PW Select November 2016

Social Media
Marketing
November 2016
Your Guide to
Self-Publishing
Mastering Social Media
Meet the Judges of the
BookLife Prize in Fiction
Reviews Roundup
97 New Titles Listed
SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING
Standing Out from the Pack

As social media platforms get more crowded, indie authors are
recalibrating their marketing efforts
By Alex Daniel
s social media platforms

evolve, adding new tools,
mobile offerings, and
enhanced personalization, indie authors are
evolving with them. Facebook, Twitter,
and the other major platforms are more
crowded than ever, requiring authors to
find more creative ways to be heard above
the noise. Compounding this challenge
is that these platforms have been
adjusting their algorithms to filter posts
for perceived relevance. (For example,
this summer Instagram introduced a new
way of ordering posts so youll see the
moments you care about first, as the
company described it in a statement.)
This results in promotional messages
being pushed lower on users feeds or filtered out altogether, putting added pressure on authors who are seeking ways to
attract followers and gain attention.
One way around this is for authors to
put greater effort into tailoring their
social media messaging. Its important
for authors to interact in an organic
waydont set up your Facebook page
and just say, buy my book, says Carol
Palomba, social media manager for the
author submission service Writers
Relief and its Self-Publishing Relief and
Web Design Relief divisions. She has
taken to advising the indie authors she
consults with to avoid promotional language in their posts and, instead, to
talk about yourself, where youre getting inspiration from, and share what
would be of interest to readers and
followers.
Another way to stand out in a crowded
social media landscape is to pay for ads
outright. That has been the experience of
Mark Dawson, an author of 25 self-pub-
Mark Dawson
Keith Ogorek
lished novels who has found significant

success promoting his books through
paid Facebook ads. He currently spends
almost a quarter of a million dollars a
year on Facebook ads alone, and has
expanded from using them to sell his
own books to teaching other self-published authors how to do it for themselves through his Self Publishing
Formula service.
Since 2013, Dawson has experimented
with a variety of online and social media
platforms. He has found that Twitter
offers cheap, targeted clicks that work
well when he is going after a preexisting
audience. For example, his spy/action
novels share elements with the books of
James Patterson, so he has created ads
that explicitly say: Do you like this
book? Then youll like my book.
By looking at the whole thing holistically, you can put together an ad that is
compelling, Dawson says. Then users
click over to the store or sign on to my
mailing list.
Dawson has set up Lead Generation
Cards on his Twitter account so that
people who follow him receive a mention
tweet back (not seen by others) that
encourages them to sign up for his
mailing list in order to receive a pair of
free books. He emphasizes that building
a mailing list is one of the most important ways to use social media, calling it
60 P U B L I S H E R S W E E K L Y N O V E M B E R 2 1 , 2 0 1 6
Julie Broad
one of the most valuable assets authors

can have these days. I can launch a new
book into the top 100 on Amazon with
the right email campaign. And, thanks
to the evolution of ad technology, it is
getting easier for authors to use their
promotions to directly sell books. The
expanding availability and use of buy
buttons on Facebook, Twitter, and elsewhere allows for direct calls to action to
be embedded into ads or profiles,
decreasing the number of steps a potential customer must go through from
seeing a promotion to making a
purchase.
Dawson says that, though Google Ads
have worked for him, their high cost
makes them less appealing. He has been
doing some experimenting on Pinterest
and LinkedIn as well. But its Facebook
that has proved by far the most valuable
for Dawson.
Thats not to say that its simple to succeed on Facebook, especially as its popularity has grown. When Dawson began
using Facebook ads two years ago, there
was no one doing it, and he was getting
a substantial return on investment for his
advertising dollars. This has tapered off
as more authors and other marketers have
embraced the service, and clicks have
gotten more expensive and the audience
less receptive.
But the number of potential readers on
SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING

Facebook and the services tools to target
them appeal to Dawson. I can say, Find
more people like the people on my
mailing list, and if you have enough
points of accurate comparison, you can
get a lookalike audience to send your ads
to, he says. While his mailing list is
approaching 70,000 addresses, by delivering ads to a lookalike audience, the
potential audience rises to millions,
rather than tens of thousands.
Value in Video
An increasingly popular social media

tool is livestreaming, which allows
authors to directly interact with viewers,
fans, and prospective customers, whether
answering questions during a q&a or
tracking their live reactions during a
cover reveal. The recently launched
Facebook Live has seen steady growth in
number of livestreaming accounts and
views. For authors struggling to stand
out in a crowded newsfeed, the platform
is ideal, as Facebook has been working to
promote the service and those who
stream on it. At least at the moment, if
an author goes live, his or her friends
receive a notification.
You will get attention from folks who
havent been watching what youre
doing, says Julie Broad, speaker, indie
author, and founder of Rev N You
Training Inc., which specializes in tips
for investing in real estate. Broad has
used video to promote her books and
events for years, but she believes that
now is a particularly good time to get
into livestreaming. Next time youre in
a cool spot that will make for a great
background or you have something really
exciting to share around your book, go
live, she says.
YouTube Live is also a tool that she has
found useful. Using that, Broad
livestreamed a fund-raising event she
held to promote her 2016 personalimprovement book The New Brand You.
She did three burpees (a full-body
strength-training exercise) for every
person who bought three books at the
event, called Burpees for Books. Proceeds
from the sales went to the Canadian Red
Cross and Believe in Youth.

In addition to offering real estate tips,
Broad advises people on how to build
their personal brands. She has found
some of her greatest success with
YouTube videos, which allow for longer
messages and tips, and which she has
used since releasing her first book, in
2013. While she continues to use
YouTube, she has updated her approach
to the service in intervening years.
YouTube now favors videos with higher
quality when they show recommended
videosfor example, HD- and 4K-shot
videos are more likely to show above
lesser-quality videos with similar content, Broad says. She adds that she also
has found that good content is not
enough to get attention. As with so
much in indie publishing, even if its
self-produced, it doesnt have to look it:
good lighting, professional editing, and
sleek use of sound effects and titles are all
important.
Beyond the Big Guys
While Facebook and Twitter are the biggest platforms for authors seeking to
interact with their readers, more-niche
services appeal to authors who are especially looking to stand out. There are
more platforms than ever before, so that
means there is more opportunity than
ever before to connect with readers
through social media, says Keith
Ogorek, senior v-p of marketing at
Author Solutions. The key is to really
understand where your potential readers
are gathered and use that platform to
reach them.
Ogorek says authors have found success with BookGrabbr. The service allows
authors to share extended previews of
their books with readers who post about
the books on social media sites, with
BookGrabbr then tracking analytics and
impacts on sales. Though its a paid service, Ogorek has found that it can really
help a book get discovered and shared
through your social network.
The key, Ogorek says, is to focus on the
particular platforms or services where
readers are most likely to be. Romance
authors will find a ready

audience with highly
visual posts on Instagram
and Tumblr. Offering quick tips in
Facebook Live or YouTube videos works
well for self-help. Authors will find success by zeroing in on certain platforms,
and on specific services within those
platforms, and learning the nuances of
what works and what doesnt.
To help make sense of all of this, analytics have gotten better for authors.
Rather than just looking at how many
followers they have, authors can assess
how engaged they are, how influential
they may be, or how to reach others who
are similar.
Ogorek urges indie authors to use
these questions to guide their investments in social media and go beyond
simply working to increase their numbers of friends or followers. You are
better off having 100 people follow you
who have 1,000 followers who they can
reach than having 1,000 who have 10
followers, he says.
It is also key for authors to commit to
platforms for long enough to see results.
Those expecting instant success will
likely be disappointed. But authors who
embrace the process, gathering data from
the analytics and using that to shape
their decisions, are far more likely to
learn from each step of their social media
marketing efforts.
Theres time involved, stresses
Palomba, of Writers Relief. Ive had
people who run a Facebook ad and feel
disappointed because it didnt result in a
lot of sales.
Self Publishing Formulas Dawson
expresses a similar sentiment. Ive
heard people say, I spent $50 on
Facebook ads and they arent working,
but this takes time, he emphasizes.
Some hit on the right combination
early; others have to test a bit to get
there. You need the data, need to test it
and continually figure it out before you
start to see a return.
Alex Daniel is a writer living in New York

City.
W W W . P U B L I S H E R S W E E K LY. C O M
61
BOOKLIFE PRIZE
Meet the Judges

The semifinal round of the BookLife Prize in Fiction will be judged
by six bestselling and award-winning authors
By Nicole Audrey Spector
Eleanor Brown
Writing to Answer a Question

The idea of the struggling novelist may
be clich, but Eleanor Brownour general fiction judgelends honesty and
depth to the notion because shes a successful novelist who still struggles creatively. Novels are a tough nut to crack,
says Brown. Theyre just
so complex. It took me
a number of tries to
get something that
was worthy of
o t h e r p e o p l e s
time, which was
my first novel [The
Weird Sisters], published in 2011.
Brown admits that her debut did very
well, but, even after her initial success,
she faced the all-too-familiar struggle
with her second novel, The Light of Paris
(Random House, July 2016). It took a
number of tries with that novel, too,
she says.
To keep sane
and stay interested
in writing, Brown
is working on
shorter pieces,
such as book
reviews and nonfiction focused on
CrossFit, one of
her passions. In
2013, her book WOD Motivation: Quotes,
Inspiration, Affirmations, and Wisdom to
Stay Mentally Tough was published by
Adams Media.
Brown is also devoted to helping
othersself-described writers or not
find their voices and stories as authors,
and she teaches writing workshops at the

