Today's Featured Books

Labels and comparisons stop you from being your real self. Whether you're a nerd or a jock, an overachiever or an underachiever, a loner or an outcast—that is not your entire identity. It's just one tiny part of the vast YOU. The good news is that you already have the key to unlocking your real personality and fearlessly creating your authentic life; you just need a little help to get started. Uncover the whole, wonderful person within and create an incredible life on your own terms. 4.8 stars, 162 ratings. From $9.99. Free via KU. SHOP NOW / 

More Women Who Fought For Music. Paid less because she was female. Unappreciated for her talent. Throughout the ages, women have harnessed the power of melody to make meaningful changes in our world. From visionary medieval composers, to the Mother of the Blues, to the Queen of Disco, they’ve stood at the cutting edge of breakthroughs in songcraft and sound. Now, tune in to inspirational lives of revolutionary women who rose above the noise and let their voice soar. Inspiring. FREE - SHOP NOW / 

Lynn Dayton Thriller #2. "If you're looking for big business wheeling-and-dealing, international intrigue, murder, mayhem, and high-geared action, you've come to the right place." -Carlton Stowers, Edgar winner. Murder disrupts a billion-dollar oil deal. A business deal turns deadly. A plot to destroy a hidden, crucial US oil center and bring enter a confrontation with another global power. To stop the plot and save lives, up-by-the-bootstraps Lynn Dayton must trust a Cherokee elder who carries a corrosive secret. From $0.99. Free via KU. SHOP NOW / 

A Grumpy Sunshine Slow Burn Romance. "Full of warmth, grit and humor, without shying away from the tough stuff. My favorite love story of the year!" -Jessica Ryn, author. When a hot firefighter asks agoraphobic Natalie out, she struggles to conquer her fears. Can grumpy Dr. Dean help? Or will feelings wreck everything? "Raina is a queen of neurodiverse romance! She is a [expletive] treasure and we need to keep her writing." -Brittanica Bold's Babblings. 4.3 stars, 115 on Goodreads. FREE - SHOP NOW / 

A slow burn romance with a spiritual bent. "I laughed until I cried. What an amazing story!" -Vision Quest. Everyone has a war story to tell. A jaded cop struggling to come to terms with her past falls for an idealistic former Marine turned cat rescuer on the crime-infested streets of West Baltimore. 4.3 stars, 30 ratings. From $0.99. Free via KU. SHOP NOW / 

In the heart of darkness, a nation teeters on the edge of chaos. When twelve-year-old Adam, son of President John Marshall, is kidnapped, the delicate threads holding the nation together begin to unravel. As the clock ticks mercilessly, President Marshall faces a harrowing journey to bring his son home, battling against a clandestine organization embedded within the government itself. From $4.99. Free via KU. SHOP NOW / 

Earth is long gone! Seventy-two humans have been saved from dying on a lifeless planet by the Par, and now they are expected to fight in an intergalactic war. Does Elinor fight for the Par, the creatures that enslaved her, or does she let the humans die along with everyone else? Book 1 in the series. "Three unique alien worlds with equally diverse inhabitants... I highly recommend this book." -Amazon Reviewer. 4.9 stars, 121 ratings on Goodreads. From $0.99. Free via KU. SHOP NOW / 

This book reinvents guitar mastery with an innovative, universal language, simplifying learning, helping break creative barriers, and amplifying solos. Visualize the fretboard, unlock modes, scales, and intervals without archaic diagrams. A transformative tool for guitarists and music instructors alike. Experience guitar learning reimagined. Author Asher Black says, “We wrote the book we wish we had all along the journey, not a flavor of the existing ones.” From $9.99 SHOP NOW / 

Free online literary event: HVWC Published Student Reading with poets Ellen June Wright, Alice G. Waldert, Jill Michelle, and Donna Vorreyer, and prose writers Sara McLanahan Edlin, Lynne Reitman, and Misty Yarnall. Sunday, July 30, 4:00 - 5:30 PM EDT.

