PW Select February 2016

February 2016
Your Guide to Self-Publishing

Trends in Erotica and Erotic Romance
Marketing Your Author Blog
Reviews Roundup
73 New Titles Listed
Erotica
EROTICA & EROTIC ROMANCE
Whats Hot?
By Ryan Joe
or those unfamiliar with the

genres, erotica and erotic
romance might seem the
same: stories about sex. But
a closer examination reveals a lot more. As in
most literary genres, certain tendencies attract readers, enjoy a
brief moment of popularity, and
lose tractionpossibly to be
renewed years later by another
author.
Before getting into trends in
erotica and erotic romance, its important
to describe the two, which, like stepsiblings, are only sort of related.
Erotic romance, according to a definition from the Romance Writers of
America, refers to novels in which
strong, often explicit, sexual interaction
is an inherent part of the love story, character growth, and relationship development and could not be removed without
damaging the story line.
And erotica? Erotica is just people
doing it, says Cordelia Logan, who has
written 19 stories under five pen names
and is beginning to focus on BDSM. (To
maintain privacy, she declined to reveal
her pseudonyms.) [Characters] are
having sex in interesting ways and with
interesting people, she says. Theres
not a lot of character development. The
plot revolves around how these people
are going to do it, and whats getting in
the way.
Appealing to Readers
Last year, the author Peter C. Hayward,

who writes erotica under the name
Pandora Box, published a now-deleted
blog post outlining what he calls the
Golden 12 erotica genres that find consistent readership: those featuring billionaires and other modern alpha
males; incest and pseudo-incest, which
Erotica trends and

tips for indie authors
includes relations between women and

their stepfathers and men and their
adopted sisters; shifters; monsters;
students and teachers; gangbanging;
cuckolding; gender swapping;
sleeping or unconscious sex;
mnage trois; and cowboys.
Trends in erotica tend to
emerge as kinks written into
those popular genres. Many
erotica writers point out that
while the Golden 12 have been
around for a while, situations
like breedingin which a male character hopes to impregnate a female character to trap her in a relationshiphave
seen an increase in popularity recently.
Breeding is definitely in right now
and will most likely be in for another six
months or so, says Amy Cooper, who has
authored numerous how-to guides on
self-publishing erotica, including
Publishing Erotica: How to Make Your
First $1,000.
Many trends are cyclical. The two
anonymous authors who have published
more than 30 erotica stories on Amazon
under the pseudonym Alexa Riley say
breeding was in vogue about 10 or 15
years ago and has only recently made a
resurgence. Rileys popularity might
have even helped spark that.
After they included light breeding in
a Riley book, the authors noticed that
people kept highlighting it on their
Amazon Kindles. (Authors can see what
people who use Kindles home in on while
reading). I wanted to see what
would happen if I pushed it, the
authors say, speaking in the unified voice of Riley. They arent
sure what exactly is driving the
current popularity of breeding,
though they note that previous
breeding stories werent packaged
very well compared with their
46 P U B L I S H E R S W E E K L Y F E B R U A R Y 2 2 , 2 0 1 6
modern counterparts.
Pushing out shorter works with more
exotic kinks is a valuable way to get
insight into what the audience wants to
read. A lot of times, Ill do a smaller
book and see how people respond to the
kink, the authors say. If it does well,
Ill write a full length novel. The
breeding thing did really well, and its
blown up.
Cooper says erotica trends come
quickly and leave slowly. That means
its important for authors to take advantage of whats hot and whats likely to
become hot. Its usually when two currently popular kinks are mashed together
to create something new, Cooper says.
Mnage is hot, as is breeding, werewolves, and billionaires. A new trend
could be two billionaire werewolves
breeding women for their own dark
purposes.
Steamy Sloppy
Storybook Romance
Trends in erotic romance tend to be less

kink driven, in part because the genre is
more story-oriented. I think tropes are
our version of kinks, say Bree Bridges
and Donna Herren, who publish together
as Kit Rocha. Popular tropes currently
include romancing a best friends little
sister, marriages of convenience, and forbidden romances.
Whats popular in erotica is often also
popular in erotic romance, despite the
comparative lack of kink in the latter.
[Readers] all like alpha
males, the popular erotic
romance author C.M. Steele
says. And everybody goes for
stepbrothers.
Though erotic romance
authors generally write longer
and dont publish as frequently
as erotica authorswho might
EROTICA & EROTIC ROMANCE

churn out one or more stories per
monththey also try to chase whats
popular. Stepbrothers were the most
common trend last year, says author
Minx Malone. And that affects you
when youre writing.
Malone, whose books
have been on the New
York Times and USA
Today bestseller lists,
first published erotic
romance novels in 2007
with Elloras Cave, but
she began self-publishing in 2011 and is
now entirely self-published.
Getting away from the influences of
traditional houses has allowed Malone to
push the boundaries of her genre. Its
not even pushing kink boundaries, but
pushing the boundaries of what well
accept for a hero or heroine, she says.
For a long time, romance was very traditional. The alpha males continued
popularity, for example, is a holdover
from the demands of the old romance
publishing houses, she says.
Thanks to the rise of self-publishing, however, authors can
now experiment more. Maybe
the woman is in power, Malone
says. I have a friend who writes
about female billionaires. Shes
flipped that paradigm. Those
boundaries would not be pushed
in a traditional situation. Thats
the most common thing I hear from
people writing for houses: its hard to do
something different.
As in erotica, mash-ups can be an
effective way of igniting a new trend.
Malone recently introduced her BlueCollar Billionaires series, in which
working class men discover that they
have a billionaire daddy. I was shocked
that my billionaire twist worked,
Malone says. I didnt expect it to be a
full series. I thought itd be a side book
that Id write for fun. Thats the attitude
you have to take if youre not sure its
going to work.
Meanwhile, Rochas Beyond series
currently seven books incombines dystopias with motorcycle gangs and cage
fighters. Were not jumping on

any new trends, the authors say.
I see them go by, but were not
shifting gears.
The Unpredictable
Amazon
Any story about trends in erotica

or erotic romance must reckon
with Amazons impact on the genres.
The companys dominance as an e-book
distribution platformand its squeamishness toward sexual contentgives
it tremendous influence in determining
whats popular, as it dictates what can
and cannot be easily purchased.
It really all comes down to Amazon,
says Cooper, who has published her
how-to guides through the retailer. It
always has. They say no to something,
and it completely cuts out a portion of
the market.
In addition to banning overly explicit
covers, Amazon forbids certain words. It
is taboo to mention breeding on the
cover, for instance. A lot of authors try
to write around it and change
lingo and things like that, the
authors who write as Riley say.
So it turns into she wants
babies.
Even the acceptability of
those work-arounds can change,
Cordelia Logan says: Lately,
Amazon has been cracking down
on the ways you can use euphemisms.
But Amazon is vague about what it
does or doesnt allow. A company spokesperson pointed to Kindles content
guidelines. Offensive content, as defined
by Amazons website, is probably about
what you would expect. That lack of
clarity isnt likely to change. They keep
it vague on purpose, the authors behind
the Rocha pseudonym say. The minute
they codify it, people will walk as close
to the line without going over.
As Logan points out, the consequences
of raising Amazons ire can lead to
removal from the platform or having
books rendered unfindable, even if a
reader is typing an exact title into the
search field.
Its complicated selling

books that are sexual on
Amazon, Rochas authors
say. When we were ready to
release our third book,
Amazon thought the cover
was too sexual. We got hidden
from searches. We rebranded
our series. We had the same
cover three books in because people
couldnt find us. Its complicated, and its
hard sometimes to walk the line.
Natural Selection
Amazons business practices also influence the way erotica and erotic romance
are published. The advent of Kindle
Unlimited, which gave authors 30 each
time their stories were read, regardless of
length, drove a wave of writers onto the
platform, many hoping to make a quick
buck by publishing an array of short
pieces. Since Amazon changed the
Kindle Unlimited model to pay authors
on a per-page rate, theres no longer an
economic benefit to publishing frequently and short.
There were other reasons why so many
authors joined Amazon in 2015. I saw a
bigger spike of people when Amazon
started kicking out the monster erotica,
Logan says. People were so shocked it
existed. There were a lot of think pieces
about it in Business Insider and Jezebel, and
that attention drove a lot more people.
But self-publishing erotica or erotic
romance can be a grind, and the volume
it demands can make it a grueling one.
Logan notes that the herd is beginning to
thin. People thought it was a get-richquick scheme when they heard about
girls making $100,000 on Amazon,
Logan says. Then they realized its a job.
You have to be consistent.
Malone says that in 2015 the market
was glutted with work that was subpar.
But Im a huge believer in economics,
she says. Readers are extremely smart,
especially romance. They are very
exacting, and theyll start exercising their
power with their pocketbook. Itll be very
important this year to hold your work to
the highest standards possible.