Writers Table in Highlands Ranch,
Colo., and at Lighthouse Writers
Workshop in Denver. I found
that being able to write full time,
which is the dream, can also be
dangerous, Brown says. It
means your self-worth rises and
falls based on what writing you have,
and sometimes its outside of your control. I wanted to get out of myself and
care about other peoples writing
projects.
As a BookLife Prize judge, Brown is
looking for work that asks questions and
explores ideas about who we are and the
problems we face and that reveals an
authors unique investment in the issue
at hand. Yes, character matters, yes,
voice matters, yes, story matters, but Im
always looking for the something extra
that I feel others can connect to, Brown
says. Im looking for a story that says
something. It doesnt have to make a
grand statement about life. It can be
really intimate and small, but a story that
has real meaning is important. A lot of
people may go straight to literary fiction,
but one of my favorite books to teach
from is Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella. Its
light chick lit, but it asks interesting
questions about consumerism and the
way we present ourselves. You can find
that in any story, so long as its honest
and the author is aware.
Amanda Hocking
Out of This World
Amanda Hocking, author and the judge

of our YA category, says she has a difficult
time describing her own work. When
you take into consideration that shes
writing YA paranormal
romance that features
monsters, vampires,
trolls, and other bizarre
beings, you may cut
her some slack. Her
writing embraces some
wildly strange stuff that
m
ust be read to be
M
AR IA
H PAAVERUD
understood.
But, however unearthly Hockings
characters may be, theyre not without
relatable qualities, and Hocking writes
with the goal of
creating tough
female protagonistsof this
world or not. I
look to pen strong
female leads and
use a lot of paranormal elements
[in] the obstacles
they face, says Hocking, a 32-year-old
Minnesotan who got her start publishing
in 2010, initially on Amazon and then
with other self-publishing platforms.
Her self-published work took off. No,
it skyrocketed. One of the greatest early
examples of self-publishing success,
Hocking made millions off her first
series, My Blood Approves.
Despite the ability to pocket so much
of the proceeds (one of self-publishings
greatest attributes), Hocking signed
with St. Martins Press in 2011. As book
sales started blowing up, it was a lot of
work for me to do on my own, Hocking
says. I wanted someone to help with
marketing and editing and the other
aspects that arent writing.
To date Hocking estimates that she has
December 7, 2016
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BOOKLIFE PRIZE
published 20 books,
about half of them on her
own and half with St.
Martins. Shes returning to self-publishing this month, at this point only
with one novel, Swear, the final book in
the My Blood Approves series. I am selfpublishing because the publisher didnt
want it given that its about vampires
and thats not popular anymore,
Hocking says, adding that this may be
her only return to self-publishing,
because she much prefers for a publisher
to handle the marketing.
The fact that Hockings latest novel
doesnt fall into a popular category in YA
paranormal shows that she is not too concerned with trends. But she does look for
edge and innovation.
What is great about YA is that you
can bend genres and themes, Hocking
says. In this contest, Im hoping to see
something innovative that incorporates
different things and pushes the
envelope.
Taran Matharu
From Going Viral to Going

Traditional
YA fantasy author Taran Matharuour
judge for the middle grade category
was nearly set on working in business
until he discovered that he could actually
make a career out of being an author.
Three years ago, the now-25-year-old
Londoner decided to participate in
NaNoWriMo and joined the online storytelling community Wattpad to share
his work in progress. It was then and
there that the Summoner Trilogy was
born, with the first novel, The Novice,
quickly coming to life over the course of
that month.
Initially, I didnt get much feedback,

Matharu says of the book, which he
describes as Harry Potter meets Lord of
the Rings meets Pokmon. But, a few
days in, Matharu picked up one devoted
reader in Indonesia who was reading
every chapter and posting exultant
reviews.
That was all it took to get the buzz
started, and the readers pouring in. By
the end of the month [it] had been read
100,000 times, Matharu says. Four
months in, it hit a million reads.
A million reads sounds like it
converts to a lot of dough, right?
Nope. Wattpad is less a self-publishing platform than it is a social
media site for readers and writers.
No transactions take place, only
liking and sharing, which, with more
than 40 million users across the world,
can enable projects to go viral, as happened with Matharus book.
Soon after Matharu crossed the onemillion-reads threshold, he got a call
from an NBC journalist writing about
serialized fiction. The journalist included
him and some of the concept art hed
commissioned in the piece. The day
after it came out, I got interest from an
audiobook publisher, the author says.
Matharu then reached out to agents
and ultimately secured a book deal with
the Macmillan imprint Feiwel and
Friends. The Battlemage, the third book
in the Summoner Trilogy, publishes next
May. For now, Matharu wants to stick
with traditional publishing but imagines
that if ever he were writing faster than
publishers wanted to publish, hed consider self-publishing on the side.
On occasion, Matharu still shares work
for free via Wattpad, a platform that he
uses not only to continue
to grow his audience, but
also to discover new
voices. While he tends to
favor fantasy, he values
any type of story that creates a world and sucks the
reader inwithout a headache. Im looking for
something easy to read,
that flows well, and a world that pulls

you in, even if its set in the microcosm
of a high school, for example, he says.
Courtney Milan
The Human Struggles at the

Heart of Romance
Romance/erotica judge Courtney Milan
found that there was only so much
reading she could do before the craving
to start writing herself
overwhelmed her. I
read all my life,
particularly historical romance,
and there was a
point where I hit
a critical mass,
the author of historical fiction says. I
started writing. This was
in 2006, when I was 30 years old.
Within two years from the time she
first put pen to page, Milan was picked
up by HQN. I was with them for four
books, which, given the lag between contract and publication, [added up to]
about three years. I then started selfpublishing around the end of 2010.
Milan was inspired to self-publish, she
says, after witnessing authors like
Amanda Hocking selling book after
book in a way no one could imagine.
But what truly sold her on going indie
was the promise of having control over
every aspect of her work.
I get really stressed out over not
having control, and with self-publishing,
I can make choices about things (like
covers) that I wouldnt have made,
Milan says. I have freedom.
Though self-publishing is famously
demanding of its authors, who must also
be aggressive marketers and fast workers
in order to succeed, Milan doesnt rush or
frenzy herself. She puts out an average of
two full-length novels a year, which she
admits is slow for romance fiction, and
doesnt sweat the stuff thats out of her
control, like whats trending and whether
her novels will attract every romance
reader.
I dont really have an opinion on other
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BOOKLIFE PRIZE
peoples opinions, if that
makes sense, Milan
says. Theres no one
romance reader and no one trend.
What Milan does care about is telling
a story that, she says, feels emotionally
real, which is also what she seeks as a
reader. I look for characters tackling
real, human struggles and who are better
for getting through those struggles
together, Milan says. The world is
messy and complicated, and no one book
can capture it all, but I am looking for
something that captures something real
for that author. And it certainly doesnt
have to be realistic to be authentic.
Jason Pinter
A Press to Impressand
Even Thrill
Jason Pinter, who is judging the BookLife
Prizes mystery/thriller
category, worked at
traditional publishing houses
before branching
out to launch his
own press, Polis
Books, in 2013. The
New York Citybased
press publishes in both hardcover and
paperback, as well as digital.
I wanted to establish an independent
publisher that had the nimbleness and
scrappiness of a small press but the professionalism of a larger publisher, Pinter
says, adding that hes always had an
entrepreneurial spirit. It helped him get
far in publishing as an editor, but also
contributed to his frustrations with
bureaucratic decision-making processes
that were so often beyond his control.
There were just so many cooks in the
kitchen, and every time you want to
acquire something, you have to go
through so many departments,
Pinter says. An editor only has so
much to say as those around him allow,
and a book can die on the vine.
Polis publishes all sorts of literature,
but has an affinity for thrillers and mystery, genres that Pinter has always been
a fan of. I grew up loving the Black
Orchid, he says, referring to the now

closed Manhattan bookshop that specialized in mystery. I would go there with
my father every couple weeks, and hed
buy a big bag of books and then pass
them on to me.
Pinter is also a novelist, and prior to
launching Polis published several
thrillers of his own, along with a childrens book. At the moment, though, he
has put writing on hold to concentrate
on growing Polis.
When youre running a press, theres
no such thing as nine to five or weekends, Pinter says. This takes up all my
time, but I plan to get back to writing
soon.
As a diehard crime fiction fan, Pinter
says hes not looking for any particular
subgenre when he sits down to read a
new book. What he does seek, however,
are compelling characters.
If Im spending 300400 pages
reading about characters, I have to like
their company, even if theyre not likable
people, Pinter says, adding that he also
appreciates a deeply detailed atmosphere
that keeps the pages turning. After
character and atmosphere, if the author
has something new to say, that is exciting
for me.
Tim Pratt
Caring About Horrible People

Author Tim Pratt admired all the arts
growing up, but was most attracted to
writing for one all too practical reason:
I was poor Southern trailer trash. And
writing was cheap.
Pratt, the judge of the SF/fantasy/
horror category, says his first love was
poetry, which he began
publishing in college.
As he kept at it, his
interest in sci-fi and
fantasy took off and
soon he was publishing short stories
in those genres. In
2005, he hit what he
calls his highest point:
Michael Chabon chose one of his stories,
Hart and Boot, for reprint in that years
edition of The Best American Short Stories.

Soon after, Pratt received a Hugo
Award for his short story Impossible
Dreams. All the while, he was toiling
away on novels, which he writes
prolifically.
Ive published more than 30 books in
the past decade, says Pratt, who publishes both traditionally and on his own.
He cites Patreon among his favorite selfpublishing platforms, saying it has
allowed him to return to his preferred
form, short stories.
I started over a year ago to publish a
story a month, and thats been really
greatnow Im getting around $700 in
pledges a month, Pratt says of the platform. It feels like being a new writer
again, challenging myself, and getting
paid what Id get from a magazine, while
[maintaining the option] to sell them as
reprints.
Pratt describes his work as urban contemporary fantasy, with his favorite
aspect of the genre being its ability to
turn real-world problems into rich metaphors. Ive always been fascinated by the
idea of magic intruding in the everyday
world, Pratt says. You can write about
somebody being in a house thats been
foreclosed on [and show that] by having
their house beset by monsters.
Despite being a big horror fan (he was
reading Stephen King in the third grade),
Pratt has found himself drifting from the
genre as a writer. I moved away from
horror because my worldview just isnt
that dark, he says. Life is pretty
amazing, and I believe that people can
overcome anything.
Still, as a reader, Pratt loves to be
seduced into caring for despicable people.
I want authors to trick my brain into
caring about characters as though theyre
real, even if theyre awful people, he
says. It doesnt have to be potboilery,
he adds. Just give me those characters,
a plot that moves along, and maybe
something I havent seen before.
Nicole Audrey Spector is a Los Angeles writer

whose work has appeared in the Atlantic, the
New Yorker, and Vice.
PAID LISTINGS
New Titles
From Self-Publishers
Booksellers, publishers, librarians, and agents are encouraged to look at the 97 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
The Beauty in Darkness:
A Vampire Story
Leah Reise. CreateSpace. $11 paper
(266p), ISBN 978-1-5353-4344-2
Amazon
A vampire story about two
estranged sisters and their
interconnected journeys
through an eerie quantum
world of life and death.
Bills Life:
Life Stories of a Shape Shifter
Ken Chodak. Xlibris. $19.99 paper
(116p), ISBN 978-1-51446856-2; $3.99 e-book,
ISBN 978-1-5144-6855-5
Amazon
Bill is an ordinary man
with a not-so-ordinary life.
He neither believes he is overly special,
nor seeks to save the world from itself.
Join him on his journey.
Cancer, Faith & Butterflies:
How Do You Believe When Your
World Falls Apart?
Johnny M. Sanchez. Johnny
M. Sanchez. $12.94 paper
(TKp), ISBN 978-1-51361612-4; $2.99 e-book,
ISBN 978-1-5136-1611-7
Amazon
When pushed to the very end of his
limits, Joe must decide how far he is
willing to fall before he lets God catch
him.
The Cleaning Crew

