Today's Featured Books

Congratulations to Nicole Zelniker and Vine Leaves Press on the release of From Where We Are, a novel that follows Gabi Keefer as she flees Holocaust-era Germany with nothing but her husband, her nephew, and the clothes on her back. But that isn't the whole story....

★★★★★ “A multi-generational punch-to-the-heart reminder that there is no such thing as a singular Jewish experience.” ~Jeffrey Dale Lofton, award-winning author of Red Clay Suzie

From Where We Are

Follow Gabi Keefer's Jewish lineage through trials of addiction, grief, and activism, in a novel that addresses questions of survival, family, and identity.

Gabi Keefer flees Holocaust-era Germany with nothing but her husband, her nephew, and the clothes on her back. But that isn't the whole story.

Over generations, her granddaughter, Lena, struggles with drug addiction and an unplanned pregnancy; her sort-of nephew, Zane, grieves for his wife three years after her death in an antisemetic mass shooting; and her great-niece, Miranda, advocates for Palestinian liberation against her family’s wishes.

Each character's tale begs the questions: What does it mean to be part of a family, what does it mean to survive, and is that enough?

If you enjoyed Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo; The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak; or A Visit From The Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan, you will love From Where We Are.

Trigger warning: Content in this book includes depictions or mentions of ableism, anti-semitism, characters struggling with mental health, death and grief, drug abuse, domestic violence, gun violence, homophobia, misogyny, racism, statutory rape, suicide, xenophobia, and Zionism.

Praise for From Where We Are
★★★★★ "A kaleidoscopic gem." ~David Jackson Ambrose, author of Unlawful Disorder

★★★★★ "A layered excavation of intergenerational trauma and a perceptive probe into how resilience can overcome it." ~Ann S. Epstein, author of The Sister Knot

★★★★★ "A sensitive exploration of contemporary Jewish history." ~Rabbi Andrue Kahn, editor of Sacred Earth: Jewish Perspectives on our Planet

Free online: Rogue Reads. Presented by Rogue Women Writers, tune in for a lively conversation and Q&A with authors Meg Gardiner, Kellye Garrett, Omar Tyree, and Nolan Chase. Monday, May 20, 7 PM EST. 

“Where does it all lead? What will become of us? These were our young questions, and young answers were revealed. It leads to each other. We become ourselves.” ~Patti Smith, Just Kids

Ed Benjamin is author of fiction and nonfiction intended to help readers see "the light beyond the horizon." Today, LitNuts is pleased to shine a spotlight on three of Ed's works:

• Redemption
• Melanie: A Tale of Wonder
• This is Alaska

Read on to learn more about each of these entertaining and inspiring reads.

Bonus: Sign up to receive Ed's Musings, thoughts, essays, and stories, including universal thoughts from Stoic philosophy, stories from the Tao, and Flash Fiction.

Redemption

Amidst the thunderous roars of jet engines, Harry's journey from an Air Force legend to a lone detective embodies the undying spirit of a hero.

An orphaned teenager, Harry enters the United States Air Force and quickly rises to become a top fighter pilot. Flying became his life—and he was good at it. When his wingman is shot down in an aerial battle, Harry uses his skills to shoot down three enemy jet fighters in combat.

But when the Air Force grounds Harry for medical reasons, his life is turned upside down. He battles loneliness and alcohol while trying to eke out a living as a private detective. Things change when he takes on a missing persons case that involves a Caribbean cruise and a computer geek named Katie. 

Praise for Redemption
"An inspiring and turbulent emotional journey." ~International Review of Books

"This book has it all: super-authentic flying segments, a story of someone dealing with great loss, and an engaging detective story." ~Amazon Review

"Best Military Action-Packed Tale of Aviation/People! Regardless of my former USAF time and current FAA aviation credentials, I would have voted this one of the best action-packed, people sensitive novels ever written!" ~Amazon Review

Melanie: A Tale of Wonder

"A delightful and heartwarming piece of flash fiction." ~Amazon Review

Meet Aaron Jones, an elderly gentleman obviously down on his luck and badly in need of a shower. But after surviving a car accident, something miraculous happens: his singing voice is clear for the first time in years. Regaining his voice prompts him to enter a talent contest in the hope of winning prize money to help Melanie, a ten-year-old girl whose father is dying.

During the talent show, the audience begins to realize the real identity of Aaron. Cries of “It’s him. It’s really him!” begin to ring out in the audience. Afterwards, the mysterious singer leaves town with the media buzzing.

If you like alternative historical fiction, you will enjoy this heartwarming journey filled with hope, inspiration, and the power of music.

This is Alaska

A rare sports adventure to treasure and read over and over.

This short but powerful essay is a true story of a middle-aged man discovering Wild Alaska while on a whitewater rapids trip. Frustrated and tired, he undergoes a transformation as he experiences the full force of nature. 