W W W . P U B L I S H E R S W E E K LY. C O M
47
INDIE SUCCESS
Subscription Book
Box Is Big Business
From bestselling indie author to book box entrepreneur
By Jennifer McCartney
Though the cost of two
books at bricks-andmortar bookstores may
be similar to or even
cheaper than through
the subscription service,
the thrill of receiving a
new set of signed books
plus swag every month
appears to be enough
to entice and maintain
subscribers.
The logistics of this
business are consider- Colleen Hoover
able, and subscriptions
are capped every month to ensure that
Hoover and her team can meet the
demand. Each month, Hoover, her husband, and a small team of volunteers
pack and ship 2,000 boxes containing
4,000 books. Once the Bookworm Box
work is complete, media interviews are
done, and her own books are signed and
mailed for various giveaways, Hoover
often finds herself rushing to attend the
evening basketball games her three children play. Only when the kids are in bed
does she find time to writeusually
until 2 or 3 a.m. I dont think Ive ever
worked this hard, and its almost impossible to take a day off, Hoover says of her
schedule. This is my life, and Im very,
very lucky to be able to do things Im
passionate about on a daily basis and
actually be able to support my family
doing it. In addition to the work Hoover
does to support her own family, the
Bookworm Box supports others as well.
After Hoover accounts for overhead
costs like books, packing materials, and
shipping, the proceeds are donated to
charity. I feel like so

much has been given to
me in the last four
years, the least I can do
is give back in return,
Hoover says. More
than $200,000 has
been distributed to
various charities since
the program began, she
says. With a different
group benefiting every
month, organizations
that have received
funds so far include the
South Carolina chapter of the Cystic
Fibrosis Foundation; the Lake Charles,
La., branch of the American Heart
Association; Walk for a Cure; Mt. Vernon
Cares; and the National Brain Tumor
Society. She feels enormous gratitude for
her success and always makes a point to
give back to her community, says
Johanna Castillo, vice president and
executive editor at Atria Books.
After years of self-doubt, Hoover says
she finally feels like she can have a career
as a writer. Honestly I had no idea
anyone would want to read it, the author
and entrepreneur says of her first book,
Slammed. I remember the day I walked
into Barnes & Noble and saw the books
on the shelf for the first time, I felt embarrassed. I didnt feel like my books were
worthy enough to be displayed next to
real authors. But she believes that this
imposter syndrome serves her well: I
think the day I begin to have expectations
that my books deserve to be a big hit is
the day I should probably quit and go
back to social work.

JEN STEERLING
ike hundreds of other indie

authors who have found
success, Colleen Hoover
has a number of New York
Times bestsellers, a deal
with a traditional publisher, and a strong
social media following. Her latest
romance, November 9 (Atria), about a
troubled couple that agrees to meet up at
a designated spot for just one day per
year, was a top-100 digital bestseller on
Amazon. In addition to all that, Hoover
has parlayed her success as an author into
a new business: the Bookworm Box subscription service.
Subscription boxes are big business.
Early adopters of the model such as
Birchbox and Ipsy helped disrupt the
cosmetics industry, and subscription
boxes for dog treats, cocktails, and
full meals followed close behind. Each
service aimed to change the way that
consumers discover and purchase products. The Bookworm Box, like similar
services Book Riot and the Kickstarterfunded Lit-Cube, follows the same
model. For $39.99 plus shipping,
Bookworm sub s cr ibers receive a
monthly box containing two signed
booksincluding at least one by a New
York Timesbestselling authoras well
as swag like pens, bookmarks, and magnets. Since the service launched in
March, subscribers have received titles
by the big-name romance authors E.L.
James, Anna Todd, Penelope Ward, and
several others. Authors who want to
participate in the service can donate
signed books and swag in any quantity.
Hoover also purchases titles in bulk
according to Bookworm Boxs needs.
AUTHOR BLOGS
Marketing Your Blog

Seven strategies to help authors stand out from the pack
By Joel Friedlander
ts great to see authors start blogs to help them build

robust author platforms. Authors can write articles,
create attractive sites, and post all their book and publicity information in one place. But too often this
strategy just doesnt work, because if you want people
to visit your blog, youre going to have to market your blog.
Thats not as daunting as it might sound. It just means
sharing your stories and ideas with people who have the same
passions. Below are seven ways to market your author blog.
1. Comment on Other Blogs
Comments allow you to write in your own voice, demonstrate
your expertise, and introduce yourself to new audiences.
Comments are also a great way to connect with other bloggers.
Identify the top five or 10 blogs that speak to the audience
that you want to attract. Post meaningful comments that
advance the discussions there or respond helpfully to other commenters. Keep leaving comments like this and youll soon get
on the radar of fellow bloggers. And links in your comments
can bring folks back to your blog.
2. Post in Forums
There are plenty of discussion boards and forums online, many
with huge readerships focused on specific topics. Sharing your
experiences on these sites will enhance your reputation, and your
forum signature should include links that lead back to your blog
and its resources.
Look for groups with recent activity related to your subject
on LinkedIn, Goodreads, Google Plus, or specialty sites with
their own social networks. Finding the right groups and contributing valuable content will attract other forum readers who
may be curious about what else you have to say on the subject,
so link back to your own articles when its appropriate.
3. Social Traffic
To find people to connect with on Facebook, Instagram,
Pinterest, and Twitter, identify authors similar to you who
already have big followings, and start following the people on
their follower lists. Its likely that you share their interests, and
you can quickly grow your own following this way.
4. Guest Posts
Most bloggers are happy to consider articles from legitimate
authors within their fields.
If youve established a relationship with the blogger beforehand, its going to be much easier to get your article considered
for publication. When you blog as a guest on someone elses site,
they are loaning you their microphone, so make sure youre
familiar with the content on the blog and the kinds of questions
readers ask. Make sure you subscribe to the comments on your

post and answer questions as they arise. And promote your post
through your own network. Youll be much more likely to be
invited back.
5. Blog Carnivals
A blog carnival is a regularly published collection of links to
articles submitted by bloggers in a specific field. Bloggers may
take turns hosting the carnival, or the carnival may be run by a
single blog.
Carnivals are probably the most overlooked form of blog
marketing, likely because they arent as popular as they once
were. But, if you can find a blog carnival with good circulation
in your field, start submitting your best articles: it will pay off
with new traffic.
If theres no carnival, consider starting one yourself. Either
way, having your article appear in one of these carnivals can
bring you a spike in traffic, as all the bloggers included will
promote it to their own followers and fans.
6. Video
A series of short informational videos about basics in your field
posted to YouTube and other sites can open another traffic
stream back to your blog. Book teasers that sell your story or
characters, how-to videos, opinion pieces, and product and service reviews all make great video content.
Optimizing your video listings with the right categories and
keywords will help bring them to the attention of the people
who might most enjoy them. Add links to related articles on
your blog in the videos description field, or embed them in
interactive hot spots in the video itself.
7. Contests
Contests can offer free copies of upcoming books, one-on-one time
with authors, valuable prizes and freebies, and critiques and evaluations. If there are no book or writing awards for your specific
niche, why not create one? You can advertise on social media,
bringing entrants to your blog to make their submissions.
Publicizing contests with the appropriate media and press
releases when the awards are announced can help attract new
readers to a special page you set up for the awards on your blog.
All seven of these techniques are free, and you could grow an
incredible site using just one or two of them. Which strategies
will work for you? Youll have to try them to find out what your
readers respond to.
Great content, effectively presented, is the foundation of
high-traffic blogs. Finding the best way to market that content
will mean that youve won at blog marketing.

49
New Titles
from Self-Publishers
Booksellers, publishers, librarians, and agents are encouraged to look at the 73 self-published titles below, with descriptions provided by their authors. Some of these writers are
waiting to be discovered; others have a track record and a following and are doing it on their
own. If you are a self-published author interested in listing titles in this section, please visit
publishersweekly.com/pw-select for more information.
FICTION
Because
Jack A. Langedijk. Jack A. Langedijk.
$18.99 paper (388p), ISBN 978-09937586-1-4; $6.99 e-book,
ISBN 978-0-9937586-0-7
Amazon
An inspiring story of a
caring and passionate man
who is sent into a tailspin
after a tragic climbing accident on Mount Everest.
Becoming Phoebe
J. Michael Neal. Melancholy
Donkey Press. $17 paper
(422p), ISBN 978-09970258-0-4
Amazon, Ingram
After a troubled childhood in foster
care, Phoebe Rose finds a place to belong
by playing hockey.
The Dance of the Sea
Soosaiya Anthreas.
Gatekeeper Press. $11.95
paper (462p), ISBN 9781-61984-948-8
Amazon, Apple iBooks,
BN.com, Books-A-Million, Kobo
A young woman from the Indian subcontinent battles against a devastating
tsunami, conflicts between traditional
and mechanized fishing, and apathy from
her brother.
Grayson Springs
Ron Gambrell. Rough River Publishing.

ISBN 978-0-9908562-1-4
Roughriverpublishing.com,
Amazon, BN.com,
Carmichaels
At wits end with their
daughters rage, Brookes
parents send her on a lifealtering journey deep into the rural hills
of central Kentucky, to a long-forgotten
place called Grayson Springs.
Harringtons Valley
Darrel Rachel. CreateSpace.
$15.99 paper (376p),
ISBN 978-1-4954-5201-7
Amazon, BN.com,
Books-A-Million
Three people struggle to survive on the
turbulent Civil War frontier.
Heartbreaker
Thomas Duffy. CreateSpace.
$10.99 paper (184p),
ISBN 978-1-5174-1653-9
Amazon, BN.com
A down-on-her-luck
young woman named Amber comes to
New York City and gets into serious
trouble when she becomes an independent escort.
Insanity by Increments: Stories
Alaric Cabiling. Alaric Cabiling. $2.99
e-book, ASIN B00UA3E80U
Amazon, Apple iBooks, BN.com, Google
Play, Kobo
This collection of short

stories examines the darker
side of the human condition
with characters that reveal
humanity in the midst of
distress.
Kingdom Cursed (Legends of South
Haven, Book 4)
Helena Sustaita and J.T.
Griffin. CreateSpace. $2.99
e-book, ASIN B01A00QI96
Amazon, BN.com
In this evil dark tale, sacrifices are made and fates are set in stone.
Who is willing to pay with blood and bone?
The Lame Duck
Bernard Leo Remakus. CreateSpace.
ASIN B017PXXXEE
Amazon
The chance meeting of a
hapless country doctor and a
beautiful female malpractice
attorney sets the stage for the perfect
crimeand a love story for the ages.
One Year with Dicky
Elizabeth Aguilar. AuthorHouse. $24.34
paper (400p), ISBN 978-1-5049-3584-5;
$4.99 e-book, ISBN 978-15049-3585-2
Amazon
Dicky and Lizzie are two
completely different people
bound by an extraordinary
NEW SELFPUBLISHED LISTINGS

friendship. Follow their adventures and
misadventures through life, love, and
friendship.
Peeeeeniiiiiiiiis! The P-Phenomenon
J.J. Ogden. CreateSpace. $12 paper
(224p), ISBN 978-1-5196-8856-9
Amazon
In the small town of
Wolcott, the people wake
up to an absence of a most
disturbing nature, and they
dont handle it very well.
The Road to Rus
Michael Hnatyshyn. BookBaby. $24.99
paper (330p), ISBN 978-0-9967966-0-6
Amazon, Apple iBooks, Baker & Taylor,
BN.com, Kobo, Oyster,
Scribd
In the ninth century,
Slavic tribes with the aid of
the Vikings organize a
brazen attack on
Constantinople. This is the story of the

birth of Kyivan Rus.
Sapphire: A Tale of the Cold War
Thomas Graham Jr. AuthorHouse.
$19.95 paper (388p) ISBN 978-1-49692785-9; $3.99 e-book,
ISBN 978-1-4969-2848-1
Amazon
This tale set during perhaps the most dangerous
period of the Cold War follows a young woman in the years 1954
1961 as she navigates a maelstrom of
danger, deceit, and crisis.
The Sins of Soldiers
S.J. Hardman Lea. Matador.
$12.99 paper (320p),
ISBN 978-1-78589-018-5
Amazon, Troubador
In 1916, Anson Scott, a
U.S. newsman, is serving undercover in
the British army but finds that war is very
FINALIST IN THE 2015 USA BEST BOOK AWARDS

BEST NEW FICTION CATEGORY
different from what he expected.