Richard D. Hayes. AuthorHouse. $20.99
paper (336p), ISBN 978-1-5246-0387-8;
$3.99 e-book, ISBN 978-1-5246-0386-1
Amazon
Aptly named the Cleaning
Crew, a group of smart people
decides to take on singleparty government in a progressive state to march
toward positive change. Will their agenda
work?
The Coney Island Book of the Dead,
An Illustrated Novel
Sheila Martin. Narrioch Books. $2.99
e-book, ASIN B01LWQ2QHO
Amazon
A girl hears secret threats
in songs and fears that
someone close to her will
die. Helped by a blues
singer and an old woman
who cheated the angel of death, she tries
to prevent this.
Dear M.K.
Gay Baines. iUniverse. $16.95 paper
(295p), ISBN 978-0-595-22628-3;
$3.99 e-book, ISBN 978-1-4697-5938-8
Amazon
A story of friendship,
love, and loss between a
woman and an author she
has never met, and the consequences of their meeting.
What they learn about each other is something neither ever expected.
Doctor Margaret in Delhi:

The Azadi Series, Book 2
Waheed Rabbani. Historical Fiction
Novels Publishing. $14.99 paper (364p),
ISBN 978-0-9938635-0-9
Amazon, Apple iBooks,
BN.com, Kobo
Dr. Margaret travels to a
hospital in India. There she
has to not only overcome
work pressures, but also deal
with her intimidators and intrigues of the
Mughals, at the Delhi Red Fort.
Father Flanagan Laments:
A Satirical Novel
Denny Goetz. Outskirts Press. $14.95
paper (247p), ISBN 978-1-4787-7594-2
Amazon, BN.com
This satirical novel features an addled priest who
struggles to please his God
and repress his personal
demons, while grappling
with the hypocrisies of church and
community.
Four of a Kind
Vanessa Russell. CreateSpace. 99
e-book, ASIN B00MFYIUKG
Amazon
Four generations of
women meet at their dining
room table to write about
their year of awakening.
Instead each comes with her
own isolated agenda: to either tell off or
tell all.
PAID LISTINGS
George Bailey Gets Saved in the End

Ken ONeill. CreateSpace. $5.99 e-book,
ASIN B01LX98OTR
Amazon
Same holiday, different
George. After his father dies
and his wife leaves, George
Bailey quickly meets a new
woman and maybe even Jesus. Is it a miracle or a nervous breakdown?
Image
D.L. Mueller. Xlibris. $19.99 paper
(172p), ISBN 978-1-5144-8768-6;
$3.99 e-book, ISBN 978-1-5144-8767-9
Amazon
A fictional depiction
about what happens when
government, religion, and
technology collide. Events
unravel when an attempt to
generate an image of Jesus Christ through
DNA go awry.
Legend of the Coco Palms Resort
Rita DOrazio. Wasteland Press. $9.99
e-book, ASIN B01LZEMTR5
Amazon, BN.com, Chapters, Indigo
Abby Parker arrives in Kauai to acquire
the onetime luxurious Coco
Palms Resort, which has
been sitting dormant since
September 11, 1992, thanks
to Hurricane Iniki. A suspense/mystery romance.
5035-0445-5
Amazon
A psychological thriller
about lies and deceit and of
deep and abiding loveand
the ability of the human
spirit to rise above lifes tragic influences.
Publishing. $3.99 e-book,

ASIN B01M0O61QX
Amazon
Gloria Larson continues
to be a magnet for mayhem
in this third book in the
Rosewood Series.
Rendezvous in Baghdad
Ben Sheldon. iUniverse. $14.95 paper
(208p), ISBN 978-1-4759-3677-3;
$3.99 e-book, ISBN 978-1-4759-3679-7
Amazon
A priests molestation
drives an Iraqi-American
pilot into an international
drama that culminates with
unexpected ramifications
that change everything forever. Will the
pilot restore his familys honor in time to
visit his ailing father?
The Chemist
Alan J. Field. ThrillRide Media. $3.99
e-book, ISBN 978-0-9980508-0-5
Amazon, BN.com, Kobo,
Smashwords
The most virulent weapon
of mass destruction will be
unleashed on the world, but
Delta Force veteran Daniel
Strong isnt about to let that happen.
POETRY
100 Concentric Dialectics of Eccentric
Fish Antics
Anthony Ruffle. AuthorHouse. $14.95
paper (116p), ISBN 978-1-5049-7753-1;
$3.99 e-book, ISBN 978-1-5049-7754-8
Amazon
This book reveals the
rhythmic realizations of the
fate of the world. Explore a
souls dissertation of Earths
nationsfrom destruction,
to appreciation, and ultimately to love as
the only salvation.
Medicine for Mankind

Michael Eidam. CreateSpace. $12.99
paper (396p), ISBN 978-1-5352-2006-4;
$4.99 e-book, ASIN B01L8JYREQ
Amazon
A satire about the
Washington elite and their
omnipresent government, a
16-year-old social outcast,
and a mysterious recluse
who offers to save mankind from extinctionfor a price.
Secrets of My Heart
Imania Margria. Lulu Publishing. $21
paper (188p), ISBN 978-1-4834-5252-4
Amazon, Apple iBooks, BN.com, Google
Play, Lulu.com
In Margrias collection of
poetry and prose, she shares
heartfelt secrets of love, forbidden desire, hope, loss,
and passion offered in various languages, hoping to inspire others.
Metamorphosis
M. Kelly. Xlibris. $24.19 paper (344p),
ISBN 978-1-5035-0444-8; $4.99
e-book, ISBN 978-1-
Bad Blood of Rosewood: Book 3,

Rosewood Series
G.M. Barlean. Less Traveled Roads
MYSTERY/THRILLER
The Docent
Tom Kenny. CreateSpace. $12.95 paper
(266p), ISBN 978-1-5169-3114-9
Amazon, BN.com
Tentacles from a fictionalized version of the Gardner
Museum heist grab onto the
Boston legal community,
and chaos permeates lives
throughout Boston.
Its About Time: A Mysterious Time
Travel Conspiracy
Lyle Howard. EbookPro. $3.99 e-book,
ASIN B01LQKGIVM
Amazon
This novel takes the
reader on a rocket ride
through history to reveal a
suspenseful conspiracy.
A More Deadly Union
Gayle Carline. Dancing Corgi Press.
$13.99 paper (334p), ISBN 978-1943654-06-2; $3.99 e-book,
ISBN 978-1-943654-07-7
Amazon, BN.com
Featuring 50-year-old PI
Peri Minneopa, this story
about marriage, murder,
and blackmail is set against
the backdrop of a local
election.
69
PAID LISTINGS
NEW SELFPUBLISHED TITLES

Murder in Containment
Anne Cleeland. Anne Cleeland. $14.99
paper (323p), ISBN 978-0-69277442-7
Amazon, Baker & Taylor
DS Doyle investigates
containment murders
murders to contain a
Scotland Yard scandaland
realizes that Acton has committed a containment murder or two of his own.
Probable Cause for Vengeance
David Wolf. Page Publishing. $16.95
paper (234p), ISBN 978-1-68409-348-9
Amazon, AbeBooks.com,
BN.com
A veteran deputy U.S.
marshal and three handpicked fugitive task force
members are given the
arduous task of tracking down a Sunni
terrorist.
True Blue Detective: Fear the Night
Vito Zuppardo. Vito Zuppardo. $1.99
e-book, ASIN B017FXJ5UA
Smashwords
A retired detective living
in an assisted living facility
uncovers that the house
doctor is a sociopath. That
shocking conclusion leaves him taking
matters into his own hands.
Vector
Michael Shusko. CreateSpace. $4.99
e-book, ASIN B01M8J8KCD
Amazon
Agent Jansen and Dr.
Hess must discover what
weapon Dr. Khattib was
working on when he suddenly died, and very powerful people will do anything to stop
them. Will they find out in time?
SF/FANTASY/HORROR
Avanaux (Book 1 of the Prosperine
Trilogy)
P.J. McDermott. Patrick McDermott
Publishing. $15.99 paper (310p), ISBN
978-0-9941635-6-1; $2.99 e-book,

ISBN 978-0-9943071-1-8
Amazon, BN.com
For 100 years the Alien
Corps has searched the
galaxy for the Son of God
without successuntil now.
The Black Guard, Book I:
Least Favorite Child
C.R. Daems. Talon Novels. $3.99 e-book,
ASIN B00JGF7XIC
BN.com
A least-favored child,
Rivka at age six is selected
by her father to comply with
the countrys conscript law. Thus Rivka
begins a journey that will change her and
the Black Guard forever.
Fall into Magic:
A Paranormal Romance and
Urban Fantasy Collection
Kristin D. Van Risseghem et al.
Bestselling Boxed Sets. 99 e-book,
ASIN B01K4ERCRK
BN.com, Kobo
In this limited-edition set
containing 20 PNR and fantasy tales from bestselling
authors, you will find witches, shifters,
vampires, demons, faeries, and more.
Grim: Dark Fairy Tales for the
Psychologically Minded
Joseph Burgo. New Rise Press. $14.95
paper (234p), ISBN 978-0-9971650-5-0;
$17.46 audio, ASIN B01M7TMWV1
BN.com, Smashwords
Three novella-length
tales probe psychological
themes latent in the classic
Grimm versions. Not for the
faint of heart and unsuitable for children.
Insanity of the Black Sheep:
A Katherine McAndrews Novel
Steve Mendoza. Xlibris. $23.99 paper
(452p), ISBN 978-1-5245-4739-4
Amazon, BN.com
All Katherine McAndrews

wanted was a tutor for her
exam. Instead she got an
entire European adventure.
A Kingdom Forgotten:
Book 1 of a Throne of Souls
Charles W. McDonald Jr. Charles W.
McDonald Jr. $6.99 e-book, ISBN
978-0-9981177-0-6
Apple iBooks
In the wake of the banned
and now infamous Damons
Damnation spell, one
immeasurably powerful
outlaw mage tests the boundaries of corruption undone and of his
justice-in-waiting.
Modify Destiny
Bill Higgins. CreateSpace. $3.99 e-book,
ASIN B01H98SWZU
Amazon
A misdirected, enigmatic
top-secret message is delivered to the CIA. A bizarre
string of events follows that
exposes the reality of nonhuman entities
and a looming apocalyptic event.
Mystic Gold
Aru Richardson. AuthorHouse. $15.99
paper (250p), ISBN 978-1-4567-2582-2;
$9.99 e-book, ISBN 978-1-4567-2580-8
Amazon
One incredible hero is
destined to save the universe. This is a mans journey
in life, death, and the rebirth
of the human spirit.
ROMANCE & EROTICA