“Poetry is like a bird, it ignores all frontiers.” ~Yevgeny Yevtushenko

"A super-twisty, unpredictable, rollercoaster of a mystery. I love this series because of the unique mix of suspense, mystery, and the supernatural." -Sue Jackson, Book by Book Reviews. They say that dead men tell no tales. But when good intentions are twisted to evil ends, and the perpetrators don’t care who gets burned in the process, the truth must come out. Can Ann Kinnear learn why arson experts are coming to grief on the trails of Mount Desert Island before becoming a victim herself? 4.5 stars, 92 ratings. From $0.99 SHOP NOW / 

"First-rate SF novel of revolution, oppression, and the urgent textures of life." -BookLife Editor's Pick. In Home Rule (Book 3 of the Tribal Wars Series), photojournalist Hershel Henry witnesses the self-torchings of tribal women protesting the oppressive rule of Rabbenu Ely. And while Brianna Miller seeks peace among the tribes, Kelly Osborn sets the bride price for a wedding at Stargate Junction. "Richly detailed world-building and compelling storytelling." -Literary Titan. 4.7 stars, 25 ratings. From $0.99. Free via KU. SHOP NOW / 

The Hanging Chads Omnibus Vol. 1. A horrific feast for the senses! You will cry! You will laugh! You will swoon! You will cringe! You will laugh again followed immediately by another bout of crying and then be disgusted! So please join me as I take you on the journey of Maddy Sommers. Devoted niece and friend. Hard-working bookstore manager. Loving wife and mother. And…vicious serial killer of those that seek to oppress us all. This is the tale of Maddy Sommers’s Revenge of the Downtrodden. From $6.99 SHOP NOW / 

With the mixed use of poems, short stories, simple observations, and provocative images, The Four Seasons of Love tells the coming-of-age story of an adult who unexpectedly becomes a dad and then reverts to a childlike state of being. "A powerful and brutally honest look at the impact of drugs and alcohol on the psyche of one's mind and life...a must-read for anyone who enjoys experimental storytelling and creative narrative styles." -Readers' Favorite. From $1.99 SHOP NOW / 

In Secrets to Parenting Without Giving a F^ck: The Non-Conformist Playbook to Raising Happy Kids Without Public Meltdowns, Power Struggles, & Punishments, Sue Donnellan shares 20+ years of experience cultivating an effective parenting mindset. She delivers a proven playbook for turning misbehaving kids into happy, respectful, well-adjusted young adults. If you love your kids but hate the way they behave, this resourceful and inspired parenting book is for you. 4.7 stars, 90 ratings. From $0.99 SHOP NOW / 

Nature Poems and Reflections on the Environment. Following his acclaimed debut, The Humbling and Other Poems, Tiess delivers clear, captivating, and compassionate poetry and essays contemplating Earth and nature. From the opening poems, we become reacquainted with the natural realm. Insightful, inspiring, and impassioned with a lyrical love of life, this timely and truthful collection can be enjoyed by nearly everyone, from budding poetry enthusiasts and nature lovers to environmental champions and beyond. From $2.99 SHOP NOW / 

In this abridged edition of the new collection of poetry and essays from Robert Tiess, the author includes several essays from his complete edition in hopes of encouraging environmental interest and awareness. Recognized for crafting clear, classic, and compelling poems, Tiess has been writing poetry since the 1980s. He is a SUNY New Paltz graduate, where he earned his degree in English Literature, and a lifetime resident of New York State, where he has enjoyed a fulfilling career in public library service. From $0.99. Free via KU. SHOP NOW / 

Sinful Seduction Book 2. Simon Knight and Riley Conner have been circling each other for years. A night of passion a few years back left Simon needing more and Riley running for the hills. When an amazing business opportunity Simon is pursuing hinges on demonstrating he's a serious family man, Riley will have nowhere left to run. Will Riley leave Simon to find his own way out of the mess he created? Or will she show him mercy and help him while also guarding her heart at all costs? From $3.99 SHOP NOW / 

Learn about the Forgotten Women Series from author Joan Koster...eye-opening historical fiction based on the lives of adventurous nineteenth-century women who never should have been forgotten.

