Today's Featured Books

Winner: Literary Titan Book Award. Technological selection is coming. The cities need to expand. But there is only so much land left, and the wilderness and animals are hostile to human life. Val’s job is to go in and eliminate the dangerous beasts. Progress knows no mercy, and Val has become a foreigner in her own homeland. What can one person do in a society that has forgotten them? From $2.99 SHOP NOW / 

• Beta Readers: Kevin is looking for beta readers for a forthcoming epic fantasy novel.
• Trinitarian Knights Collection Special Edition Boxed Set
• Free e-book edition of Avenging Love, Book 1 of the Trinitarian Knights Collection

Become a Beta Reader
Kevin is looking for beta readers for The Last Sundancer, an epic fantasy in the tradition of J.R.R. Tolkien and Terry Brooks. Kevin expects to start reaching out to beta readers in the next few weeks. If you are interested in being a beta reader for The Last Sundancer, contact Kevin at kevin@kevinmansoor.com.

What is a Beta Reader? A beta reader is a person who reads a work of fiction before it is published. Beta readers have an opportunity to suggest improvements and otherwise shape the final content of the novel. It's a great way to get involved as a reader and to have an opportunity to interact with an author.

The Trinitarian Knights Collection Special Edition Boxed Set

This special edition boxed set includes all three novels in the series, plus a novella and exclusive bonus content that delves deeper into the characters and events of this epic saga.

Embark on an unforgettable journey through the realms of Heaven, Earth, and Hell with the complete Trinitarian Knights Collection:

• Avenging Love (Book 1): Haunted by tragedy, David embarks on a life-changing journey with his loyal St. Bernard, Duke, to honor the memory of their beloved Sarah. Their laughter-filled escapades and heartbreaking trials weave a tapestry of love and resilience. Together, they confront unimaginable challenges, discovering that David's true strength lies in the enduring power of love. Join David and Duke on this unforgettable quest for redemption.
• Behind the Bravery: Unveiling Heroic Spirits (a bonus-content short): Get the perspective of Duke, David's canine companion in Avenging Love. From heartwarming cuddles to heroic rescues, Duke reveals the hidden depths of the characters you thought you knew. 
• Protecting Love (a novella): Before Avenging Love, a tormented David battles to protect his family. Plagued by nightmarish visions, David confronts a sinister offer that could silence the demons within. As the line between good and evil blurs, David must choose his path: a life free from torment or a battle for his family that could take his life.
• The Deception of Fear (Book 2): David's illusion of tranquility shatters when a nemesis, long believed dead, appears on his doorstep, igniting a maelstrom of mystery and fear. A chilling revelation sends David spiraling into a desperate battle to reunite his loved ones from the clutches of evil. As darkness closes in, David must find the strength to protect his family while discovering the true meaning of fear while feathers fall from the sky.
• Buried Within (Book 3): A creeping darkness threatens to engulf the world as David's closest ally, the fallen Archangel Michael, prepares for a long-foretold battle. With the apocalypse looming, David's family races against time to join Michael's side. But to secure victory, David must embrace a truth he has always denied.

Avenging Love

If you're not quite ready to dive into the full Trinitarian Knights Collection, you can start with a free download of the first book in the series, Avenging Love.

Can one man's love defy the depths of Hell?

Avenging Love is an exhilarating journey that unfolds in a world where the supernatural is just beyond the veil of our understanding. This urban fantasy novel introduces us to David, a once-respected Trinitarian Knight, whose life has spiraled into a haze of tequila and sorrow. Haunted by the loss of his beloved wife, Sarah, he finds solace only at the bottom of a bottle. Yet, when the formidable demon Saraphiss emerges, David must awaken from his stupor and face his demons—both those within and those that lurk in the shadows.

More than a mere tale of revenge, this is also a story of love's transformative power, the resilience of the human spirit, and the redemption that comes from embracing one's true destiny. This narrative is a vivid exploration of the themes of loss, grief, and the unyielding strength of love. It delves into the dichotomy of good versus evil, and the gray areas that define our moral compass.

Join David on his exciting journey, where good and evil blur, and love is the true power behind his sword. 