Enduring You (The Dock Series, Book 1)
S.T. Heller. S.T. Heller. $4.99 e-book,
ASIN B01IL48IWS
Amazon, Apple iBooks, BN.com
Keegan finds her marriage is built on secrets and
lies. Divorced, she meets a
man who shows her how to
love again. Unforeseen
events threaten to shatter all
that is between them.
PAID LISTINGS

Goodbye, Rudy Kazoody
A.A. Freda. FriesenPress. $22.99 hardcover (317p), ISBN 978-1-4602-9242-6
FriesenPress, Amazon, BN.com, Indigo
A coming-of-age story of
teenagers growing up in the
Bronx during the 1960s and
trying to adjust to free love,
rock n roll, LSD, the pill,
and the Cold War.
A Man of Character
(Magic of Love, Book 1)
Margaret Locke. Locked On Love
ASIN B00W5XV2I4
Amazon
A 35-year-old bookstore
owner must choose between
fantasy and reality after
learning the men shes dating are living
versions of fictional characters she created
long ago.
The Pawn
Skye Warren. Book Beautiful. $3.99
e-book, ISBN 978-1-940518-49-7
Amazon, Apple iBooks, BN.com, Kobo
The price of survival:
Gabriel Miller swept into
my life like a storm. Theres
one way to save our house,
one thing I have left of
valuemy body.
The Prison Cell Angel
Elizabeth Lott. RoseDog Books. $14
paper (156p), ISBN 978-1-4809-6531-7
Rosedogbookstore.com
Sarah has buried her
memories of James, a CIA
agent, deep in her heart.
Now she knows he needs
her. Even if they can find
each other, can they heal each other?
Road-Tripped: A Romantic Comedy
Adventure
Nicole Archer. Twist Idea
Lab. 99 e-book,
ASIN B01H0Z8LJE
BN.com, Kobo
Whats worse than losing everything?

Try driving a phallic-shaped RV across
the country with a co-worker you hate.
The Symmetry of Snowflakes
Paul Michael Peters. Paul Michael Peters.
ASIN B00VISTRD4
Amazon, BN.com
A holiday love story
starting at a Thanksgiving
Day parade. She might be
that special womanuntil
pressures start to mount with his family
and business, and secrets about the past
spill out.
Take My Husband, Please!
An Unconventional Romantic Comedy
Kimberly Jayne. Word River Press. $14
paper (334p), ISBN 978-0-9892322-1-0;
$3.99 e-book, ISBN 978-0-9892322-0-3
Amazon
Sophie and Will are
divorcing, but when money
woes drive him home and a
wager goes awry, Sophie
must send Will on five blind
debacles that incite fireworks, heartache, and soul searching.
NONFICTION
The Antics of House Cleaning
Shirley Bassett. iUniverse. $13.95 paper
(124p), ISBN 978-0-595-39053-3;
$3.99 e-book, ISBN 978-1-4697-5628-8
Amazon
Making use of both short
stories and thoughtful
insights, this book teaches
how to operate your own
small business along with
hiring tips, coping mechanisms, and more.
Beautiful:
Different in a World That Is the Same
Sheila Hoffman. WestBow Press. $16.95
paper (98p), ISBN 978-1-5127-3665-6;
$3.99 e-book, ISBN 978-1-5127-3664-9
Amazon
Women live in a world that demands
excellence and perfection. This book is a
journey from the worlds

kingdomwhere beauty
is about outward appearanceinto Gods
kingdom of inner beauty.
Breathing Poison:
Smoking, Pollution and the Haze
Anthony Rebuck. PartridgeSingapore.
ISBN 978-1-4828-9809-5
Amazon
Rebuck shows how pollution in the Asian air is a
grave threat to human
health and well-being.
Broken Child Mended Man
Adam Starks. Wyz Publishing House.
$25.99 hardcover (386p),
ISBN 978-1-5136-0165-6
Amazon, BN.com, BooksA-Million, Hudson
Booksellers
A story about childhood
neglect and coming of age in
foster care. Starks manages
to reveal human resilience in its most
authentic form.
Climbing the Holy Mountain of
Recovery: One Mans Escape from the
Hell of Heroin Addiction with the
Help of the Sacred Medicine, Ibogaine
Adrian Auler. Trafford Publishing.
ISBN 978-1-4907-6531-0
Trafford.com, Amazon
How I got addicted to
opiates and the role family
and society played, what it
was like, and how ibogaine helped me
begin my recovery.
Common Cents
Paul C. Haughey. Virtual
Bookworm. $6.99 e-book,
ASIN B01K0ENQGU
Amazon, BN.com
A nonpartisan, easy read
with cartoons of how camW W W . P U B L I S H E R S W E E K LY. C O M
71
PAID LISTINGS

paign finance, gerrymandering, the filibuster, etc., are interrelated and give special interests control of Congress. With
solutions.
Creating Your Leadership Discipline
Joe Cleggett AuthorHouse. $13.99 paper
(191p), ISBN 978-1-5049-7805-7;
$3.99 e-book, ISBN 978-1-5049-7804-0
AuthorHouse, Amazon
This book aims to help
you learn your talents and
how to create disciplines to
promote yourself as a leader
in business and in life.
Dinosaur Playsets:
An Illustrated Guide to the Prehistoric
Playsets of Marx and MPC
Jeffrey S. Pfeiffer. AuthorHouse. $44.99
paper (182p), ISBN 978-1-5049-1374-4;
$6.99 e-book, ISBN 978-1-5049-1393-5
Amazon
This fully illustrated
guide presents the basics of
the Marx and MPC prehistoric playsets, detailed
figure discussions, playset
photos, and more.
8 Steps to Getting Real with Cancer:
Empowering Newly-Diagnosed
Patients and Those Who Love Them
Marianne C. McDonough. Sapphire River
Publishing Services. $12.95 paper
(102p), ISBN 978-0-9966977-0-5
Amazon, BN.com, Ingram
A practical step-by-step
guide for the first weeks of
diagnosis and treatment,
when patients feel powerless
and face an avalanche of
data, decisions, and soul-searing
questions.
Eat One/Half: Make Weight Loss Easy
O. Bey. Taoh Press. $17.95 paper (160p),
ISBN 978-0-9744808-0-0
Eatonehalf.com, Amazon,
Seattle Book Co.
Common-sense-oriented,
this book introduces stressfree practices. It encourages
you to eat healthy and lose weight.

Finding Success in Spite of the Mess:
All Is Fair in Love and War, but Not
at the Office
Laman C.G. Snyder. Laman Snyder.
$20.95 paper (163p),
ISBN 978-0-578-16973-6
Amazon, BN.com
Find success in business,
leadership, and life, with a
book for achieving personal
success and leading team success. With
inspirational use of stories, quotes, and
poetry.
Food for Thought:
Energizing the Busy Professional
Stephanie Jack. iUniverse. $10.95 paper
(74p), ISBN 978-1-4917-8992-6; $3.99
e-book, ISBN 978-1-4917-8991-9
Amazon
A healthful guide to strategically eating highquality foods in order to fuel
the body for maximum
energy and health.
Freedom of Religion by Individual
Choice: The Religious Beliefs and
Convictions of Our Founding Fathers
Sarah Carpenter-Vascik. Xlibris. $19.99
paper (252p), ISBN 978-1-5144-1682-2;
$9.99 e-book,
ISBN 978-1-5144-1681-5
Amazon
Carpenter-Vascik takes a
close look at the views on
religion and politics of
Americas founding fathers
as expressed in their own words.
The Grace of God and the Grace of Man:
The Theologies of Bruce Springsteen
Azzan Yadin-Israel. Lingua Press. $16.99
paper (202p), ISBN
978-0-692-71851-3
Amazon
This book sheds new light
on Springsteens work by
examining the theological
overtones of his lyrics.
The House of DeWolff:

A Case of Malicious Persecution
Joseph Charles Waiksnis. Kobo. $24.99
e-book, ISBN 978-0-9977414-0-7
Kobo
Joseph finds himself the
victim of injustice stemming from an attempt by
police to seize his property.
This follows him across state
lines and leads to him being kidnapped
by same.
Its Never About the Money...
Even When It Is: How to Untangle
Your Emotions from Your Money
Pegi Burdick. CreateSpace.
$13.95 paper (168p),
ISBN 978-1-5239-1688-7
Amazon
Read how emotions really
control ones spending.
The Journey of Not Knowing:
How 21st-Century Leaders Can Chart
a Course Where There Is None
Julie Benezet. Morton Hill
Press. $18.95 paper (266p),
ISBN 978-0-9978139-0-6
BN.com, Kobo
In story form, a new
approach to one of the most elusive leadership capacities needed for the future:
navigating the unknown.
Just Add Water: A Memoir
JesuMarie. iUniverse. $12.95 paper
(116p), ISBN 978-1-49177503-5; $3.99 e-book,
ISBN 978-1-4917-7502-8
Amazon
This is the story of
JesuMarie growing up in
the Catholic Church in Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania. She recollects with ingredients for Zuppa Maritata, against the
backdrop of domestic abuse.
Labor of Love:
Wine Family Women of Piemonte
Suzanne Hoffman. Under Discovered
Publishing. $55 hardcover (320p),
PAID LISTINGS

ISBN 978-0-9972359-0-6
WineFamilies.com,
Amazon
A book of stories,
genealogies, and photographs of the women of
22 wine families rooted
for generations in Piemontes Langhe,
Roero, and Monferrato areas.
Listening to Ghosts (second edition)
Bob Stockton. Dog Ear Publishing.
$19.95 paper (326p),
ISBN 978-1-4575-4729-4
Amazon, BN.com
An account of Stocktons
coming of age in a northeastern blue-collar neighborhood and his subsequent escape to the
U.S. Navy for a 20-year career.
Living Love, the Yoga of Yama &
Niyama: Timeless Teachings for
Transformation and Awakening
Maetreyii Ma. Ananda Gurukula
Publications. $7.99 e-book,
ISBN 978-0-9863047-1-2
BN.com, Smashwords
This book explores how
we can develop a deep sense
of well-being and live with purity of
heart, feelings of compassion, and lovingkindness for all beings, including
ourselves.
N of 1: One Mans HarvardDocumented Remission of Incurable
Cancer Using Only Natural Methods
Glenn Sabin, with Dawn Lemanne. Fon
Press. $26.99 hardcover, ISBN 978-09975482-2-8; $16.99 paper (TKp),
ISBN 978-0-9975482-0-4
Glennsabin.com, Amazon,
BN.com
Twenty-five years ago my
doctors had no cure for my
cancer. So I went on a quest
to find my own treatment. This is my
story...
Necessary Mourning: Healing the Loss
of a Parent Through Jewish Ritual
Dahlia Abraham-Klein. Shamashi Press.