"The world in unreasonable fashion, demands of a woman that she do twice as much as a man to prove she can equal him." ~Anna Dickinson, The Ragged Register, 1879

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Note: All proceeds from Censored Angel will be donated to the Freedom to Read Foundation, a non-profit legal and educational organization affiliated with the American Library Association.

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That Dickinson Girl: A Novel of the Civil War

Book 1 in the Forgotten Women Series
Genre: Historical Biographical Fiction
4.1 stars & 18 ratings on Amazon; 4 stars & 26 ratings on Goodreads
From $4.99

Eighteen-year-old Anna Dickinson is nothing like the women around her, and she knows it. Gifted with a powerful voice, a razor-sharp wit, and unbounded energy, the diminutive curly head sets out to surpass the men of her day as she rails against slavery and pushes for women’s rights. Only two things can bring her downfall—the entangling love she has for her devoted companion, Julia, and an assassin’s bullet.

Forced to accompany the fiery young orator on her speaking tour of New England, Julia Pennington fights her growing attraction to the ever more impertinent woman. When a traitor sets out to assassinate Anna, will Julia risk her life to save her?

Loosely based on the life of forgotten orator, feminist, and lesbian Anna Dickinson, That Dickinson Girl is the story of one woman’s rise to fame and fortune at the expense of love during the political and social turmoil of the American Civil War.

Special Offer: Read an excerpt and order signed copies at JoanKoster.com.

Praise and Recognition for That Dickinson Girl

• “Believable and bittersweet. It captures the era without a single false note.” ~The Literary Redhead
• "A roller-coaster ride. The author took a non-fictional character from a difficult time in history and created a relatable and emotional story. " ~Jayy Jacobs, Sensitivity reader
• "An interesting and unusual look at a period that rarely gets a clear-eyed examination." ~Kathleen Buckley, author of Portia and the Merchant of London
• "The author's passion for bringing Anna to life, as well as the fictional account of Julia's life, is quite evident." ~D. K. Marley, Historical Fiction Company
• Second Place in the 2022 Romance through the Ages Contest
• Finalist in the Historical Fiction Company Best Books Competition

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Censored Angel: Anthony Comstock's Nemesis

Book 2 in the Forgotten Women Series
Genre: Historical Biographical Fiction
New Release
From $4.99

A nineteenth-century mystic marriage counselor and her guardian angel battle the Inquisitor of Smut in this biographical historical novel based on a true story.

Ida Craddock will not be silenced! Brilliant, corseted, and haunted by spirits from the Borderlands, she turns her back on the constrictions of Victorian society and strikes out on her own, becoming a mystic marriage counselor. Sharing what she views as "essential sexual knowledge" puts her in the crosshairs of Anthony Comstock, the nation’s Anti-Obscenity Postal Inspector. Ida vows to bring him down. He promises to silence her forever. With prison looming, Ida and her angel lover must prepare for a battle they may not be able to win.

Special Offer: Read an excerpt and order signed copies at JoanKoster.com.

Praise for Censored Angel

• "It just blew me away. What a story! It was so well written I was right there with her, seeing, smelling, and feeling everything along with her." ~Diana Rubino, best-selling historical fiction author
• "This book was truly wonderful. I love learning about these fascinating women." ~Kristin Campbell, C&D Editing
• "An easy flowing but tragic story... So poignant it brought tears to my eyes." ~Kim Brougher, Beta reader

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About the Author
Joan Bouza Koster is a writer, educator, ethnographer, and artist. When she is not writing in her studio by the sea, Joan lives in an 1860s farmhouse stacked to the ceiling with books. In a life full of adventures, she has scaled mountains, chased sheep, and been abandoned on a island for longer than she wants to remember.

An award-winning author of fiction and nonfiction works in the fields of ethnography, education, anti-racism, and the arts, Joan holds a doctorate from Binghamton University and has published two textbooks on teaching the arts to young children. She is also the author of numerous academic papers based on her ethnographic research on agriculture, shepherding, and weaving in the Southern Peloponnese and on Crete. A professional handweaver, her creative work has been sold across the country.