23 Degrees South: A Tropical Tale of
Changing Whether...
Neal Rabin. Ponderosa Publishing. $9.99
paper (232p), ISBN 978-0-9970468-0-9
Amazon, BN.com
From the treacherous
jungles of Brazil to Carmen
Mirandas hideout, two
friends go on an adventure
of force-fed self-discovery.
Staying alive is just one of their many
challenges.
Tainted Harvest
Nancy Smith. First Look. $9.99 paper
(204p), ISBN 978-0-9913907-5-5
Amazon
What if the colonists of
Salem, Mass., experienced
something that was real
just beyond their
understanding?
HONORABLE MENTION FOR THE 23RD ANNUAL

WRITERS DIGEST SELF-PUBLISHED BOOK AWARDS
GENRE MAINSTREAM LITERARY FICTION
As the Poppies Bloomed

A Novel of Love in a Time of Fear
As the Poppies Bloomed is a story of love, loss, and in the end
salvation - the best type of story we have to remind ourselves of
some of the worst, and best aspects of the human condition.
Huffington Post
...a beautiful novel. This is a tale of love
and loss that will also satisfy any history buff
Portland Book Review
Exceptionally well written...a compelling read from first page to last
and clearly documents the author as an especially gifted storyteller
who will leave her readers looking eagerly toward her next novel.
Midwest Book Review
Available at wholesalers nationwide or direct from IPG at www.ipgbook.com
978099112410
8.95)
$15.95 (Can $1
Independent Publishers Group

312 337 0747 frontdesk@ipgbook.com

Time Trials
Terry Lee. Featherstone Creations. $2.99
e-book, ASIN B018UY3HOS
Amazon
The Bad-Ass Girls are
eight women who continue
their friendship during
stages of growth over four
decades through life
eventsgood and bad.
What She Knew
Nadine Galinsky Feldman. CreateSpace.
$11.99 paper (214p),
ISBN 978-1-5148-7922-1
Amazon
An ambitious, successful
money manager is ensnared
in the Madoff scandal, while
a family crisis threatens to derail her
attempts to clear her name.
POETRY
The Ease of Body-Being
Henrik Flrenes. AuthorHouse. $13.66
paper (106p), ISBN 978-1-5049-9175-9;
$4.99 e-book, ISBN 978-1-5049-9174-2
Amazon
In this collection of
poems, Flrenes celebrates
our oneness with our body
and being. Let go, feel free,
and immerse yourself.
If I Told You the Whole Story
Gina L. Glidden. iUniverse.$10.95 paper
(116p), ISBN 978-1-4759-3606-3;
$3.99 e-book, ISBN 9781-4759-3607-0
Amazon
From the feelings of the
loss of a loved one to the joy
of being a mother, these
poems dig deep into the emotions that
give life meaning.
MYSTERY/THRILLER
Bodyguard of Deception
Samuel Marquis. Mount
Sopris Publishing. $13.99
paper (331p), ISBN 9781-943593-12-5
Amazon
Can the American and British allies

stop a German spymaster and his U-boatcommander brother from warning
Hitlers High Command about their
greatest military secret?
Death by Disputation:
A Francis Bacon Mystery
Anna Castle. Anna Castle. $13.49 paper
(364p) ISBN 978-0-9916025-4-4; $4.99
e-book, ISBN 978-0-9916025-5-1
Amazon, Apple iBooks, BN.com, Kobo,
Smashwords
Thomas Clarady is
recruited to spy on a group
of radical Puritans at
Cambridge University with
Francis Bacon as his
exacting spymaster.
Fast Track to Glory
Tomasz Chrusciel. Agato House. $2.99
e-book, ISBN 978-0-9929574-2-1
Amazon
Nina Monte has to
authenticate an artifact
hidden on a galley that sank
in the fifteenth century.
Soon she discovers that at
stake is freedom for all humankind.
The Harmony Scroll
(Stella Hunter Mystery #2)
Edita A. Petrick. Edita A. Petrick. 99
e-book, ASIN B013RHJT5O
BN.com, Inktera, Kobo,
Scribd, Oyster
When Stella Hunter
learns the contents of an
ancient golden scroll can
break her sons dormant curse forever, she
goes after it with a vengeance.
The Midwife Factor
(A Lynn Davis Mystery)
GiGi Gossett. iUniverse. $24.95 paper
(454p) ISBN 978-1-49174391-1; $5.99 e-book,
ISBN 978-1-4917-4393-5
Amazon
Two girls separated at
birth attempt to find their
way back to each other as past secrets are

revealed. Only the kindly midwife knows
the truth, but a criminals plan may
change everything.
Red Ochre Falls
Kristen Gibson. Kristen Gibson. $10.99
paper (294p), ISBN 978-0-9909058-0-6;
$4.99 e-book, ISBN 978-0-9909058-1-3
Amazon
After her friends suspicious death, Mattie Harper
solicits the help of Garrett
Mackenzie, and the two
become entangled in more
than just an investigation to uncover the
truth.
Riverside
Brett Burlison. Barton Creek Press. $3.99
e-book, ISBN 978-0-9969696-1-1
Amazon, Apple iBooks
Two young lovers chase
the American dream only to
be hindered by their own
pasts, drugs, and bad guys
from New Orleans. Set in
Austin, Texas, in the early 1990s.
Shadow Language
J.P. Bloch. Pegasus Books. $16.95 trade
paper (232p), ISBN 978-1-941859-24-7;
$4.99 e-book, ASIN B00UUHSI4S
Amazon, BN.com
Detective Joe Hilario has
social anxiety disorder. Joe
dates women to find a serial
killer, secretly determining
to be the next murder victim.
Utopian Day
C.L. Wells. CreateSpace.
$9.99 paper (253p),
ISBN 978-1-5123-1746-6
Amazon, Ingram
Three convicted felons
attempt to change their criminal ways
but are blackmailed into committing one
last heist.
SF/FANTASY/HORROR
Amballore House
Jose Thekkumthala. CreateSpace. $13.99
D
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NC
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paper (364p), ISBN 978-1-5168-7484-2
Amazon
A multigenerational story
spanning thousands of years
that blends genres such as
horror, humor, science fiction, family saga, and crime.
An encounter of the human and the
superhuman.
Cinderella: A Modern Adult Fairy Tale
(Not Quite the Fairy Tale #1)
May Sage. Sage House.
$8.99 paper (217p)
ISBN 978-1-51749877-5; $2.99 e-book,
ISBN 978-1-5174-9877-5
Amazon
Step into an adult version of the old
tale, where Cinderella cant wait to sue
her stepmother and has no intention to go
anywhere near the king.
Dont Play with the Aliens, Book 1
Oz Carter. Owensmark. $1.49 e-book,
ASIN B00XYS7GBQ
Amazon, BN.com,
Smashwords
A trader of nonterrestrial artifacts discovers the
remnants of an extinct
civilization. But the civilization is not
quite extinct.
Gifted Thief
Helen Harper. HarperFire. $12.99 paper
(384p), ISBN 978-1-51968382-3; $3.99 e-book,
ASIN B017EG7VLS
Helenharper.co.uk, Amazon
Integrity Taylor should
have been a magically gifted
clan princess. Instead shes an outcast
from her own kind.
Planet Prey
RoChe Montoya. RoChe
Montoya. 99 e-book,
ASIN B00U1UJW1C
Amazon
A passenger ship crashes
on a remote planet where deadly alien
hunters come to track killer beast for sport.
The Rise of Nazil: Secret of the Seven

Aaron-Michael Hall. CreateSpace. $3.99
e-book, ASIN B014FPTWVS
BN.com, Smashwords
It was the 75th year of
Alberoth when the AsZar
summoned the Guardians.
There was an imbalance in
the lands of Falondul.
Running
S. Bryce. S.K. Holder. $11.99 paper
(228p), ISBN 978-1-51434795-9; $2.99 e-book,
ASIN B00IC8EYMW
Amazon, BN.com, Google
Play, Kobo
Kate settles into a life
with her new family: a murderer, an alcoholic, a thief, a teenage runawayand a
wolf.
Sands of Time:
Fate of the True Vampires, Book 1
Christine Church. CreateSpace. $7.99
paper (90p), ISBN 978-1-5188-1523-2
Amazon, BN.com, Kobo,
Smashwords
Proof of the existence of
vampires unearthed. An
ancient cure discovered. A
desperate half-breed in need
of a family. Can she save her children
before he destroys them?
Unsung Heroes: The First Paragon
(Chronicle #1)
Ian W.V. Rupe. BookBaby. $19.99 paper
(513p), ISBN 978-1-68222-601-8;
$4.99 e-book, ASIN B018IXBR34
Amazon, BN.com, Ciando,
Copia, eSentral, Kobo
An immortal named
Tribe infuses a mortal,
Teagan Carter, to wage war
against the gods that seek to
feed on every mortal soul in existence.
ROMANCE/EROTICA
Bitter Sweet Love: A Twisted Novel
(Twisted Series #1)
R.C. Stephens. R.C. Stephens. $2.99
e-book, ASIN B00RUAX0WS