More About Avenging Love

• An Amazon International Best-Seller: it has ranked #1 in its category in seven different Amazon markets/countries and has never left the top 50 in its category on Amazon in the United States.
• "A thrilling, unforgettable, and incredibly entertaining fantasy tale that will take its readers on a brilliant journey full of twists and turns galore!" ~Goodreads Review
• "Kevin puts you right in the middle of what's happening. So many emotions...anger, fear, humor...I even laughed out loud a couple times. It was refreshing to read a book so well written." ~Amazon Review
• "An absolute masterpiece!" ~Google Play Review

About the Author

Kevin M. Mansoor is a storyteller whose novels have captivated the hearts and imaginations of readers worldwide. His literary journey is driven by a deep passion to not just tell stories, but to fully immerse readers in them—creating characters so lifelike that you’ll share in their joys, sorrows, and triumphs as if they were your own. Learn more at KevinMansoor.com. Be sure to also sign up for his newsletter and to follow him online:
 

    

The Edinburgh International Book Festival is the world-leading festival of words, literature, and ideas, and there are dozens of free online literary events now through August 25. Visit the Festival's What's On page to see the program of events, including Online Events.

“The Scots think of it as their capital; they’re too possessive, Edinburgh belongs to the world.” ~Richard Demarco, Scottish artist and promoter of the visual and performing arts, cofounder of the Traverse Theatre in Edinburgh in 1963

No one alive remembers that day. No one alive remembers the monsters that destroyed the world. Anne Blankenship has only seen blurry photographs and rough sketches of the aliens. All she knows is that one day, they invaded Earth, and the next, NewMerica was forced to live within a force field to protect its people from the creatures. But all of that happened a thousand years ago. Now, all Anne cares about is passing her career test and becoming a doctor like her father. 4.5 stars, 56 ratings. FREE - SHOP NOW / 

New release: A deadly virus culls the human race. A society of three—a grandmother, her grandson, and his wife—live harmoniously on a friend’s estate. When a plague strikes, it jeopardizes their peaceful existence and tests their courage and resilience. None among this tight trio, nor the enclave in which they've immersed themselves, are quitters; they scrap and fight for themselves and each other. If they lose, they'll go down fighting, leaving their tormentors with unforgettable scars. From $4.99 SHOP NOW / 

Countdown to Love

Dani has until New Year's to polish Donnie's dating skills in this clean, lighthearted romantic comedy.

Donnie’s been busy co-partnering a business for the past decade, but now that he has more time to invest in romance, he’s not sure how to start. Social graces are definitely not his strong suit. He's grateful when his best friend, Dani, agrees to coach him.

Dani knows she can turn Donnie into a gentleman just in time for the New Year’s work party. But when her desire to help Donnie turns into a desire for him, how can she continue to give him dating advice? And more important, what will happen to their friendship when sparks fly between them in this countdown to a new year?

Praise for Countdown to Love

The Accidental Relationship

Kaida is a newspaper journalist whose career advancement depends on getting the hottest story of the year: Dakota Roberts, the CEO of a highly reputable company, is being sued. There's only one problem: Dakota is a hard-nosed, pompous jerk who won't give her the time of day.

Dakota is sick of the media and just wants to get back to his private life. When an accident causes him to have amnesia, he has to relearn his own business. Thankfully, his new personal assistant turns out to be helpful, delightful, and strangely familiar.

When Dakota asks Kaida out, she’s taken aback. She can do this fake dating thing, for her career. After all, she's already pretending to be his assistant to get the scoop. But then she sees an endearing side of him she didn't think existed. How long can she pretend to be somebody else? And what will happen between them, and to her big story, when he gets his memory back?

Praise for The Accidental Relationship

About the Author

Amazon bestselling author Cristina Ryan lives with her Marine Corp. veteran husband and an entertaining clan of children and pets. Cristina also writes YA Christian Suspense as Krista Wagner. You can follow Cristina online on Goodreads and via her Amazon Author Page. 

1968 – the most pivotal year of a pivotal decade. The assassinations of Martin Luther King and Robert Kennedy...Tet, the North Vietnamese incursion into the South...LBJ’s decision not to seek a second term...the riots at the Chicago Democratic Convention...the election of Richard Nixon... 

Today, LitNuts is shining a spotlight on two historical novels from acclaimed author Libby Fischer Hellmann. Both novels are set in 1968, and both capture the emotions, conflicts, and consequences of that time. You’ll see, smell, feel, and taste the tumult, hope, and despair in Set the Night on Fire and A Bend in the River. 

Historical note: Set the Night on Fire takes place in Chicago during the time of the 1968 Democratic Convention. With the 2024 Democratic Convention set to take place in Chicago August 19 - 24, now is the perfect time to read a novel set against the backdrop of the historic events of the 1960s.