Joan’s short stories have appeared in several anthologies, and have received awards from Women on Writing, Stone Thread Publishing, Tryst Literary Magazine, and Winning Writers. Her poetry has been published in Potomac Magazine, and her historical fiction has long-listed for the Mslexia Award. Under the pen name Zara West, Joan authored the award-winning romantic thriller series The Skin Quartet. Joan also shares her writing know-how and research into creativity in her top-selling Write for Success series and offers numerous writing workshops every year.

Joan is a member of the Authors Guild, Non-Fiction Authors Association, Historical Fiction Society, Romance Writers of America, and the Women’s Fiction Writers Association. Sign up for her newsletter to learn about more amazing women and great historical fiction facts and books. You'll also get a prequel chapter from That Dickinson Girl and and a chance to win a great historical fiction novel every month. Finally, be sure to follow Joan on social media.
 

Free online: Ramp Up the Action, featuring authors Patricia Bradley, Lynette Eason, and Nancy Mehl. Dive into the heart-racing moments of their work, uncover their thought processes, and learn about the artistry of suspenseful storytelling in this look at the world of action literature. Presented by Baker Book House, Grand Rapids, Michigan. Thursday, July 27, 6 PM CDT. 

"Resistance and change often begin in art.” ~Ursula K. Le Guin

What if your dreams could kill you? What if aliens are trying to cause the extinction of humanity? What if a mysterious church is building a giant machine to welcome the second coming? What if an ancient society of occultists was trying to kill you? Mason Plater finds himself drawn into a strange conflict and needs to rely on unexpected allies in a desperate race against time to avoid catastrophe. From $2.53 SHOP NOW / 

Brianna Miller returns to Dolvia where tribal women protest the oppressive rule of Rabbenu Ely by self-torchings. Brianna re-establishes her tribal schools and takes on assistant Kelly Osborn who is mixed blood and a poet. Kelly meets Australian adventurer Hershel Henry who is touring Dolvia as a photojournalist. Henry interviews the khalif on the opposing side of the tribal wars. "The striking second installment in Atrium's Tribal Wars series tackles exploitation and culture clashes on a newly discovered planet, with the rich intelligence, invention, and characterization that are the hallmarks of Atrium's work." -BookLife Editor's Pick. 4.4 stars, 31 ratings. From $1.99 SHOP NOW / 

“Authentic and affecting. A bracing literary investigation of war and its emotional ramifications.” ~Kirkus Reviews. For centuries, war writing has been the domain of men, but Barbara Mujica brings a different perspective. In Imagining Iraq, a collection of eighteen beautifully crafted, interwoven stories of danger, daring, and sacrifice, she focuses on how war affects not only combatants but also their loved ones. Drawing from her own experience as a military mother and her work as a veterans advocate at Georgetown University, Mujica raises important questions about the consequences of war. 4.7 stars, 12 ratings. From $4.99 SHOP NOW / 

What happens when fantasy crosses over into reality? For Carlos Castillo, a lonely store manager, it creates a twisted story, a convolution of the truth that lies behind most fairytales: Love is real, but at times, it is concealed by a veil of mischief. The Beauty in Ms. White is a chilling, suspenseful love story that rips apart, then re-creates the meaning of star-crossed lovers. "Psychological, compelling, powerful, and highly recommended." ~Midwest Book Review. From $1.99. SHOP NOW / 

The call of God often breaks a man before it makes him. At seventeen, Joseph hears the voice of El-Shaddai for himself in a dual dream of harvest and heavens. But the very visions that set him apart from his brothers also fuel their disdain into a raging hatred that threatens to destroy him. Join one of the most famous biblical heroes in the heart-wrenching middle of his story and witness how God’s presence carried him through, bearing faithful fruit that prepared him not only for more testing but for glory. From $9.99. Free via KU. SHOP NOW /