Kobo, Smashwords
Lexi finds herself caught
up in a love triangle that
turns dark, forcing her to
confront a chain of bad
choices. Will Lexi find love, or will she be
consumed by darkness?
Crossing in Time (Between Two Evils #1)
D.L. Orton. Rocky Mountain Press.
$34.99 hardcover (418p), ISBN 978-1941368-02-2; $24.95 audio (11 hrs),
ASIN B01645M8J0
Audible, BN.com,
BookDepository, Ingram
If someone took everything you live for, how far
would you go to get it back?
Hooked
Christine Manzari. Manzari Books. $2.99
e-book, ASIN B00REQ9FAE
Amazon
Cat and Huck think a
one-night stand seems
harmless, but when their
secrets are revealed, they
realize it could ruin everything. Will they risk it all for a chance at
more?
The Lessons (Off-Limits #1)
Elizabeth Brown. KDP. $2.99 e-book,
ASIN B00WZTFNLK
BN.com, Smashwords
What happens when a
30-year-old virgin hires a
sex therapist to take care of
her little problem? Lots of
laughs and tons of heat.
Molly Takes the Cake
(The River Oaks Series #1)
The Taylor Sisters. iUniverse. $18.95 paper (314p),
ISBN 978-1-4917-7247-8;
$3.99 e-book, ISBN 978-14917-7248-5
Amazon
Baker Molly Tauber endlessly awaits her molasses-slow fianc

in this romantic comedy peopled with charming small-town
characters.
Needing to Fall
Ryan Michele. Ryan Michele. $3.99 e-book,
ASIN B01913P11O
Amazon, Apple iBooks, BN.com, Google Play,
Kobo
A womans journey through depression and
coming into the light.
Paradise Bound
Rafale Dsir. Clear Souce Publishing. $5.99
e-book, ASIN B018A3GM64
Amazon, Apple iBooks, BN.com, Kobo
A young French doctor is torn between three men
after a vacation to Southern California makes her
reconsider her life choices.
Southern Comfort (Honkey Tonk Angels #1)
Ciana Stone. Ciana Stone. 99 e-book,
ASIN B017JA1SFO
Amazon
They say nothing ever happens in Cotton Creek.
They might have been right once. Not anymore.
Theres about to be fun, passion, and danger.
INSPIRATIONAL
For Just a Little While
Jess Fulton. CreateSpace. $11.99 paper (298p),
ISBN 978-1-5196-3845-8; $3.99 e-book,
ASIN B018ZURGWQ
Amazon
Faith should have died that cold, snowy night in
November. But instead a miracle happened.
However, this gift of life, like most gifts of life, came with some
strings attached.
NONFICTION
Adversity Is Your Greatest Ally: How to Use Life Challenges
As Stepping Stones to Live the Life of Your Dreams
Michael Taylor. Creation Publishing Group.
$15.99 paper (208p), ISBN 978-0-9641894-6-1;
$9.99 e-book, ISBN 978-1-310-97520-2
Abebooks.com, Amazon, BN.com
A blueprint to harnessing the power of adversity to create a life of true joy.
Creative Meditation and Manifestation:
Using Your 21 Innate Powers to Create Your Life
Amara Honeck. Soul Reflections Press. $18.95 paper (238p),
ISBN 978-0-99711780-6

Smashwords
A step-by-step guide to
developing your innate
powers, giving you the
ability to manifest lasting
life changes, win back your autonomy,
and create your beautiful life.
Democracy on the Edge: A Discussion
of Political Issues in America
Terry A. AmRhein. Mill City Press. $16
paper (284p), ISBN 978-1-63413-432-3;
$9.99 e-book, ISBN 978-1-63413-433-0
Amrheinsbooks.com, Amazon, BN.com
Read about the issues
candidates are debating
right now: the financial
crisis, money in elections,
income inequality, health
care, Wall Street banks, gun
control, and more.
Grace in a Wintry Season:
Feeling Our Creators Love in a
World Grown Distant and Cold
and Loving in Return
Edwin Steinmann. Florence Fleming.
$19.99 hardcover (154p), ISBN 978-09961841-0-6; $11.99 paper (154p),
ISBN 978-0-9961841-2-0
Amazon, Ingram
Steinmann, an attorney,
moves from being a disenchanted mystic to being a
re-enchanted mystic,
relating one inner vision (mystical experience) and 14 enlightening dreams.
Identifying and Overcoming Fear:
So That You Can Get the Job You
Have Always Wanted
Deloris Cook. AuthorHouse. $13.95
paper (134p), ISBN 978-1-5049-1998-2
Amazon, AuthorHouse, BN.com
This book offers a triedand-true method to help
you get where you want to
be in life. It discusses your
attitude, motivation, confidence, job search, first
impression, and communication.
Igbo Mediators of Yahweh Culture of

Life, Vols. 13
Philip Chidi Njemanze. Xlibris. $44.92
hardcover (514p),
ISBN 978-1-49909712-2
Amazon, BN.com, Xlibris
The author discusses the
secrets of ancient Egyptian
civilization hidden in hieroglyphic writings.
Mandarin Chinese: An Explanatory
Guide to Key Language Issues; For
Intermediate and Advanced Chinese
Language Students
Orna Taub. Partridge Singapore. $15.35
paper (402p), ISBN 978-1-4828-3182-5;
$3.99 e-book, ISBN 978-1-4828-3183-2
Amazon
A practical guidebook
for students of the Chinese
language who have progressed past the beginner
level, designed to help
make the learning process more enriching
and easier to follow.
May the Spirit Be Unbroken:
Search for the Mother Root
Maxine Louise Michel De Felice.
AuthorHouse. $19.95 paper
(300p), ISBN 978-1-47721078-9; $3.99 e-book,
ISBN 978-1-4772-1079-6
Amazon
This story is of the resilience of the human spirit, featuring three
generations of activist families in the context of radical-change movements of 20th
century.
Memoirs by Proxy:
The Farmer and the Typist
Beth Harlan Greb. AuthorHouse. $23.95
paper (352p), ISBN 978-15049-0586-2; $3.99
e-book, ISBN
978-1-5049-0585-5
Amazon
Grebs parents left behind
documents and letters that have allowed
her to write about the journey of an
American family from humble begin-
nings to prosperity and achievement.

Motor City:
The Odyssey of the War on Drugs,
Scales of Injustice, and Two of
Americas Most Wanted
Sherri Jefferson. Sherri
Jefferson. $12.95 paper
(152p), ISBN 978-096546565-6; $9.99 e-book,
ASIN B019YP5GI2
Amazon, BN.com
This book stirs debate about the war on
drugs and how the collision of drugs,
race, and class became intertwined in the
lives of two of Americas Most Wanted.
A Movable Marriage: A Memoir
Tricia Pimental. TAP Publishing. $12.99
paper (244p), ISBN 978-09856383-3-7
Amazon
A funny and poignant
memoir about a homebody
and her nomadic spouse.
Ravished Paradise:
Forced March to Nothingness
Mardig Madenjian. Mardiros Maadenjian.
$23.50 paper (359p),
ISBN 978-0-9963353-0-0
Amazon
The author tells of his
parents survival during and
after the Armenian genocide
by the hand of the Turks.
Recovering Our Children:
A Handbook for Parents of Young
People in Early Recovery
John C. Cates and Jennifer Cummings.
iUniverse. $13.95 paper (146p),
ISBN 978-0-595-26428-5; $3.99
e-book, ISBN 978-1-4620-7720-5
Amazon
The authors help parents understand
substance abuse in their
young people. They provide
rationale and strategies for
parents to support their
children in reclaiming their
lives.

Rule #1: Crazy People Make You Crazy;
The Survival Guide for Coping with
Impossible People (at-work edition)
John J. Patterson, illus. by Mark Hill.
Spring Branch Farm.
$17.99 paper (180p),
ISBN 978-0-9861942-1-4
Amazon
This book is about coping
with the crazy people at
work. Rule #1crazy people make you
crazyis the foundation of 10 rules. A
serious book with funny cartoons and
stories.
This Giraffe Can Laugh:
A Simple and Concise Guide to
Overcoming Depression
and Anxiety by Someone
Who Has
Helen Theuma, illus. by
Helen Theuma. ASPG.
$14.95 e-book,
ISBN 978-1-925346-38-1
Helentheuma.com
Theuma aims to change the way you
view your own mind to give you back the
power to control it, bringing insight and
hope to the topic of mental health. Move
out of the darkness toward happiness.
Waiting to Die, Longing to Love
Russell K. Lanier. Expert Insights
Publishing. $17.99 paper (342p),
ISBN 978-1-5195-9399-3
Waitingtodiebook.com,
Amazon
An award-winning television news producer becomes
addicted to crack cocaine
after an investigation into illegal drugs
and prostitution.
entangled in a dastardly political

conspiracy.
Dinosaurs Living in My Hair
Jayne M. Rose-Vallee, illus. by Anni
Matsick. Rosevallee
Creations. $17.99 hardcover(32p),ISBN978-0-98619220-3
Rosevalleecreations.com,
Amazon
In this picture book, Sabrina has masses
of wild, curly blonde hair and worries
there may be animalslike dinosaurs
living in there.
Enchanted Castle on the River:
Matts Journey
Sylvia Abolis Mennear.
Createspace. $17.99 paper
(150p),
ISBN 978-1-5176-2665-5
Amazon, BN.com, Xlibris
On a family camping trip,
Matthew, a young teen, is transported
back to the Middle Ages by the wizard
Zerkin. Now son of the king, Matthew is
next in line for the throneif his younger
brother doesnt kill him first. To get back
home, Matthew must fulfill a wish for the
king and the wizard.
The Feeding Season
Stoyan T. Stoyanov, illus. by Stoyan
Stoyanov. Smashwords. $1.99 e-book,
ISBN 978-1-310-70497-0
Amazon, Smashwords
Bars Ibis and his coevals
are forced to leave the
Fortress and fight for their
lives while roaming about
the lethal Old Earth. They have one missionto survive the Feeding Season.
CHILDRENS/YA
Capitol Kid
Bill Gourgey. Jacked Arts Press. $14.95
paper (200p),
ISBN 978-0-9894205-7-0
Amazon
A young computer
genius, on the run from
drug dealers, hides out in
the U.S. Capitol and soon finds himself
Help Me!
Donna M. Zadunajsky.
Pronoun. $6.99 paper
(125p), ISBN 978-1-52274245-6; $2.99 e-book,
ISBN 978-1-938037-43-6
Amazon, Apple iBooks, BN.com, Google
Play, Kobo
A novella about a boy named Mick and
his struggles with life. His parents