$9.99 paper (136p),
ISBN 978-0-692-71355-6
Amazon
A account of the traditional customs that are put
into practice when a
Jewish person dies, providing a moving
chronicle of the loss of Abraham-Kleins
own father.
Out of the Shadows: A Memoir
Rachel Rosebud. iUniverse. $13.95 paper
(126p), ISBN 978-1-4917-8880-6;
$3.99 e-book, ISBN 978-1-4917-8881-3
Amazon
Rosebud explores her
troubled childhood, which
included stays at a mental
hospital, and how her relationship with God helped
her come out of the shadows.
Prema Rasa Siddhanta:
Philosophy of Divine Love
Jagadguru Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj.
Radha Govind Samiti. $15 hardcover
(385p), ISBN 978-93-80661-69-8
Amazon
A reconciling of contradictory divine philosophies
with perfection such that
the spiritual wisdom
becomes accessible even to a
layperson in the search for true happiness.
Priceless Wisdom
David Dayan. WestBow Press. $29.95
hardcover (128p),
ISBN 978-1-4908-8822-4
Amazon
Dayan guides readers on a
journey of transformation,
self-discovery, and growth.
He shares a treasure trove of lessons and
priceless wisdom.
Rapid Relief from Emotional Distress
II: Blame Thinking Is Bad for Your
Mental Health
James E. Campbell. AuthorHouse.
$18.49 paper (208p), ISBN 978-1-44903696-6; $9.99 e-book, ISBN 978-1-
4490-3698-0
Amazon
This book takes a look at
how certain thinking processes create psychiatric
symptoms, and how different choices can eliminate those
experiences.
The Road to War:
Duty & Drill, Courage & Capture
Steven Burgauer. iUniverse. $23.95 paper
(348p), ISBN 978-1-4502-1880-1
Amazon
A first-person account of
a brave young man caught
up in WWII. He led a
combat boat team ashore on
Omaha Beach, was
wounded, taken prisoner, and then spent
the next year as a POW.
The Secret of Math: An English
Lovers Guide to Working with Math
Jon Arnhold. AuthorHouse. $11.95
paper (48p), ISBN 978-1-5049-7465-3;
$3.99 e-book, ISBN 978-1-5049-7463-9
Amazon
This book teaches a
simple approach built from
years of college advising, and
if implemented, will open
the door to another way of
working with math and looking at life.
The Smallest Spark: A World Set
Ablaze by a Little Life and a Little Way
John D. Wright. AuthorHouse. $14.95
paper (132p), ISBN 978-1-5049-5184-5;
$3.99 e-book, ISBN 978-1-5049-5183-8
Amazon
How much can a little
flower bleed? This book
provides a depiction of a
hidden life that has helped
enlighten everyday peoples
understanding of ordinary life, suffering,
and confidence.
Truths
Donald R. James. Xlibris. $19.99 paper
(232p), ISBN 978-1-5144-0988-6;
$3.99 e-book, ISBN 978-1-5144-0989-3
73
PAID LISTINGS
Amazon
James has strong beliefs
about issues affecting his
fellow man. Encompassing
dozens of articles over a
40-year period, his book
intends to provoke minds and impart positive mindset to readers.
Weedgalized in Colorado:
True Tales from the High Country
Johnny Welsh. Peak 1 Publishing.
$19.95 paper (274p),
ISBN 978-0-9963078-8-8
Weedgalized.com, Amazon
Stories from scores of
participants in Colorados
historic transformation
into a cannabis-friendly state. The book
doubles as a reference guide, listing dispensaries, strains, and more.
The Weeping Angel: Letters and
Poems from World War I France
Hubert Williams Kelley,
edited by Mary Kelley.
Willow Avenue Books.
$14.95 paper (142p),
ISBN 978-1-940244-70-9
Hwkletters.com, Amazon
As a young soldier working on the railroads at the front lines in war-torn
northern France, Kelley discovers his
vocation as a writer.
When Thought Turns to Light:
A Practical Guide to Spiritual
Transformation
Patrick Paul Garlinger. Epigraph
Publishing. $15.95 paper (192p),
ISBN 978-1-94403747-5; $8.99 e-book,
ASIN B01M8IKWJD
Amazon, BN.com
A concise, practical guide
to everyday spirituality to
take you beyond your ego and open your
life to the power of unconditional love.
Why Debate:
Transformed by Academic Discourse
Shawn F. Briscoe. My Debate Resources.
$11.95 paper (176p),

ISBN 978-0-9978684-0-1
Amazon, BN.com
Eighteen diverse authors
introduce readers to academic, competitive debate.
The activity has a tremendous impact on relationships, academic
achievement, careers, and society.
David Tallerman andMichael Wills.

Digital Fantasy Fiction. $11.25 paper
(291p), ISBN 978-1-927598-51-1;
$2.99 e-book,
ISBN 978-1-927598-52-8
Amazon
A new fantasy series set in
an academy for young
adventurers in training.
Why Leadership Sucks, Vol. 2:

Senior Servant Leadership
Fundamentals and the Pain,
Pitfalls and Challenges
Miles Anthony Smith. Kompelling
ISBN 978-0-9884053-9-4
Amazon, Audible
To discover why servant
leadership is frustrating and
learn practical senior leadership principles for your
leadership journey, continue with volume
2 of Why Leadership Sucks.
Fairies in My Garden
Barbara L. Kananen. iUniverse. $10.95 paper (106p),
ISBN 978-0-595-45082-4;
$3.99 e-book,
ISBN 978-0-595-89393-5
Amazon
Full of fantastic creatures, this story
introduces a multidimensional world
where anything is possible.
Wisdom of a Life Well-Lived:

Words of Reflection and Guidance of
a 101-Year Old Woman
Ethel Pearson Levine. BookBaby. $25.65
hardcover (96p),
ISBN 978-0-692-75426-9
Bookbaby.com
A collection of self-help
articles written by Levine, a
101-year-old woman, providing her advice and perspective on health, marriage, divorce,
aging, and relationships.
CHILDRENS/YA
Attic Ward
Bill Gourgey. Jacked Arts. $14.95 paper
(256p),
ISBN 978-1-5334-8527-4
Amazon
A teen artist on the run, a
daring heist at the National
Gallerya painting worth
the price of freedom?
The Black River Chronicles: Level
One
First Kiss (Heavy Influence #1)

Ann Marie Frohoff. AMF
Publishing. 99 e-book,
ISBN 978-0-9916572-3-0
Smashwords
Jake Masters, a teenage
rocker, is on the verge of stardom when
the girl next door becomes something
more. Theyre forced to face the harsh
realities on his road to fame.
Hola! Lets Learn Spanish: Visit New
Places and Make New Friends!
Judy Martialay. Judy
Martialay. $17.99 paper
(30p), ISBN
978-0-9911324-0-9
Amazon, BN.com
Fun learning Spanish for
kids 610 and parents. Visit Mexico with
Panchito the jumping bean, follow his
adventure, and learn Spanish. Skit, song,
Culture Corner, craft. Free audio.
James Clyde and the Diamonds of
Orchestra
Colm McElwain. Troubador Publishing.
$7.72 paper (240p),
ISBN 978-1-78088-069-3
Amazon
PAID LISTINGS
Alongside his friends Ben

and Mary Forester, James
Clyde must protect a powerful diamond from a sinister man dressed in black
and his bloodthirsty army.
Montgomery Rabbit
Sandy Little, illus. by David Wenzel. Dog
Ear Publishing. $9.99 paper (72p),
ISBN 978-1-4575-4196-4
Montgomeryrabbit.com,
Amazon, BN.com
Adventures and mysteries
await a young lop-eared
rabbit when he accidentally
falls through a hole in an old white fence.
Rebirth of the Dark Ones
Clint Charles Fryer. iUniverse. $8.95
paper (84p), ISBN 978-1-4401-0924-9;
$3.99 e-book, ISBN 978-1-4401-0925-6
Amazon
The Guardians, known as
the Dark Ones, were an
ancient society whose members possessed pure mystical
magic. They traveled
throughout time to eliminate the forces of
evil. Centuries later a young boy set out
on a quest to save his true loveand
changed his destiny.
Rise (Trifecta) (Vol. 1)
Luis Almonte. Theorem. $12.99 paper
(212p), ISBN 978-0-9978940-0-4
Amazon, Apple iBooks, BN.com, Kobo
Magic gets real as Alexia
Wick, a 15-year-old high
school sophomore who also
happens to be an Alerium
witch, prepares for one of
the biggest competitions of
her lifethe Annual Trials.
Skippys Favourite Honey
Anthony Rebuck, illus. by Crock
Plagerson. Xlibris. $28.22 paper (42p),
ISBN 978-1-5144-4612-6; $4.99
e-book, ISBN 978-15144-4611-9
Amazon
Follow an Australian
kangaroo named Skippy
in an adventure to search
for his favorite foodthe
best honey in the world.
The Skull Collector
Paris Singer. Creativia. $3.99 e-book,
ASIN B01M67K0E5
Amazon
In a world where children
are exploited, monsters are
saviors, and dark magic is
constantly at play, a little
girl will go to any lengths to
be reunited with her lost ones.
The Sky Drifter
Paris Singer. Creativia. $3.25 e-book,
ASIN B01M68QLW1
Amazon
Everything is the way
Seven likes it aboard the Sky
Drifter, until a mysterious
girl reveals to him a secret
that will bring everything
he thought he knew crashing down
around him.
Sovereignty
Anjenique Hughes. Morgan James
Publishing. $17.95 paper (262p)
ISBN 978-1-63047-818-6; $12.99
e-book, ISBN 978-163047-819-3
Amazon, BN.com, Powells
Books
Where nothing is secret,
sacred, or safe...
A Spiritual Dog: Bear
J. Wesley Porter. WestBow Press. $13.95
paper (32p), ISBN 978-1-5127-3356-3;
$3.99 e-book, ISBN 978-1-5127-3357-0
Amazon
This tale of an
adopted shelter dog is
meant for people of all
ages and those who
want to enjoy a wholesome story about a beautiful, kind animal.
A Tail of Two Kitties