Set the Night on Fire

Someone is trying to kill Lila Hilliard. During the Christmas holidays she returns from running errands to find her family home in flames, her father and brother trapped inside. Later, she is attacked by a mysterious man on a motorcycle—and the threats don’t end there.

As Lila desperately tries to piece together who is after her and why, she uncovers information about her father’s past in Chicago during the volatile days of the late 1960s—information he never shared, but information that now threatens to destroy Lila.

Part thriller, part historical novel, and part love story, Set the Night on Fire paints an unforgettable portrait of Chicago during a turbulent time: the riots at the Democratic Convention…the struggle for power between the Black Panthers and SDS…and a group of young idealists who tried to change the world.

Praise for Set the Night on Fire

• “A tremendous book—sweeping but intimate, elegiac but urgent, subtle but intense." ~Lee Child, author of the Jack Reacher Series
• “A top-rate thriller that taps into the 1960s… Hellman’s insightful, politically charged whodunit explores a fascinating period in American history.” ~Publishers Weekly
• "A brilliantly-paced thriller, transitioning seamlessly from modern-day Chicago to the late '60s. First-rate characterization... Best to start early in the day, as it is easy to stay up all night reading it." ~Foreword Reviews

A Bend in the River

In 1968 two young Vietnamese sisters flee to Saigon after their village on the Mekong River is attacked by American forces and burned to the ground. The only survivors of the brutal massacre that killed their family, the sisters struggle to survive but become estranged, separated by sharply different choices and ideologies. Mai ekes out a living as a GI bar girl, but Tâm’s anger festers, and she heads into jungle terrain to fight with the Viet Cong.

For nearly ten years, neither sister knows if the other is alive. Do they both survive the war? And if they do, can they mend their fractured relationship? Or are the wounds from their journeys too deep to heal? In a stunning departure from her crime thrillers, Libby Fischer Hellmann delves into a universal story about survival, family, and the consequences of war.

Praise for A Bend in the River

• "A stunning piece of historical fiction." ~William Kent Krueger, author of This Tender Land
• "This gripping international saga illuminates the complexities of politics and loyalty and love, and is a powerful testament to the strength of women." ~Sujata Massey, The Perveen Mistry
• "Hellmann smoothly integrates into her harrowing narrative such aspects of the conflict as guerilla warfare, spying, Agent Orange, reeducation camps, and boat people. This passionate story of survival has staying power." ~Publishers Weekly
• Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Award Winner, 2020
• Winner, Book of the Year - Indie Fiction, Chicago Writers Association
• Finalist, IAN Books of the Year, Historical Fiction
• Finalist, Indies Next Generation Book Awards, Historical Fiction

Get a Free Gift!
Sign up for Libby's monthly newsletter and get a collection of seven short stories intended to help you get to know Libby's style and voice as a writer—which will help you decide which novel of hers you will want to read next!

About Libby Fischer Hellmann

Libby Fischer Hellmann is a critically acclaimed crime writer loved by readers the world over for her compulsively readable thrillers and strong female characters. Her fast-paced crime fiction spans 17 novels and 25 short stories. She also writes historical fiction standalones and edited the evergreen crime fiction anthology Chicago Blues. Doubleblind, her newest PI Georgia Davis thriller, #6 in the series, was released in March 2022.

Libby's richly varied novels have won numerous awards, and Libby has also served as the National President (2005-2006) of Sisters in Crime, a 4,000+ member organization dedicated to strengthening the voice of female mystery writers.

Libby started out in broadcast news, beginning her career as an assistant film editor for NBC News in New York before moving to DC to work with Robin MacNeil and Jim Lehrer at N-PACT, the public affairs production arm of PBS. Retrained as an assistant director when Watergate broke, Libby helped produce PBS's night-time broadcast of the hearings. She moved to Chicago to work for public relations firm Burson-Marsteller in Chicago, and then later created Fischer Hellmann Communications.

Originally from Washington, D.C., Libby earned a BA in History from the University of Pennsylvania, and then a Masters Degree in Film Production from New York University. She's lived in Chicago more than forty years now, has two kids and a cat.

Learn more at LibbyHellmann.com, get seven free short stories by signing up for Libby's newsletter, and be sure to follow her online:
 

               

Free online: A Place for Lost Things, a workshop that combines visual and literary art to help people find comfort in art. Presented by the Arts & Healing Resiliency Center, an organization that supports mental health well-being by nurturing creative expression in a caring community. Sunday, August 11, 3-5 PM CDT. 