About the Author

Free online: Jazz Poetry 2024. Jazz Poetry Month is an annual celebration of experimentation, collaboration, and connection between art forms and between artist and audience. This year, 50+ artists are joining the celebration. This weekend, Juno Award–winning pianist Andy Milne will perform with poets Noah Arhm Choi, Jonathan Moody, Justin Perez, and Monica Sok. Sunday, May 19, 6:00 - 7:30 EDT. 

“Jazz washes away the dust of everyday life.” ~Art Blakey

Navy SEAL Hawke Turner is in the protection business. Biotech researcher Emilia Draper is a close friend from his past. Emilia is on the verge of finding a cure to the rare disease that killed her sister and saving a dying girl, but a vicious enemy will kill to block Emilia from achieving her goal. Enter Hawke, who will risk everything for Emilia and to save a child's life. 4.3 stars, 1000+ ratings. From $0.99 SHOP NOW / 

It’s Time to Make YOU Your Priority. Follow author Melissa J. Peters through codependent relationships, watch her transform, and learn from her lessons. Within these pages, Melissa will explain how she found hope by breaking her cycle of unhealthy relationships. Speak your truth. Take control of your life. And create fulfillment by believing in yourself and all of your capabilities. 5.0 stars, 24 ratings. FREE - SHOP NOW / 

Today, LitNuts is shining a spotlight on a trio of provocative books on political and economic issues from Cambridge-educated UK investment manager David Kauders: 

• Reinventing Democracy
• The Financial System Limit
• The Greatest Crash

"Radical thinkers might have a point." ~Financial Times

Reinventing Democracy

"Holds lessons for any nation grappling with democratic challenges." ~The London Economic

The UK economy has deteriorated and contributed to an overall British decline. The British system of political governance is a major cause.

To improve the outlook, Britain should adopt a federal structure with a written constitution and changes in how its citizens are represented. Reinventing Democracy provides a path forward, including a draft constitution.

Praise for Reinventing Democracy
“A powerful, persuasive, and timely wake-up call for transforming the UK into a federal state. A must-read.” ~Richard Moriarty,  The Sun

“A compelling and clear pathway out of Britain’s failing political morass towards a brighter, truly democratic future.” ~The European

“An important catalyst for discussion and a rallying cry for a more accountable and responsive political system.” ~The London Economic

The Financial System Limit

Can the world really continue to stimulate its way out of every downturn? What happens to debt as central banks and governments buy prosperity?

In The Financial System Limit, the author puts forward three radical theories which show that Keynesian economics can no longer benefit society. He explains why debt cannot expand to infinity; then how debt interest is a cost to us all. The global economic cycle is now determined by central bank policies.

Read The Financial System Limit to understand why banks keep failing and to learn why financial and economic policies have to change. You will discover why debt reduction programs do not work and what will follow the recent inflation.

The Greatest Crash: Avoiding the Financial System Limit

The Greatest Crash argues that the financial system which evolved from the early Italian bankers has now reached a roadblock. The weight of debt already created prevents further economic expansion, while paying down the fact that debt shrinks economies. To escape this trap, evolution is needed. But bureaucratic design, delegated government, and group think, all combine to prevent evolution.

Free online: Third Thursday Quick Read. Sponsored by Strong Women, Strange Worlds, this reading series offers a "tasting menu" of science fiction, fantasy, and horror stories. Six authors will each have 8 minutes to tempt and tantalizing you with their reading. Thursday, May 16, 6 - 7 PM CDT. 

“Miracles surround us at every turn, if we but sharpen our perceptions to them.” ~Willa Cather

Congratulations to Annalisa Crawford and Vine Leaves Press on the release of One Tuesday, Early, a work of speculative fiction that has been described as "both familiar and nightmarish." 

"An intriguing and haunting story about a woman, a man, and a decades-old mystery." ~Alison Moore, author of The Retreat

One Tuesday Early

You’re on your own and you shouldn’t be. Your partner is missing. The streets are empty. Even the birds have disappeared. What do you do?

It’s 6:05am one Tuesday morning, and Lexi Peters is alone. Her partner, her friends, her neighbours have all vanished without a trace. The entire town is deserted. Gathering every ounce of courage, she sets out to explore the streets, seeking any sign of life. Her only companions are a coy black cat and a lurking fog that seems to follow her every step.

On the same morning, her partner Finn awakens to an empty house. Recalling the blazing argument they had the night before, he assumes Lexi has snuck off somewhere to cool down. But she doesn’t return.

Time passes. Or not. Lexi is stranded on that Tuesday morning, while Finn hurtles through the years at increasing speed.

Can Lexi and Finn be reunited, or is it already too late?

Praise for One Tuesday, Early
"A spooky and impossible situation that steals up on you until you’re questioning your own life choices." ~Roz Morris, author of Ever Rest

"From its beguiling opening to its heart-stopping conclusion, One Tuesday, Early gently leads us into a world both familiar and nightmarish. Eerie, atmospheric and immediately gripping, there's as much delight to be found in what's held back as there is in what's revealed." ~Charlie Carroll, author of The Lip