Terry Cosmas. Xlibris. $13.70 paper
(24p), ISBN 978-1-5035-0951-1; $4.99
e-book, ISBN 978-15035-0950-4
Amazon
When two conjoined kitties are left
to fend for themselves,
two children try to separate them in vain.
Can the kitties ever be rescued?
Treasure Dog Takes a Nap
F. Doodle. Dorrance Publishing. $16
paper (36p),
ISBN 978-1-4809-2423-9
DorranceBookstore.com
Treasure Dog is worn out
from his adventures. He
tries to find a place to sleep,
but noises and fun keep distracting him. Maybe some dreams are
better awake.
Tyrabbisaurus Rex
A.J. Culey, illus. by Jeanine Henning.
Poof! Press. $8 paper (180p), ISBN 9781-5306-1709-8; $4.99 e-book,
ASIN B01DIPIMNA
BN.com, Kobo
Tyrabbisaurus Rex is
determined to escape his
fate as classroom pet.
Gingers unhappy about the always
escaping, poopy rabbit. He chewed her
favorite dress! The demon bunnys got to
go.
Where Is Robin? USA
Robin Barone, illus. by Robyn Mitchell.
Diplomat Books. $20 hardcover (52p),
ISBN 978-0-9906310-0-2
Whereisrobin.org, Baker & Taylor
Adventurous
Robin is ready
to see the USA,
and she wants
you to join her.
Dont let her
fly alone; spread your wings and come
along.
75
Reviews Roundup
In the past month, we reviewed 26 self-published titles
submitted via BookLife, Publishers Weeklys website dedicated to indie authors. Among the latest highlight are
two books that received starred reviews: Femme by
Marshall Thornton and Gambled Away by Rose Lerner,
Joanna Bourne, Jeannie Lin, Isabel Cooper, and Molly
OKeefe.
Fiction
American Tango
Jennifer Vandever. Melograno, $14 trade paper (264p) ISBN 978-09966795-2-7
The Dryden Arms

Johnny Allina. CreateSpace, $12 trade paper (198p) ISBN 978-1-51946343-2
Femme
Marshall Thornton. CreateSpace, $10.99 trade paper (228p) ISBN 9781-5349-0696-9
The Flame Eater
Three Corner Rustlers

K. Hamilton. Dark Planet, $14.95 trade paper (381p) ISBN 978-1-94416301-3
Violated
Carolyn Arnold. Hibbert & Stiles, $14.99 trade paper (348p) ISBN 978-1988064-73-4
Walking Sam
Deanna Lynn Sletten. Deanna Lynn Sletten, $3.99 e-book (211p)
ISBN 978-1-941212-25-7
The Wall
Deanna Madden. CreateSpace, $10.99 trade paper (278p) ISBN 978-15351-7382-7
Nonfiction
Footprints in the Dew: Damon Chub Anderson and
the Unsolved Mullendore Murder
Dale R. Lewis. Buffalo Dale, $20 hardcover (326p) ISBN 978-0-69250353-9
It Rains in February:
A Wifes Memoir of Love and Loss
Leila Summers. Leila Summers, $5.99 e-book (246p) ASIN B0062EIRAI
Barbara Gaskell Denvil. Gaskell Publishing House, $4.99 e-book (424p)

ASIN B01B8SEC3S
Love Letters to the World
Gambled Away
Navigating Indieworld: A Beginners Guide to

Self-Publishing and Marketing Your Book
Rose Lerner et al. Amazon Digital Services, $2.99 e-book (600p)

ISBN 978-0-9937132-2-4
Hard Fall: A Lucy Guardino FBI Thriller

C.J. Lyons. Legacy, $5.99 e-book (322p) ASIN B00M0VHWXA
Hunting in the Zoo: A Detective Pete Nazareth Novel

R.H. Johnson. Hampton, Westbrook, $17.95 trade paper (264p)
ISBN 978-1-5323-0214-5
Mercy at Midnight
Sylvia Bambola. Heritage, $14.99 trade paper (408p) ISBN 978-0-98997075-4
Motor City
Sherri Jefferson. Sherri Jefferson, $9.99 trade paper (152p) ISBN 978-09654656-5-6
Resurrection of Antimony
Maia Geddes. Poetose, $15 trade paper (140p) ISBN 978-1-945366-88-8
Julie A. Gerber and Carole P. Roman. CreateSpace, $12.99 trade paper

(146p) ISBN 978-1-5372-2806-8
Singing in My Own Key:

A Vocalists Triumph Over Stroke
Valerie L. Giglio. Forza, $9.99 e-book (250p) ASIN B01GF174YC
Tough Girl: An Olympians Journey

Carolyn Wood. White Pine Press (Oregon), $18 paper (306p) ISBN 978-09977828-0-6
Childrens/YA
Dead and Breakfast
Kimberly G. Giarratano. CreateSpace, $13.99 paper (384p) ISBN 978-15327-3603-2
S.D.M. Carpenter. Clovercroft, $15.99 trade paper (332p) ISBN 978-1942557-57-9
In Her Skin: Growing Up Trans
Secrets in the Sky
Maiden
Pauline Wiles. Pauline Wiles, $13.99 trade paper (340p) ISBN 978-09889731-2-1
Chris Sorensen. Pond Publishing, $11.99 paper (298p) ISBN 978-09719423-3-2
The Soul Mender
Try! Try! Try!
R.S. Dabney. Red Pen Warriors, $14.99 trade paper (380p) ISBN 978-0692-47201-9
Lindsey Craig, illus. by Ying Hui Tan. Owlbop, $8.99 board book (32p)
ISBN 978-0-9967212-4-0
Trina Sotira. MuseWrite, $15 paper (218p) ISBN 978-0-9899609-2-2
Reviews
Fiction
American Tango
Jennifer Vandever. Melograno, $14 trade paper (264p) ISBN 978-0-9966795-2-7
In her enjoyable second novel,

Vandever cleverly meshes strikingly
eccentric characters with everyday situations. Rosalind Plumley, a 37-year-old
Oregonian, is an artist trapped in a retail
job that caters to snobby hipsters. Shes
the middle child in a bohemian family
and married to a sweet but sad man who
has a budding marijuana addiction. Amid
her failing marriage and struggles with her
neurotic family,
Rosalind fantasizes about
escaping her
life and moving
to Buenos
Aires. She signs
up for a tango
class in preparation for her imagined
future, and what follows is a story about
love and reevaluating your dreams when
reality comes crashing down. Rosalind
can be amusingly gloomy and the story is
seasoned with salty witshe describes a
pair of shoes as appearing to have been
dipped in the shimmery gold powder
used to kill off a Bond girl, and when her
liberal mother considers a late-in-life
romance, the greatest drawback is that the
man voted for Romney. Vandever (The
Bront Project) writes smart, interesting
characters who gradually mature in
believable ways. Perceptive, bittersweet,
and sometimes darkly funny, this is light
enough for a quick read, yet it has enough
depth to leave a satisfying impression.
The Dryden Arms

Johnny Allina. CreateSpace, $12 trade paper
(198p) ISBN 978-1-5194-6343-2
A self-absorbed, germophobic, paranoid building manager with an overactive
imagination
barely survives
an eclectic mix of
equally selfabsorbed and
destructive tenants in Allinas
lackluster
comedy. Fired
copywriter and
rookie novelist
Rupert flees
Hollywood for quieter Glendale, Calif.,
and the promise of free rent to manage the
Dryden Arms apartment building. He
considers starting a prostitution ring in
the building to generate material for his
book, an idea he abandons once he meets
the idiosyncratic tenants: racist kleptomaniac Brenda, allergic-to-everything
Marie, lawn-obsessed Hat Guy, literary
agent Judy, elderly Don, and Astrid, who
may be two people. Ruperts nonexistent
writing regimen is interrupted with calls
to repairmen and finding Brendas lost
cat. As he charts every expense, the
milquetoast Rupert is manipulated by the
tenants while he fantasizes about offing
them. The book is a steady stream of
bizarre antics without an engaging plot.
Though the novel is a commentary on the
futility of change and the spitefulness of
others, it descends into a disappointing
farce.
Femme
Marshall Thornton. CreateSpace, $10.99
trade paper (228p) ISBN 978-1-5349-0696-9
Thorntons opposites-attract contemporary romp perfectly threads the needle,

addressing internalized homophobia and
the heartbreak of self-denial without ever
falling into clich or forgetting to be fun.
Lionel is barely scraping by as a waiter at a
gay bar in Long Beach, Calif. After he
enjoys a one-night stand with Dog, a
straight-acting athlete whos a regular
customer at the bar, both men are confused to realize their mutual attraction
goes beyond lust, though neither is the
others usual type. Dog is a closet case;

Lionels never been able to hide or lie
about himself in that way. As they face the
social pressure of the gay scene, needing to
stay employed, and forced honesty with
family members, each must navigate his
disrupted world and minimize harm to
his loved ones. Thornton (the Boystown
Mysteries series) confronts the contradictions of modern homosexuality,
addressing the
pressure to conform to mainstream culture
rather than
embracing the
more flamboyant
aspects of gay
identity. The
instructive
nature of the narrative is obvious,
but the delightful characters and their
struggles are engaging and realistic. The
conclusion is satisfying without dismissing the painful aspects of the
romantic journey, a delicate balancing act
well executed by a talented writer who
remains in control of the playful chaos he
has created.
The Flame Eater

Barbara Gaskell Denvil. Gaskell Publishing
House, $4.99 e-book (424p) ASIN B01B8SEC3S
This meticulously detailed romantic

thriller portrays two flawed families in
medieval England whose less moral members are victims of a murderer/arsonist.
The families are
united in 1485
when heiress
Emeline
Wrotham marries Nicholas
Chatwyn, an
earls son and the
aloof, scarred
younger brother
of Emelines true
love, Peter, who
W W W . P U B L I S H E R S W E E K L Y . C O M 76a
REVIEWS
was murdered. On their
wedding night, the castle is
engulfed in flames, and
Nicholas is injured. Emeline and
Nicholas, who is still recovering from
extensive burns, depart for his cousins
Nottingham home while the castle is
being repaired, but an outbreak of the
plague sends them away, eventually to
London. During their travels, the marriage is consummated, and they become
true partners, in love and in adventures.
Charismatic and witty, Nicholas is the
heart of Denvils novel; he works undercover for King Richard, rooting out political threats while maintaining the persona
of a lazy drunkard to his disapproving
father, whose favorite son is dead. Denvils
numerous minor characters are as
intriguing as Nicholas, infusing vitality
and never detracting from the story.
Everyday 15th-century life is richly
evokedthe clothing, food, travel,
habitsproviding substance to a winning
narrative. Family dysfunction is deftly
woven into a mlange of murder, politics,
and romance, with a wickedly realistic,
often comical portrayal of kinship.
Gambled Away
Rose Lerner, Joanna Bourne, Jeannie Lin,
Isabel Cooper, and Molly OKeefe. Amazon
Digital Services, $2.99 e-book (600p)
ISBN 978-0-9937132-2-4
The five captivating historical

romances in this anthology are thematically linked by the idea of social and personal justice, as well as the stated conceit
of gambling. Lerner explores bisexuality
and anti-Semitism in Regency
England in All
or Nothing.
Bournes
Spymaster series
gets a prequel
story, Gideon
and the Den of
Thieves, that
explores the
code of the
London criminal underworld during the
French Revolution. American history is
well represented by Coopers Raising the
Stakes, featuring a Dust Bowl con artist
who aims to bring down a greedy
preacher, and OKeefes Redeemed,

which uses drug addiction and the lingering tensions of the Civil War as background to the redemption of a Union
doctor and a captive former spy in 1868
Denver. Finally, Lin continues her Lotus
Palace series with the exceptional The
Liars Dice, creating a fascinating mystery around murder and corruption in
Tang Dynasty Chinas civil service examinations. The tie-in works are very accessible for new readers and will leave them
eager to hunt down the authors backlists.
The complex characters, intricate relationships, and sparkling plots showcase
each authors strengths, making this collection a must-have for any historical
romance fan.
Hard Fall:
A Lucy Guardino FBI Thriller
C.J. Lyons. Legacy, $5.99 e-book (322p)
ASIN B00M0VHWXA
In Thriller Awardwinner Lyonss suspenseful fifth thriller featuring FBI agent