divorce and a friends suicide make his
world unbearable. Each cut has a deeper
meaninga cry for help.
The History Major: A Novella
Michael Phillip Cash. Chelshire. $10.99
paper (130p),
ISBN 978-1-5188-9379-7
Amazon
After a vicious fight with
her boyfriend, followed by a
night of heavy partying, college freshman Amanda Greene wakes up
in her dorm room to find things are not
the same as the day before.
Love at First Book:
A Short Story in Verse
Sarah Tregay. CreateSpace.
$3.99 paper (64p),
ISBN 978-1-5088-0972-2;
99 e-book,
ASIN B010OG1MX8
Amazon, Kobo
Lorelei catches a stanza of heart-stopping description of a boy with a book in
his back pocket. And that might have
been all if he didnt leave it behind with a
poem tucked inside.
Song of the Oceanides
J.G. Z ymbalist. CreateSpace. $25.99
paper (574p), ISBN 978-15232-1403-7; 99 e-book,
ASIN B01AM2I8MC
Amazon
A dreamlike, suspenseful
coming-of-age tale about
artists, daydreamers, sea nymphs,
Martians, and Martian hummingbird
moths.
Zeal Master: Warriors Dream
Rahmel Garner. Lulu Press. $14.56 paper
(42p), ISBN
978-1-329-74900-9
Lulu
A story of a forgotten
time when supernatural
forces ruled the earth. This
world is centered around a group of
people known as zealeths.
57
Reviews Roundup
In the past month, we reviewed 27 self-published

titles submitted via BookLife, Publishers Weeklys
website dedicated to indie authors. Among the
highlights are three books that received starred
reviews: Move to Fire by Michael W. Harkins, Yum:
Plant-Based Recipes for a Gluten-Free Diet by Theresa
Nicassio, and Silverwood by D.E. Vollrath.
Fiction
Bespoke: A Tiny Christmas Tale
Amanda Dykes. Lanternwood, $5.99 e-book (73p) ISBN 978-0-692-49191-1
The Bride Tournament

Ruth Kaufman. Ruth J. Kaufman, $2.99 e-book (240p) ISBN 978-09908469-6-3
Fall into Darkness: Eternally Mated #1

Valerie Twombly. EverAfter Romance, $7.99 trade paper (152p)
ISBN 978-1-68230-040-4
Fleeting Promise: An Enescu Fleet Mystery
Nonfiction
Continuing Actions:
A Warriors Guide to Coming Home
Dan Sheehan. CreateSpace, $14.95 trade paper (224p) ISBN 978-15171-8051-5
Id Rather Wear Pajamas

Chelsea Walker Flagg. Chelsea Walker Flagg, $8.69 trade paper (214p)
ISBN 978-0-9967284-0-9
Life Is Beautiful: How a Lost Girl Became a True,

Confident Child of God
Sarah M. Johnson. Morgan James, $17.95 trade paper (198p) ISBN 9781-63047-486-7
More Collected Couteau: Essays and Interviews

Rob Couteau. Dominantstar, $24.95 trade paper (373p) ISBN 978-09966888-1-9
Portraits from the Revolution:

Interviews with the Protestors from Occupy Wall
Street, 30 September8 October 2011
Sherban Young. MysteryCaper, $29 hardcover (256p) ISBN 978-09912324-7-5
Rob Couteau. Dominantstar, $19.95 trade paper (74p) ISBN 978-09966888-2-6
Gemini Gambit
Soul Vampires:
Reclaiming Your Lifeblood After Narcissistic Abuse
D. Scott Johnson. D. Scott Johnson, $14.99 trade paper (454p)

ISBN 978-0-9863962-1-2
Mariahs Dream
Grace Bridges. Splashdown, $13.98 trade paper (290p) ISBN 978-1927154-43-4
The Mark on Eve

Joel Fox. Bronze Circle, $13.99 trade paper (286p) ISBN 978-0-692306-19-2
Move to Fire: A Familys Tragedy, a Lone Attorney,

and a Teenagers Victory over a Corrupt Gunmaker
Michael W. Harkins. Story and Pictures, $14 trade paper (348p)

ISBN 978-0-9965672-0-6
Mystery Ball 58: A Season-Long Whodunit

Jeff Polman. Grassy Gutter, $12.99 trade paper (266p)ISBN 978-0-69238201-1
The Potential
David A. Davies. Book Publishers Network, $16.95 trade paper (288p)
ISBN 978-1-940598-21-5
Andrea Schneider. BookBaby, $2.99 e-book (46p) ASIN B016JBOSY2
Warrior Wife: Overcoming the Unique Struggles of a

Military Marriage
Hillary Sigrist. WestBow, $5.99 e-book (112p) ISBN 978-1-5127-0640-6
Weight Training Without Injury:

Over 350 Step-by-Step Pictures Including What Not
to Do!
Fred Stellabotte and Rachel Straub. Regalis, $34.99 trade paper
(294p) ISBN 978-0-9962638-1-8
Yum: Plant-Based Recipes for a Gluten-Free Diet

Theresa Nicassio. D&D Publishing, $35 hardcover (368p) ISBN 978-09939156-0-4
Childrens & YA
Flight
Raths Deception
Charlene Moncrief. Amazon Digital Services, $4.99 e-book (349p)

ASIN B00THX8J6S
Piers Platt. CreateSpace, $12.99 trade paper (350p) ISBN 978-1-5174-3661-2
Kasey Screws Up the World
Strong Convictions
Rachel Shane. Twinstar, $3.99 e-book (343p) ASIN B013F4ER6U
G.P. Hutchinson. Hutchinson Group, $12.99 trade paper (306p) ISBN 9781-4991-5102-2
Sassafrass Jones and Her Forever Friends ABCs
A Sudden Gust of Gravity
Cathleen Smith-Bresciani and Rebekah Kaufman, photos by Tomas

Espinoza. Luxury Kitten, $14.95 hardcover (32p) ISBN 978-0-578-15002-4
Laurie Boris. CreateSpace, $14.99 e-book (291p) ISBN 978-1-5191-8193-0
Silverwood
A Womans Worth
Audra North. CreateSpace, $2.99 e-book (182p) ISBN 978-1-519-36884-3
D.E. Vollrath. Wicked Pig, $11.99 trade paper (280p) ISBN 978-0-69244433-7
Reviews
Fiction
Bespoke: A Tiny Christmas Tale
Amanda Dykes. Lanternwood, $5.99 e-book
(73p) ISBN 978-0-692-49191-1
Dykess debut novel is a lighthearted

tale of finally requited love set on the fictional Isle of Espoir in the English
Channel. Aria St. John and her father,
famous composer Giovianni St. John,
return to the island after 15 years for what
the famous maestro says will be his last
performance, to take place on Christmas
Eve. Although Aria has never been to one
of her fathers symphonies and is eager to
help, she returns to Espoir with additional
plans of her own. James Shaw, a blacksmith and her childhood friend, has been
waiting for a decade and a half to set
things right with
her. After an accident takes away
her ability to play
music, Aria
hatches a plan to
melt down her
former instruments to make
Giovianni a
bicycle to ride to
his final symphony. Will the enigmatic
Giovanni forgive Jamess youthful indiscretions and accept the gift? With Arias
design skills and Jamess metal-working
ability, the two set off to change the
course of their unfinished romantic history. Though the juxtaposition of music
and bicycles may seem a stretch, Dykes
pulls it together well, creating a rich tale
that carries readers into the heart of love.
The Bride Tournament

Ruth Kaufman. Ruth J. Kaufman, $2.99
e-book (240p) ISBN 978-0-9908469-6-3
Kaufman hits her stride with this

enjoyable third entry in her War of the
Roses Brides series, set in
Northumberland, England, in 1462. Lady
Eleanor learns on her wedding day that
instead of marrying Arthur, her

betrothed, King Edward has decreed that
she will marry the new earl of Glasmere,
Richard Courtenay. Like Eleanors father,
Richards father was an alchemist,
believed to have recorded the mystical
formula in lost scrolls for which Richard
and others search
at the kings
behest. Eleanor
believes that the
pursuit of
alchemy is heresy,
and shes determined that other
women may
submit to a mans
commands, but
no man controls me. She seeks to annul
this forced marriage so that she may be
with Arthur. Richard, admiring his
willful bride, agrees to postpone consummation in order to woo her, while Eleanor
plans to find him a more suitable bride by
means of a tournament. The reluctant
lovers become aware of their hearts true
desires only as Eleanors plan succeeds,
publicly ending their marriage.
Appealing protagonists, a satisfying pace,
engaging supporting characters, and
numerous obstacles to overcome combine
in this emotionally satisfying romance.
Fall into Darkness:

Eternally Mated #1
Valerie Twombly. EverAfter Romance, $7.99
trade paper (152p) ISBN 978-1-68230-040-4
Twomblys slim fantasy romance, the

disappointing first in a new series, posits a
topsy-turvy world
where male angels
procreate with
human women to
breed new generations of angels.
Archangel Eli, a
bounty hunter,
tracks fallen
angels who have
begun to take
innocent lives. Hes hurled to earth by the

