almost $1 million on $48 million in sales to reporting $4 million in profit on $130 million in sales in nine months. 4.8 stars, 26 ratings. FREE - SHOP NOW


New Release: Image Breaker from author Mark E. Leib and Vine Leaves Press

Spotlight

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, 2023
Genre: 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

Events

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

Book of the Day

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

Literary Fiction and Poetry

"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

Children and Young Adult

Emily Parks is a newcomer to the small town of Mountain Grove, Virginia, where she lives with her alcoholic mother, father, and grandmother. When she has a problem at school, she learns the townspeople she has met are willing to step in and help her. They give her advice, support, and something she has never received before…love. With their help, Emily begins to plan for the life she wants and a way to escape from the world her parents have created. When Emily’s parents leave her in the middle of the night, she must make some quick decisions. Her unusual solution takes everyone in the village by surprise. 4.8 stars, 30 ratings. From $4.99 SHOP NOW


Further Exploits of Sherlock Holmes

Mystery Thriller Crime and Horror

This exciting anthology brings together the work of two much admired Sherlock Holmes writers: David Stuart Davies and Matthew Booth. In these stories, Holmes and Watson are engaged in daring exploits applying their razor-sharp intelligence in new cases. "Captures the feel of the originals...well-rounded tales" ~Jonathan Johnson, Librarian, USA. "These stories bring Holmes and Watson back to life in the true spirit of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle." ~Jeannette Beech, UK reviewer. 4.2 stars, 140 ratings. From $2.99. Free via KU. SHOP NOW


The Quiet Ones by Adam Fike

Mystery Thriller Crime and Horror

Fun summer short read: When a troublesome teenager goes missing, her father, a local cop, hits the sauce. Bob is in over his head at work and messing around with his secretary. After losing her brother in a tragic leather bondage accident, Ruth needs to find her voice. And Junior...if it turns out he's that big, friendly guy down the street with bodies in his yard, well, then, fine. But he's going out his way. From $0.99. Free via KU. SHOP NOW


What Good Luck Bad Luck by Alex Horner

Children and Young Adult

Everyone wants to find a lucky four leaf clover. Will Cain be happy after stealing a petal from the three leaf clovers so he too can have four leaves and be popular with the children? Find out what happens in this hilarious book about acceptance and self-value. 4.3 stars, 68 ratings. From $2.99. Free via KU. SHOP NOW


Sisters Of Fangs by Carlo Hart

Science Fiction and Fantasy

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


The History of Appalachian Crossroads by Gretchen Elhassani

General Nonfiction

Approaching its 50th anniversary, Appalachian Crossroads hired a journalist to reach out to some of the first parents, staff, clients, and members of the surrounding community. Documenting the organization's growth from a single program to a cornerstone of disability services in Garrett County, this book is a first-hand look at people whose lives have been changed for the better. From $2.99 SHOP NOW