"We never completely lose the things we love. They become a part of us, hidden away in the deepest corners of our soul." ~from The Keeper of Lost Things by Ruth Hogan

Today, LitNuts is shining a spotlight on the work of Debbie Burke, author of the Tawny Lindholm Thrillers, a series that features quirky characters, witty dialogue, and breakneck plot twists. 

Get Book 1 FREE!
Get a free copy of the Kindle edition of Instrument of the Devil, Book 1 of the Tawny Lindholm Thrillers series (4.3 stars, 194 ratings on Amazon, 4.3 stars, 76 ratings on Goodreads). "Fast-paced and well-plotted." ~Leslie Budewitz, Agatha Award Winner 
 

Instrument of the Devil

Book 1 of the Tawny Lindholm Thrillers
4.3 stars, 194 ratings 
Paperback: $13.99
Ebook: FREE!



Dial T for Terrorist. Kahlil Sharivar can destroy the electrical grid with only a few keystrokes on a smartphone. His target: Montana’s Hungry Horse Dam. Who will be blamed? Seasonal employee Tawny Lindholm, a lovely widow he seduces.

Once Sharivar places the incriminating device in Tawny’s hands, her life spins out of control. Soon the feds are chasing her, and her family is in peril. Can Tawny turn the instrument back on the devil who set her up? If not, the lights go out and she dies.

Stalking Midas

Book 2 of the Tawny Lindholm Thrillers
4.5 stars, 36 ratings 
Paperback: From $10.93
Ebook: From $3.99



At six foot, seven inches tall, charismatic attorney Tillman Rosenbaum owns any courtroom he enters. Tillman is brilliant, successful, and doesn’t trust anyone except his lovely new investigator, Tawny Lindholm, who has an intuitive gift with people. Tawny's honesty and integrity have opened Tillman’s soft underbelly. When Tillman suspects his wealthy, estranged father, Moe, is a victim of elder fraud, Tillman knows only one person who can break through to the stubborn, secretive man.

Meanwhile, Tawny is broke from her late husband’s medical bills and desperate to keep her job—even though her boss is the rudest, most arrogant man she’s ever met. But with his James Earl Jones’ voice, he’s also sexy as hell, and Tillman’s loyalty to his father touches Tawny.

But as Tawny digs deep into the case, she begins to wonder if Moe is the victim of a million-dollar scam or the villain behind it. Neither Tawny nor Tillman realize the danger Tawny is in until it's too late!

Eyes in the Sky

Book 3 of the Tawny Lindholm Thrillers
4.7 stars, 29 ratings 
Paperback: From $13.99
Ebook: From $3.99



Investigator Tawny Lindholm loves her boss, renowned criminal attorney Tillman Rosenbaum, but his troubled teenage children scare her. But when Tillman's honor student daughter overdoses and Tawny saves her life, Tawny's resolve to keep her distance goes out the window.

Meanwhile, someone is out to destroy Tillman Rosenbaum by targeting his family. Will Tawny pay the ultimate price to protect him and the children she has come to cherish?

About the Author
Debbie Burke writes the Tawny Lindholm Thrillers with Passion series. She is a regular blogger at The Kill Zone, a popular website about crime writing. Her nonfiction articles have won journalism awards and appear in national and international publications. She is a founding member of Authors of the Flathead and helps to plan the annual Flathead River Writers Conference in Kalispell, Montana. Her greatest joy is mentoring young writers. Learn more at debbieburkewriter.com. 

Free online: Author Talk with Erin Bartels. Award-winning author Erin Bartels presents an informative talk about obstacles women artists have faced in the past and present, and about how her research on women artists made its way into her latest novel, The Lady with the Dark Hair. Thursday, August 8, 11 AM CDT.

“Change happens when the cost of keeping things the way they are is too high.” ~Erin Bartels

Romantic fantasy. Anda always knew she was different. Little did she know how that difference would change her life. Dagsbrun knew he was a monster...he had been called that since birth. And yet, as he raged against his immortality, he dared to dream of finding peace. Enter the world of the Vale, ruled by elves and vampires and destined for destruction unless a prophecy can be fulfilled...a place where two individuals who are polar opposites can find something in common. From $9.99 SHOP NOW / 

The heir to a Civil War-era plantation is forced to almost kill his best friend, unconsciously bringing about the demise of his beloved home. Seeking redemption, he must traverse time in order to save his family and the love of his life all while battling himself, Yankee troops, nature’s elements, and a nemesis that has followed him through time. 4.4 stars, 400+ ratings. FREE - SHOP NOW /