Seven, female angels who rule in the
absence of their maker, to learn compassion or be sentenced to hell. While in the
Alaskan wilderness, Eli meets Ashley,
whos cursed with the ability to see peoples death if she looks into their eyes, and
rescues her from a Hellhound attack. Even
though Eli has sworn off women and has
no need for a mate, blizzard-melting passion ensues. The pair pause in their lovemaking long enough to battle sinister
fallen angels, assorted demons, and even
Lucifer himself. Pedestrian plotting and
simplistic characterizations make the proceedings of these angels and their paramours difficult to get through.
Fleeting Promise:
An Enescu Fleet Mystery
Sherban Young. MysteryCaper, $29 hardcover
(256p) ISBN 978-0-9912324-7-5
At the start of Youngs lighthearted

fifth whodunit featuring semiretired PI
Enescu Fleet (after 2014s Fleeting Chance),
John Hathaway, Fleets narrator sidekick,
shares his thoughts on being seriously
wounded as he crawls bleeding across the
floor of his
unidentified host
and hostesss
dining room
before losing
consciousness.
He then flashes
back to the
events that led
up to his condition. Shortly
after Hathaways honeymoon, he and his
new wife, Lesley, who have settled down
the road from Casco Bay, Maine, are
invited to the opening of an offbeat restaurant, Le Vrai Cornichon, which promises to fuse French cuisine with deli food.
Before long, the opening turns deadly,
and the guests and restaurant staff are all
apparently at risk of losing their lives. The
truth is connected with a previous case
Fleet and Hathaway handled, a reveal proW W W . P U B L I S H E R S W E E K L Y . C O M 58a
REVIEWS
vided in the preface, which
advises first-timers to tackle
the series in publication
order. Readers who like their
murders infused with dry humor will find
much to enjoy.
Gemini Gambit
D. Scott Johnson. D. Scott Johnson, $14.99
Kimberley Trayne, a genius hacker

once known as Angel Rage, is on the run
after five years in hiding, with Mike, an
AI freshly downloaded into a human
body, and a geeky high school boy named
Spencer as her only allies. She fends off
Bolivian gangsters and eludes the FBI
while attempting to defeat a conspiracy to
take over the Evolved Interneta virtual
reality that exists in the world of
Johnsons debut, set 20 years in the
future. Its a cheerfully nerdy caper in
which characters profess fondness for
Terry Pratchett and a virtual model of a
famous light sword makes an appearance.
Johnson makes a
conscious effort to
develop a multiethnic cast of
entertaining characters and mostly
succeeds, but the
story is overstuffed and overpopulated, and
heroine
Kimberleya beauty who dresses
frumpily in realspace but wears cat suits
in the virtual realmssometimes seems
more like a programmers daydream than
a well-rounded character.
Mariahs Dream
Grace Bridges. Splashdown, $13.98 trade
paper (290p) ISBN 978-1-927154-43-4
The first installment in Bridgess

Vortex of ire series paints an evocative
portrait of a not-so-distant future, rife
with hardship and famine, but Bridges
does not inject enough new material to
make her dystopian world unique. Mariah
is a young woman living in a desolate
Belfast, ruled over by the rigid international Senate, a governmental organization controlling the population through
strict vaccinations and food rationing.
Mariah and her friends hatch a secret plot

to grow crops, a form of rebellion that
could endanger
the lives of many.
Bridges writes
with a distinct
voice; the setting
is brought to life
by her clever use
of dialects and
local accents. The
focus on agriculture is a fresh idea,
as it is often overlooked in postapocalyptic
fiction. However, the conventional plot,
wherein a dissatisfied populace rails
against an overbearing dictatorship,
leaves this dystopian tale floundering in a
sea of similar works.
The Mark on Eve

Joel Fox. Bronze Circle, $13.99 trade paper
(286p) ISBN 978-0-692306-19-2
Surprising developments drive Foxs

political thriller with a supernatural
twist. California governor Judith Rhodes,
who could soon be elected the countrys
first female president, is about to enter the
L.A. Coliseum for a campaign rally when
a member of her protective detail
attempts to shoot her. Amazingly, TV
producer Eve Skellar, who helped organize
the rally, throws herself in harms way and
takes the bullet. Even more amazingly,
Eve is only knocked unconscious as a
result. Her incredible survival and
seeming lack of a
past rouse the
curiosity of an
ambitious journalist, Tom
Evanger.
Flashbacks reveal
that Eve is actually several hundred years old, the
victim of a witchs
curse. Meanwhile, as Evanger comes
closer to the truth, an old lover threatens
the governor with blackmail, and she runs
into a political firestorm when her supporters refer to God as being female. The
plot twists come fast and furious, and few
readers will be able to predict how it all
ends.
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Move to Fire:
A Familys Tragedy, a Lone

Attorney, and a Teenagers
Victory over a Corrupt Gunmaker
Michael W. Harkins. Story and Pictures, $14

Harkins crafts a taut legal drama reminiscent of Jonathan Harrs A Civil Action
in this story of a heroic lawyers quest for
justice for the victim of a defective
firearm. Brandon Max was seven years old
and living in Northern California with his
mother and stepfather when in 1994 a
bullet struck and paralyzed him. The
firearm that caused the life-altering injury
was a Bryco Model 38, which had a design
defect: the safety needed to be disengaged
before its chamber could be checked to see
whether it contained any ammunition.
Brandons parents
initial attempt to
sue the manufacturer went
nowhere, but they
get a second
chance in 1999
when Brandons
stepfather, Clint
Stansberry, seeks
out solo law practitioner Richard Ruggieri. After learning
about the family tragedy, Ruggieri
launches a seemingly quixotic lawsuit
against the manufacturers of the weapon,
an effort that lasts well over a decade and
is complicated by the manufacturers
efforts to evade responsibility by filing for
bankruptcy. Harkinss understated
recounting makes a powerful argument
that the government should have the
authority to recall defective firearms.
Mystery Ball 58:

A Season-Long Whodunit
Jeff Polman. Grassy Gutter, $12.99 trade paper (266p) ISBN 978-0-692-38201-1
The 1958 Major League Baseball

season, when the Giants and Dodgers first
began playing in California, provides the
backdrop for this engaging mystery from
Polman, a journalist, screenwriter, and
baseball blogger. Snappy Drake, a former
minor league pitcher, maintains his connection to the sport he loves by working
at San Franciscos Seals Stadium as an
usher. The Seals stadium is the temporary
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home for the
Giants while team
owner Horace
Stoneham tries to
arrange a land
deal to enable the
construction of
Candlestick Park.
On opening day,
the stadium also
becomes home to
bloodshed when Snappy finds a man with
a switchblade in his back, wedged under
some seats. After the dead mans wallet is
found in Snappys apartment, he becomes
a suspect, and hes motivated to do some
amateur sleuthing of his own. The twisted
path to the truth offers more than a few
surprises, though baseball buffs will be
more satisfied than nonfans.
The Potential
David A. Davies. Book Publishers Network,
$16.95 trade paper (288p) ISBN 978-1940598-21-5
Davies brings his decades of experience

as a security consultant to this fast-paced
thriller set in 1995. British soldier Chris
Morehouse, who has finished his tour of
duty, chooses to
stay in Germany,
where he now
works as a motor
pool driver for the
U.S. embassy in
Bonn. When
three kidnappers
target the
armored Cadillac
in which
Americas ambassador to Germany,
Winston Heymann, is a passenger, Chris
springs into action, killing two of the bad
guys and rescuing the diplomat. U.S. senator Robert Corbin, who has presidential
ambitions, is behind the attack. As president, Corbin would be able to punish the
Japanese, who killed his father during the
Bataan Death March in 1942, by
restricting imports to the U.S. Corbins
complex machinations require neutralizing Heymann. Readers who can overlook some awkward prose (It would have
been a fatal and instant death) will enjoy
the twisty ride to a feel-good finish that
promises further adventures for Chris.
Raths Deception
Piers Platt. CreateSpace, $12.99 trade paper
(350p) ISBN 978-1-5174-3661-2
Platt delivers an intrigue-filled first

romp in the Janus Group series. Rath, a
teenage dropout and petty thief with a
difficult past, fends for himself on the
unforgiving planet of Tarkis until a mysterious crime syndicate called the
Janus Group offers
Rath the chance to
live a new life as a
hired assassin,
though it requires
constant deception
and secrecy. When
Rath learns just
what the Janus
Group is involved in, the stakes for his life
and his happiness become astronomically
higher. Platt takes the conventional bildungsroman and infuses it with sharp wit
and an eye for all the gritty details of a
cruel, futuristic world. Where the novel
falters is in the time spent on Raths
training process, which just feels like
filler. In spite of this, Platts world is
inventive, with a strong protagonist that
readers will undoubtedly root for.
Strong Convictions
G.P. Hutchinson. Hutchinson Group, $12.99
Hutchinson spins a lively tale of Texas

Ranger Emmett Strong and his quest for
justice for his brother, Eli. In 1881,
Emmett is celebrating with Eli, who has
just been named a Texas state senator,
when Charlie Blaylock interrupts their
meal to accuse Eli of being responsible for
the death of Thomas, his brother.
Blaylock guns
down Eli and then
flees to Nevada,
where Seth, his
younger brother,
is a member in a
gang that has the
population under
its thumb.
Emmett and his
pardner, Juan
Carlos Galvez, are joined in their pursuit
of Blaylock by an Englishman, Granville
Sikes, who is looking for a new start. In
Nevada, Emmett discovers

that Seth Blaylocks boss,
Lucien McIntosh, kidnaps
women to fill his bordellos,
including young Li Xu, a lovely woman
who has caught Emmetts eye. Emmett
may have to decide between rescuing Li
and bringing Charlie Blaylock to justice.
The Western lingo occasionally feels
forced, and there are a few anachronisms,
but there is enough Western action to satisfy fans.
A Sudden Gust of Gravity