Lucy Guardino (after 2014s After Shock),
her capable, troubled heroine faces one
daunting challenge after another. Lucys
return to work
at the
Pittsburgh
office of the
FBI, two
months after her
mother was
killed by a man
sent to kill
Lucy, is difficult. Her unit is
being disbanded, and she has limited choices:
retiring on a medical pension, reviewing
complaints to human resources, or serving
in the FBIs internal affairs unit.
Fortunately, Lucy gets another chance to
do the work she loves when a former prosecutor, Seth Bernhart, asks her to help the
woman called June Unknown, who was
rescued as a child from a sexual predator.
Seth is working on civil suits on Junes
behalf aimed at getting reparations from
anyone who possessed pornographic
images of her, but death threats against
June lead him to seek out Lucy. Lyons
combines plausible plot twists with a
credible portrayal of a woman trying to
76b P U B L I S H E R S W E E K L Y N O V E M B E R 2 1 , 2 0 1 6
balance her professional responsibilities

with her family ones.
Hunting in the Zoo: A Detective

Pete Nazareth Novel
R.H. Johnson. Hampton, Westbrook, $17.95
trade paper (264p) ISBN 978-1-5323-0214-5
Johnsons suspenseful third novel featuring Det. Pete Nazareth of the NYPD
(after A Measure of Revenge) places presidential candidate Archer Grande, who
boasts that he
could stroll
naked down
Fifth Avenue,
and my supporters would
still vote for
me, in the
crosshairs of an
assassin.
Nazareth is half
of a team
dubbed the Dynamic Duo, after he and
fellow detective Tara Gimble amassed an
impressive record for not only closing the
toughest cases but also for putting themselves in harms way again and again to
get the job done right. New York Citys
mayor taps the pair to go after Stone
Jackson, an expert sniper who has begun
taking out child molesters, starting with
the Little League coach who abused him.
As Nazareth and Gimble search for
Jackson, the killer ups the ante after concluding that Grande is a dangerous demagogue. Unexpected developments ratchet
up the tension en route to a dramatic
climax.
Mercy at Midnight
Sylvia Bambola. Heritage, $14.99 trade paper
(408p) ISBN 978-0-98997-075-4
Bambolas (Rebekahs Treasure) romantic

suspense will pull readers in with its
encouraging, true-to-life message.
Undercover reporter Cynthia Wells is
searching for a big story, and she believes
shell find it by investigating the recent
rise in deaths within the homeless population of the fictional small town, Oberon
(in an unknown American state). Cynthia
decides to go undercover and takes a job at
Beacon Mission, where she meets pastor
Jonathan Holms. Cynthia and Jonathans
goals intersect in the case of Stubby
REVIEWS
White, a homeless man who believes his
friends were murdered. The stakes are
high, particularly when Stubby and
Cynthia find themselves in the crosshairs
of a murderer as they get closer to learning
the truth.
Bambola tackles
some difficult
topics, such as
homelessness,
gangs, and
drugs, in a
tactful and realistic manner.
The well-developed characters,
particularly
Stubby, make this story of redemption
affecting and believable. Bambolas tale
will remind the readers of faith that no
one is too broken for Gods redemption.
Motor City
Sherri Jefferson. Sherri Jefferson, $9.99 trade
paper (152p) ISBN 978-0-9654656-5-6
Jefferson, an attorney and advocate

against child exploitation and sex slavery
as well as an author, successfully sheds
light on the inefficacy of Americas war
on drugs. Jefferson uses protagonists
David (D-Money) and Solomon (Cali)
Johnson, two boys struggling against
poverty in
1960s Detroit,
as the vehicles
for her message.
Their story is
set against a
backdrop that
deftly combines
historical facts,
quotations, and
observations,
through which
Jefferson dynamically paints Americas
ever-changing sociopolitical and cultural
landscape. Though the story of the
Johnson brothers provides some thread for
Jeffersons message, their story and details
are so generalized and sparsely scattered
throughout the narrative that they are lost
in the shuffle. This is especially true
toward the end of the book, in which
Jefferson explains the process and ramifications of the Johnson brothers ineffective counsel, blurring the line between
fact and fiction. Although Jeffersons language is straightforward and her views are
compelling regarding the politics of the
war on drugs and how it has led to discrimination and victimization of certain
ethnic groups, at times, her oversimplified and sweeping claims detract from the
strength of her argument. But the book
delivers its message, especially with the
suggested discussion topics at the end of
the book.
Resurrection of Antimony
S.D.M. Carpenter. Clovercroft, $15.99 trade
paper (332p) ISBN 978-1-942557-57-9
In 1941, British intelligences Sir

William Stephenson, who was personally
tapped by Churchill to run operations in
the Western Hemisphere, reaches out to a
retired agent known by the code name
Antimony, the hero of Carpenters lackluster debut, a WWII thriller. Stevenson
needs Antimony for a vitally important
mission. Dr.
Enrico Verdi, an
migr Italian
physicist who
has been conducting atomic
research in
Chicago, is
planning a trip
to South Africa
to visit his
brother.
Stephenson has planted false rumors that
the real purpose of Verdis trip is to
inspect a heavy water extraction plant. Its
Antimonys job to keep an eye out for this
eminent scientist on his journey from the
U.S. to South Africa aboard an Egyptian
passenger liner. The inclusion of historical
figures such as Stephenson and Ian
Fleming doesnt compensate for the melodrama. Readers should be prepared for a
formulaic plot with few surprises as well
as purple prose (Every muscle, every
fiber, every molecule of his body surged
forward towards the throat of the malevolent Nazi).
Secrets in the Sky

Pauline Wiles. Pauline Wiles, $13.99 trade
paper (340p) ISBN 978-0-9889731-2-1
Sophie does her best to hide a big

secret, while other family secrets surface
in Wiless touching story

about being true to others
and oneself. In this prequel
to Saving Saffron Sweeting, 30-something
Sophie
Campbell is
struggling to
manage her
grief after the
death of her
great aunt, in
addition to her
fear that people
will discover
the truth about
her job: Sophie
is a freelance travel guide editor, but her
mother believes (and Sophie perpetuates
the lie) that Sophie is actually a glamorous air hostess. As Sophie tries to cover
up her lies, other aspects of her life
unravel: she must contend with her confusion about the two men who are pursuing her romantically, and she discovers
a disturbing family secret. Sophie is a
fully realized protagonist, with insecurity
and an intense loyalty to those close to
her; her fear of disappointing others
makes her relatable and endearing. Wiles
interweaves comic and romantic elements
with dramatic subplots that give the
story twists and turns, making for an
enticing read
The Soul Mender

R.S. Dabney. Red Pen Warriors, $14.99 trade
paper (380p) ISBN 978-0-692-47201-9
A familiar science fiction themea

parallel reality populated by alter egos of
the inhabitants of our owngets a fresh
spin in this intriguing variant of a dark
fantasy. Since childhood, Riley Dale, an
environmental scientist living in
Boulder, Colo., has been plagued by
visions. Then she
unexpectedly
crosses over into
the world of her
imaginings with
the help of a
magic ring left
to her by her
grandmother.
Partnering with
Oz, a drugaddicted neerW W W . P U B L I S H E R S W E E K L Y . C O M 76c
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do-well who represents the
other half of her divided
soul, and protector Zachary
Stone, whos a serial killer in her own
world, Riley travels cross-country to Los
Angeles, the terrorist-bombed capital of
this alternate U.S., to learn the crucial
role she must play in events rocking the
parallel world. Dabneys writing is crisp
and confident, and her characters
including both of their personalitiesare
well-developed. She introduces more subplots than can be resolved by the novels
end, making this a promising start for a
projected trilogy.
Three Corner Rustlers

K. Hamilton. Dark Planet, $14.95 trade paper
(381p) ISBN 978-1-944-16301-3
Hamilton ably manages several plot

threads in this tale of 21st-century cattle
rustling. In the prologue, an unnamed
range detective, hot on the trail of cattle
thieves, is
stunned by what
he discovers at
the edge of a
cliff (There was
no sound.
Nothing except
the wind. They
had vanished
like smoke).
Meanwhile,
convict C.J.
Burk, an Australian, is fortunate to be
selected for a program that allows prisoners to work on a Colorado ranch with
wild mustangs. His efforts to get his life
back on track after his parole parallel those
of Carson Anne Collins, whose mother
runs Three Bit Ranch in Oregon, where
C.J. ends up after gaining his freedom.
Carson has bailed on her life in Silicon
Valley in search of a new beginning, away
from unpaid bills and an affair with a married man. Hamilton makes good use of her
experience as a rancher to pepper the story
with details that allow readers to enter an
unfamiliar world, such as livestock owners
fitting their animals with GPS devices.
Violated
Carolyn Arnold. Hibbert & Stiles, $14.99 trade
paper (348p) ISBN 978-1-988064-73-4
In Arnolds well-executed fifth
Brandon Fisher FBI novel (after 2015s