Laurie Boris. CreateSpace, $14.99 e-book
(291p) ISBN 978-1-5191-8193-0
Boris (In the Name of Love) executes a bit

of misdirection in this stage-magicthemed romance. Waitress Christina
Davenport becomes the assistant (and
soon the girlfriend) of Boston street performer Reynaldo
the Magnificent,
despite her complicated family
history with
magic and her distaste for wearing
revealing outfits
and playing
second fiddle.
Though initially
unwilling to accept the support of medical resident Devon Park, who sees somethings wrong when he brings his fiveyear-old nephew to the show, Christina
reaches out to him for help once both
realize they deserve better than their current dysfunctional relationships. Boris is
delightful in interactions where relationships are working well, especially those
among Devon, his nephew, and the rest of
his loving, if demanding, Korean family,
whose portrayal nicely counters tiger
mom stereotypes. However, the tragic
backstories of the characters come
through as melodramatic and somehow
distant, and Reynaldos possessive aggression toward Christine evokes only a vague
disgust instead of being terrifying.
A Womans Worth
Audra North. CreateSpace, $2.99 e-book
(182p) ISBN 978-1-519-36884-3
North (Giving It Up) begins a contemporary erotic series with the realistic
W W W . P U B L I S H E R S W E E K L Y . C O M 58c
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romance of a working
woman entangled with her
older boss. Overworked
Chantal Jones juggles her
upper-level marketing job with caring for
her two kids after a messy divorce. She
guiltily relieves stress and frustration
with sexy fantasies about her aloof boss,
Ronan Nakata, never imagining that her
crush might be returned. Shes astonished
and aroused to learn Ronan is attracted to
her, and he reveals that hes eager to have
Chantal take charge during sexual
encounters. She relishes the power she has
over him, but remains confused about
Ronans restrained, almost passive
behavior; he offers her his body but never
permits a real emotional connection to
develop. Her best friend provides counseling and support as Chantal balances
frequent scorching sex with Ronans tentative approach to emotional intimacy,
trying to figure
out how to get the
committed equal
partnershipand
workplace successthat she
wants. The workmanlike prose
makes its points
too emphatically,
and the characters
are bland and unsurprising, but the story
refreshingly centers the heroine and gives
her most of the sexual agency, and the sex
scenes are more original than the rest of
the story.
Nonfiction
Continuing Actions: A Warriors
Guide to Coming Home
Dan Sheehan. CreateSpace, $14.95 trade
paper (224p) ISBN 978-1-5171-8051-5
Not every returning veteran has fullblown PTSD, but many, if not most, experience a difficult transition from active
duty to civilian life. Sheehan (After Action)
here creates a manual for them. His theory
is that the return is every bit as much a
part of the warriors journey as training
and active duty. Influenced by Joseph
Campbells monomyth of the heros
journey, he believes there is an absence of
guidance for the final stage of this

journey. Analogizing the process to a
military operation, he suggests
that much of what
soldiers experience in uniform
can help them out
of it. The key is
reversing the
compartmentalization that soldiers in combat
need to surviveat home, compartmentalization can wreak havoc. However, the
author warns, Some memories need to be
treated like the HAZMAT they are. Selfcare, buddy-care, and professional help are
the framework for safety necessary to
manage the danger involved with excavating the emotions and reactions of our
past. Ultimately, the book reminds those
who may experience a loss of identity
when they leave active duty that they
remain trained soldiers who know how to
identify and destroy the enemies keeping
them from their objectives. This is a
useful, no-nonsense guide.
Id Rather Wear Pajamas

Chelsea Walker Flagg. Chelsea Walker Flagg,
Coloradoan Flagg is a stay-at-home

mom of three daughters who once had
very specific plans for her life and career;
this kind-hearted though meandering
memoir recounts the path she took to find
her strong and arrive at a destination
that suits her. As the middle child in a
loving family, Flagg initially imagined
shed become a vet,
but that option is
swiftly nixed when
she learns that
some animals get
hurt and cant be
saved. Her next
plan is to become a
feminist, highpowered attorney,
but though she
nails the LSATs, her first entry position
in a law firm leads to the realization that
shed rather wear flip flops (or pajamas)
than suits to work. Her next choice is to
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become an event planner, a job she loves

and which eventually results in her
meeting her husband-to-be at a software
conference that his company is hosting for
clients. Chapters on choosing a pet,
buying a house, planning a wedding,
having a baby, and other topics follow the
theme of letting life unfold organically
without adhering to pre-set goals and
expectations. Though hardly earth-shattering, Flaggs personal (and often
amusing) observations will resonate with
readers grappling with lifes twists and
turns, perhaps particularly young women
who are forging their own unique
destinies.
Life Is Beautiful:
How a Lost Girl Became a True,
Confident Child of God
Sarah M. Johnson. Morgan James, $17.95
This debut memoir from Johnson, a

marriage and family therapist, recounts
the tragedy that tore her family apart and
led to her spiritual and emotional turmoil. In August 2008, 19-year-old
Johnson was on a volunteer Christian
mission in Guatemala with her family. En
route to the village where they were to
build a school, their plane crashed.
Johnson was unharmed, but her father
and brother died
and her mother
spent months in a
hospital burn unit.
The present-tense
narration is a gripping way of
describing the
incident itself, but
it seems less
appropriate for
flashbacks to her Wisconsin upbringing
with a drug-addicted father and her
growing alcohol dependence during high
school and college. The account of her
Aunt Vickis slow death from cancer provides a strong counterpoint to her father
and brothers sudden deaths. The book
ably recreates conversations with family
members, friends, and a therapist, but
expository sections mar the quality of the
writing. The book begins quickly but
never reaches a settled conclusionespecially concerning her mothers health.
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Even so, the refrain Your life was spared
for a reason, and Johnsons journey out of
alcoholism and into Christian faith, are
truly inspirational.
More Collected Couteau:

Essays and Interviews
Rob Couteau. Dominantstar, $24.95 trade
paper (373p) ISBN 978-0-9966888-1-9
Couteaus second collection, after

Collected Couteau, includes essays on topics
such as Henry Millers Tropic of Cancer and
the work of Hubert Selby Jr., as well as
conversations with various figures, many
of them literary biographers. Couteaus
essays are informal, fervent, and wellversed examinations of the work or author
at hand. At their best, they include fascinating insights into the significance of a
writer like Selby. In Couteaus essay on
Tropic of Cancer, however, his thoughtful
examination of Henry Miller as a man
and writer is overshadowed by a weak
defense of the book
against charges of
misogyny. The
interviews are uniformly strong and
include conversations with Michael
Korda on T.E.
Lawrence, Justin
Kaplan on Walt
Whitman, and
Robert Roper on Vladimir Nabokov. Not
all of them focus on literature: author
Jeffrey Jackson covers the 1910 flood of
Paris and why its relatively forgotten,
and Robert De Sena, in one of the best
interviews, discusses his life as a gang
member turned community activist.
Couteaus passion and wealth of knowledge are obvious throughout the book, if
sometimes to the point of overindulgence, and should appeal to many readers.
Portraits from the Revolution:

Interviews with the Protestors
from Occupy Wall Street, 30
September8 October 2011
Rob Couteau. Dominantstar, $19.95 trade
paper (74p) ISBN 978-0-9966888-2-6
The animating spirit of Occupy Wall

Streetthe populist protest over income
inequity and its attendant problems that
roiled the streets of lower Manhattan for
two months in 2011courses through

the interviews and essays that make up
this slim dispatch from the front lines of
the movement at its dawning. Although
the interviewees
were drawn to the
protest for the
wide variety of
issues that it
accommodated
ranging from corporate greed to
despoiling of the
environment,
dependence on
nuclear energy, and inadequate allocation
of resourcesmost cite Americas economic woes as the source of the problems
and align themselves with the 99 percent at the bottom of the income ladder.
The 14 people interviewed by the author
vary in age and occupation and all are
articulate about their grievances, notably
the college student who says [the grievances] may be hard to solve but theyre
not hard problems to think of solutions
for. The author offers no discussion of
how the protest came to happen or what
its ramifications were, and he repeatedly
imposes his assessment that the event is
the Woodstock of our time. Although it
provides interesting commentary, this
book reads less like a finished work than
raw footage in need of shaping.
Soul Vampires: Reclaiming Your

Lifeblood After Narcissistic Abuse
Andrea Schneider. BookBaby, $2.99 e-book
(46p) ASIN B016JBOSY2
In this simplistic guide to recognizing

and recovering from toxic relationships by
licensed psychotherapist and life coach
Schneider, the goal is clear: to help the
victims of narcissists understand and
overcome hurtful experiences. Schneider
details a malignant
narcissists traits
inflated selfesteem, a sense of
entitlement, and an
inability to reciprocate in relationships. The goal of
the narcissist,
Schneider argues, is
to keep the victim
off balance so that the narcissist can feed his or her ego.
The latter half of Schneiders
guide focuses on encouraging the victim to break off all contact
and heal. While the authors heart is in
the right place, Schneiders approach does
not seem effective. The guide is full of
over-the-top metaphors painting the
malignant narcissist as a leech, a vampire,
or a shark. The danger here is that encouraging readers to label their ex-partners in
such black-and-white terms encourages
them to see these individuals as less than
humana mind-set that might hurt
more than it helps. A better approach
might have been a stronger focus on
healing, and less concern for labeling.
Warrior Wife:
Overcoming the Unique Struggles
of a Military Marriage
Hillary Sigrist. WestBow, $5.99 e-book (112p)
ISBN 978-1-5127-0640-6
Debut memoirist Sigrist reflects on her

struggles as the wife of a former U.S. special operations sniper and provides
encouragement for fellow Christian military wives in this thoughtful work. She is
candid about the difficulties of being married to a military man but focuses on how
the experience can strengthen her readers
relationships both
with their husbands and with
God. Sigrist writes
simply and intimately, as if
talking to a best
friend. She recognizes the singular
hardships and
often unacknowledged ways that military wives support
their husbands and country. She also provides tips for dealing with deployments,
PTSD, missed birthdays, and long-distance communication. Her advice is
intended to comfort and provide fortitude
to other military wives but is generally
grounded in the idea that a military wifes
job is to support her husband. She contends that God created woman to be a
helper of man... and there is nothing more
powerful to attend a mans heart than to
have the unwavering support of his
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woman. Each chapter is
structured around a particular issue specific to the military, but Sigrists guidance
is applicable to any woman who strives for
a marriage based on conservative
Christian ideals.
Weight Training Without Injury:

Over 350 Step-by-Step Pictures
Including What Not to Do!
Fred Stellabotte and Rachel Straub. Regalis,
Stellabotte, a personal trainer and veteran of the U.S. Navys Underwater

Demolition Team, and Straub, an exercise
physiologist,
have built a
clear and
comprehensive manual
that lays out
the foundational basics
of how to use
weights and
explicitly
demonstrates the differences between safe,
or correct, movements and injurycausing incorrect ones. The book is
divided into seven sections, kicking off
with a crucial introduction to selecting
the right workout regimen. Subsequent
sections focus on different parts of the
body: legs, back, chest, shoulders, arms,
and the all-important core. Along with
the essential weight exercise for the body
part in question, these sections go over
necessary equipment, key points for safe
and effective movement, and Master
Techniques, the more advanced exercises.
The writing is clean and straightforward,
effectively communicating what to avoid
and what to do, as incorrect form can be
dangerous. Color photographs appear on
nearly every page illustrating the authors
tips. This guide is essential for anyone
who hopes to get into weight training,
and it should be mandatory reading before
setting foot into any gym.
Yum: Plant-Based Recipes for

a Gluten-Free Diet
Theresa Nicassio. D&D Publishing, $35 hardcover (368p) ISBN 978-0-9939156-0-4
Refreshingly free of politics and

polemics, Nicassios book strictly focuses
on the food, offering thoughtful and practical recipes such as her Best No MeatMeat, a combination of mushrooms, walnuts, onions, and herbs used to create
shepherds pie, as well as spaghetti and
veggie meatballs. Kid- and familyfriendly food dominates the book, with
vegan versions of mac and cheese, tacos,
vanilla ice cream, and chocolate chip
cookies, as well as inventive riffs. She
employs baked polenta as a substitute
crust for pizza and collard greens as a
stand-in for tortillas in wrapsall of
which are simple and ingenious. A highlight are her chia chips, a crunchy snack
full of healthy ingredients that work well
with all manner of dips. Even carnivores
will find dishes like Rhos Giardiniera
Pickled Vegetables and garlic-infused
polenta hard to resist. Most recipes are as
straightforward, though
some, such as
lemon cupcakes, call for a
painfully specific ingredient (in this
case, a quarter
teaspoon of
psyllium husk
powder), which may be off-putting to initiates. That said, once readers have sorted
out their preferences and tastes (particularly regarding which sugar substitute
theyll be using), theyre good to go.
Childrens & YA
Kasey Screws Up the World
Rachel Shane. Twinstar, $3.99 e-book (343p)
ASIN B013F4ER6U
Everyone makes mistakesthats a

simple fact of growing up. High school
student Kaseys mistake, however, ends
her older sisters promising dancing career
and leaves Kasey without friends or family
support. Kaseys whole life has been spent
in the shadow of her older sister, Lara.
Kasey loves to dance, but their parents
only see Laras talent. That all changes on
a family cruise where Kasey meets a boy
named Finn. With his prompting, Kasey
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stretches her wings, and tragedy strikes,

one that requires significant suspension of
disbelief. Back home in Manhattan, Kasey
struggles to make things right with Lara
and all those she
feels shes harmed,
including Finn.
While Shane
(Alice in
Wonderland High)
ably portrays the
confusing mindset of an ordinary
teen, the novel,
which shifts
between present-day actions and Kaseys
blog posts about what happened on the
ship, dwells in trumped-up dramas and
easy solutions. Kasey is defined mostly by
her rampant self-centeredness, and Lara
and their parents are also difficult to love,
with the former coming across as a typical
mean girl and the latter as criminally negligent. Ages 14up.
Flight
Charlene Moncrief. Amazon Digital Services,
$4.99 e-book (349p) ASIN B00THX8J6S
Wealthy Manhattan heiress Camille

Vanderhale is already undergoing a
strange transformationsuddenly able to
float in midair, crushing hard on Xavier, a
maintenance manwhen the high school
senior discovers that there are angels on
Earth. But their existence contains the
secret to her familys fortune: an
Illuminati plot, a purported deal with the
devil, and a legion of power-hungry
descendants. But first-time author
Moncriefs story line falters early and
often, weighed down by flat characters
and repetitive references to high-end
brands, details such as Xaviers too-full
upper lip, and other tired phrasings.
Moncrief glosses over key plot points
rushing to establish Camilles
bond with her
sister, employing
a basic Web
search as a clunky
device to move
the tale forward
yet indulges in
lengthy passages
to describe the
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romantic encounters between Camille and
her lover. Although the final battle shows
some depth, the overall result is a lusty
page-turner that should appeal to those
looking for a bit of steaminess, but with
little
in the way of substance. Ages 12up.
Silverwood
D.E. Vollrath. Wicked Pig, $11.99 trade paper
(280p) ISBN 978-0-692-44433-7
Evoking a sense of wonder and joy,

Vollraths debut, set in the fictional port
city of Flosston Moor, follows Eleanor
Wigton as she starts her second year at the
prestigious Penwick Academy. Magic is
banishedsupposedly deadafter a fire
ripped through part of the city. Eleanor is
a quiet, studious 12-year-oldin fact,
shes first in her class. Despite her youth,
and perhaps because of her sterling reputation, she and five older students are
chosen to work on a secret project, with
the blessing of the
headmistress.
What follows is an
adventure like no
other, leading
Eleanor and friends
into a world of
mysterious liquid
books,
Netherdoors, and
dark Dwarven territories. Page-turning action entwines
with familiar struggles, written in a way
that calls to mind similar fantasy novels
(students at Penwick must choose
between houses/specializations such as
Numerancy, Navigation, and Barristers).
Yet Vollraths story stands firmly on its
own merits as it explores Eleanors
internal and external journeys, friendships, the other (dwarves, namely), and
the good and bad decisions made by
young and old alike. Ages 10up.
mals. Sassafrass Jones, the Pekingese who

starred in 2013s Sassafrass Jones & Her
Search for a Forever Home, is essentially
absent from this book, which instead
offers a tour of the alphabet based around
other Steiff animals. The animals are
described using short, alliterative phrases
(Snails Slithering, Tigers in Tiaras)
and identified in English, French,
Spanish, German, Chinese, and Japanese.
A Dog with Desserts wears a checkered
red-and-white dress and pushes a cart of
sweets: Who is this dog serving pies,
cakes, and strudel?/ She goes by the name
of Snobby the poodle, reads the accompanying rhyme. Facts
about the Steiff toys and
their production are
also included for each
figure, which include
Paddy, a wig-wearing
walrus, and a pair of
Crabby lobsters, who
are pictured lunching on some of their
fellow crustaceans. While the details
mined from Steiff history will probably
interest adult collectors most, the playful
photographic compositions and languagelearning elements should hold young
readers attention. Ages 48.
Sassafrass Jones and Her Forever

Friends ABCs
Cathleen Smith-Bresciani and Rebekah
Kaufman, photos by Tomas Espinoza. Luxury
Kitten, $14.95 hardcover (32p) ISBN 978-0578-15002-4
Smith-Bresciani gains a coauthor in

Kaufman for this second title built around
photographs of vintage Steiff stuffed aniW W W . P U B L I S H E R S W E E K L Y . C O M 58g
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February 2016

Your Guide to Self-Publishing

EROTICA & EROTIC ROMANCE

or those unfamiliar with the

Last year, the author Peter C. Hayward,

Erotica trends and

includes relations between women and

Trends in erotic romance tend to be less

EROTICA & EROTIC ROMANCE

fighters. Were not jumping on

Any story about trends in erotica

Its complicated selling

the highest standards possible.

charity. I feel like so

back to social work.

ike hundreds of other indie

Marketing Your Blog

ts great to see authors start blogs to help them build

readers ask. Make sure you subscribe to the comments on your

will mean that youve won at blog marketing.

$14.95 paper (338p), ISBN 978-09908562-0-7; $3.99 e-book,

This collection of short

NEW SELFPUBLISHED LISTINGS

Constantinople. This is the story of the

FINALIST IN THE 2015 USA BEST BOOK AWARDS

different from what he expected.

HONORABLE MENTION FOR THE 23RD ANNUAL

As the Poppies Bloomed

Independent Publishers Group

NEW SELFPUBLISHED LISTINGS

Can the American and British allies

way back to each other as past secrets are

Calling All Indie Authors...

And thats just for starters.

Let us help you Prepare, Publish and Promote your

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The Rise of Nazil: Secret of the Seven

e-book, ASIN B00RUAX0WS

Baker Molly Tauber endlessly awaits her molasses-slow fianc

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Igbo Mediators of Yahweh Culture of

nings to prosperity and achievement.

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entangled in a dastardly political

his struggles with life. His parents

In the past month, we reviewed 27 self-published

The Bride Tournament

Fall into Darkness: Eternally Mated #1

Fleeting Promise: An Enescu Fleet Mystery

Id Rather Wear Pajamas

Life Is Beautiful: How a Lost Girl Became a True,

More Collected Couteau: Essays and Interviews

Portraits from the Revolution:

Sherban Young. MysteryCaper, $29 hardcover (256p) ISBN 978-09912324-7-5

Rob Couteau. Dominantstar, $19.95 trade paper (74p) ISBN 978-09966888-2-6

D. Scott Johnson. D. Scott Johnson, $14.99 trade paper (454p)

The Mark on Eve

Move to Fire: A Familys Tragedy, a Lone Attorney,

Michael W. Harkins. Story and Pictures, $14 trade paper (348p)

Mystery Ball 58: A Season-Long Whodunit

Andrea Schneider. BookBaby, $2.99 e-book (46p) ASIN B016JBOSY2

Warrior Wife: Overcoming the Unique Struggles of a

Weight Training Without Injury:

Yum: Plant-Based Recipes for a Gluten-Free Diet