Blue Baby), FBI agent Paige Dawson
becomes embroiled in a case, not as an
investigator but
as a suspect,
when she travels
to Valencia,
Calif., to seek
out Ferris Hall,
the man who
raped a friend of
hers 22 years
before in
Mexico.
Coincidentally,
Hall is murdered at a Valencia motel the
night before the police discover Dawson
entering his house, and she falls under
suspicion. Dawson works with seasoned
profilers Fisher and Jack Harper to clear
her name and also track down the culprit,
possibly a serial killer out for vengeance
against violent men. The romantic tension between Fisher and Dawson grows as
she grapples with residual feelings for her
fellow investigator while attempting to
pursue a new relationship. Arnold does a
good job creating an air of uncertainty
surrounding the murder, and the chemistry among her FBI characters is
convincing.
Walking Sam
Deanna Lynn Sletten. Deanna Lynn Sletten,
$3.99 e-book (211p) ISBN 978-1-941212-25-7
Golden retriever Sam and two cats

named Punkin and Spice bring plenty of
whimsy to Slettens sweet contemporary
romance. Despite being ideally suited,
Minneapolitans
Kristen Foster
and Ryan
Collier cluelessly cruise
through the
entire novel
just missing
each other by
inches. When
divorced pediatric oncology
nurse Kristen moves into the house next
door to salesman Ryan, she spots a very
young woman tiptoeing out of his house
at the crack of dawn and assumes the
30-something widower is a player.
76d P U B L I S H E R S W E E K L Y N O V E M B E R 2 1 , 2 0 1 6
Kristens not interested anyway, because

shes dating a surgeon 20 years her senior.
But once Sam gets into the act, all bets
are off, as she works her doggy wiles to
bring Ryan and Kristen together. Some
might find this to be saccharine, but
others will enjoy the touching G-rated
story about two perfectly matched people
endearingly missing all the cues and
clues that would lead to their mutual
happy ending.
The Wall
Deanna Madden. CreateSpace, $10.99 trade
paper (278p) ISBN 978-1-5351-7382-7
This flawed tale is set in an interesting

but incompletely drawn near future of a
viral epidemic, draconian laws, and massive social unrest. Sarah Davis, a young
teacher, lives a quiet life as one of the
lucky few uninfected people in an
unnamed Southwestern city. A high wall
separates her and the other healthy people
from the lawless hordes of violent, desperate infected people. Her own inner
walls, which keep her distant from others
in the city, begin to shatter as she becomes
attached to several people caught in melodramatic
problems:
her young
teaching
assistant, an
orphan girl
in her class,
her elderly
neighbor,
and an
attractive
hospital
orderly named Martin. When Martin convinces her to smuggle needed drugs to his
brother on the other side of the wall, Sarah
learns how close total chaos is. Faced with
impending danger, Sarah must decide
who she can and cannot save. Madden
(Gaslight and Fog) excels at capturing the
new normal and Sarahs attempts to balance her own concerns with care for
others. However, once the action picks up,
the writing becomes more hurried and
less rich, and the pat and abrupt ending
leaves too many unresolved questions.
Despite these flaws, this is a chilling portrayal of love and concern in a world on
the brink of apocalypse.
REVIEWS
Nonfiction
Footprints in the Dew: Damon
Chub Anderson and the
Unsolved Mullendore Murder
Dale R. Lewis. Buffalo Dale, $20 hardcover
(326p) ISBN 978-0-692-50353-9
Lewis, a columnist for Oklahoma daily

newspaper Bartleville ExaminerEnterprise, chronicles the life of career
criminal Chub Anderson, who was long
suspected of the 1970 murder of millionaire rancher E.C. Mullendore, heir to a
lucrative family ranching operation in
Osage County,
Okla., and possessor of one of
the largest life
insurance policies in the U.S. at
the time.
Anderson was
finally arrested
in 2006 after
years on the run
for jumping
bond on a unrelated charge. Lewis first
met Anderson shortly after his arrest and
spent three subsequent years in contact
with Anderson, who agreed to speak
openly to Lewis for this book. The focus
on Andersons own life, rather than a
detailed exploration of the crime and the
investigation, will disappoint some
readers, and Lewis doesnt succeed in
making his subject interesting or sympathetic, even if he himself found that he
liked Anderson despite all the negative
things I learned about his past.
It Rains in February: A Wifes

Memoir of Love and Loss
Leila Summers. Leila Summers, $5.99 e-book
(246p) ASIN B0062EIRAI
Summerss memoir is a complex contemporary tragedy written by a mature,

talented writer. Summers speaks directly
to her husband, Stuart, who chose to end
his own life, in this painfully honest
eulogy. The intimate style, combined
with second-person narration, gives the
story a page-turning tension. Summers
must first accept that her emotional,
smart, artistic husband has fallen deeply
in love with another woman. The small
family that includes two young daughters

is fractured when Stuart moves out of
their Victorian home in the suburbs of a
South African city, and the rupture
deepens when
Stuart moves further away from
his family and his
reluctant lover to
be near his sister,
Ruth, in Cape
Town. Summers
works from a distance to keep her
long-suicidal
husband alive,
while Ruth makes similar efforts from
nearby. Ultimately, the love of his wife,
sister, and children are not enough to keep
him alive. Summerss skilled prose
(Bleakness permeates the moist air and
seeps into my pores) makes this traumatic book bearable to read. This memoir
is a cathartic exercise for the author and
could well serve in the same capacity for
anyone who has lost a loved one to suicide.
Love Letters to the World

Maia Geddes. Poetose, $15 trade paper
(140p) ISBN 978-1-945366-88-8
In this diary-like and occasionally twee

collection, Geddes hews closely to her
title as she addresses an extensive series of
epistles to her dear world. She embarks
on a personal inquiry into how to continue
a loving relationship with the world and
how to be at home in it: I wonder if one
can make ones
life into a series of
projects. I
wonder if finding
a home within
oneself is
enough. Geddes
is not concerned
with economy of
language, nor
does she engage
in much wordplay or linguistic invention. Her lengthy
questions and explications of quotidian
discoveries read more as a spiritual exercise or meditation on the intricacies of
being human. What saves this book from
being too vague or sentimental is
Geddess questioning of personal and
ethnic identity. She discusses

her own identity as an
adopted Chinese-American:
I found a box of little
Chinese clothes in my old closet, Geddes
writes. The clothes used to fit a girl with
a different name, a girl with flaming
cheeks. The work could have benefitted
from some trimming, but Geddes succeeds in conveying some deeply personal
reflections, a memoir of all the humdrum
and intrigue.
Navigating Indieworld:
A Beginners Guide to Self-Publishing and Marketing Your Book
Julie A. Gerber and Carole P. Roman.
CreateSpace, $12.99 trade paper (146p)
ISBN 978-1-5372-2806-8
Gerber and Roman enthusiastically

welcome writers to the world of DIY publishing with this slender book, which contains many useful pointers for authors
trying to learn to effectively create and
attract attention to their publications.
Gerber, founder of a social media firm,
and Roman, a self-published author, discuss the many
steps involved
in self-publishing. Roman
begins by
encouraging
readers to start
writing and
explaining the
need for a beta
reader to comment on a manuscript, welcome points for neophytes.
Hiring an illustrator, formatting and
publishing books or e-books, andespeciallypromoting the finished product
are explained in an easy-to-follow manner.
Examples are plentiful, which can be
helpful, though readers would have benefited from a wider source of examples that
those of the two authors and their family
members. The authors provide unintended examples of one of the issues of
self-publishing: their books formatting is
problematic, with occasional spacing
issues between paragraphs, text running
into the gutter, and other typesetting
flaws. The lack of chapter headings in the
table of contents also decreases its
W W W . P U B L I S H E R S W E E K L Y . C O M 76e
REVIEWS
usability. This is a sincere
general guide for beginners,
who will most benefit from
the chapters and resources devoted to
book promotion.
Singing in My Own Key:

A Vocalists Triumph Over Stroke
Valerie L. Giglio. Forza, $9.99 e-book (250p)
ASIN B01GF174YC
Giglio, a Boston-area singer and lawyer,

details the year she spent recovering from
a devastating brain stem stroke she suffered at age 42, which caused her musical
and legal worlds to spin out of control.
Balancing chapters on the details of her
recoveryincluding prolonged hospital
stays, confinement to a wheelchair, and
relentless dizzinesswith others on
developments in both of her careers,
Giglio more than meets her goal of
showing readers that miracles happen.
She deftly explores the surreal experience of having a stroke: Inside youre
screaming to get out, but you cant
move. She also describes the various grueling physical and mental therapies she
endured in order to meet her goal of
returning to performing in a yeara goal
she accomplished
with the help of
supportive
family and
friends. She is
guided by the
words of her
mentor, legendary jazz performer Al Vega,
who shows her
that sometimes
we have to take a chance and keep going
no matter what obstacles we face.
Deciding that the only limitations were
the ones I put on myself, Giglio hopes
her story and struggles will help others
reach for the stars and dream big.
Tough Girl: An Olympians Journey

Carolyn Wood. White Pine Press (Oregon), $18
paper (306p) ISBN 978-0-9977828-0-6
In this scattered debut work, written

after hiking the Camino de Santiago,
Wood reflects on the struggles of youth as
the root of her courage and strength necessary to push on in later life. Wood, a
competitive swimmer in her early years,

attempts to relate a life of hard lessons
that got her to the 1960 Junior Olympics
in Rome and helped her through adolescence in the mid-1960s. However, while
Wood thinks
fondly of her
time in the
pool, swimming feels like
something she
did in between
more important
life happenings.
Wood depicts
herself in turn
as a daughter in
a strained relationship with a mother
recovering from cancer, an athlete constantly pushing to be and do better, a lesbian finding comfort in her own sexuality,
and a middle-aged woman looking to the
next phase of life. Making stops at every
trying life obstacle from childhood to late
adulthood, she introduces so many
charged elements that the novel feels
unsure of which story it is trying to tell.
The sections on swimming, her mother,
and her lesbianism are thought provoking, but this is mostly an aimless
journey in the present while dipping into
the past, with a number of rhetorical
questions that read as though shes trying
to figure out her life as shes writing it.
Childrens & YA
Dead and Breakfast
Kimberly G. Giarratano. CreateSpace, $13.99
paper (384p) ISBN 978-1-5327-3603-2
The solid first entry in Giarratanos

Cayo Hueso series combines supernatural
encounters, first loves, and murder. After
her parents
divorce, Autumn
Abernathy is
whisked from
New Jersey to
Key West by her
mother, where
they will help
Autumns Aunt
Glenda run Cayo
Hueso, a purportedly haunted
76f P U B L I S H E R S W E E K L Y N O V E M B E R 2 1 , 2 0 1 6
bed and breakfast. Autumn has always

been able to see spirits, and after a nasty
ghost appears at Caya Hueso, she learns
that a murder occurred on the grounds.
Along with Liam Breyer, a new Cayo
Hueso employee who is attacked by the
same ghost, Autumn attempts to solve a
decades-old murder before the ghost kills
Liam. Writing in third person, Giarratano
(Grunge Gods and Graveyards) provides
intimate glimpses of Autumn and Liams
thoughts and emotions as both teenagers
struggle to figure out what they want
from their futures and from their relationship, which gradually turns romantic.
Although not much is made of the few
ghostly encounters Autumn has, beyond
the killer ghost she is attempting to put
to rest, Giarratano lays intriguing
groundwork
for future books. Ages 12up.
In Her Skin: Growing Up Trans

Trina Sotira. MuseWrite, $15 paper (218p)
ISBN 978-0-9899609-2-2
In Sotiras story of a teenager coming

out as transgender, high school senior
Tirzah Maxon is happiest when living as
Troysomething that only seems possible doing during anonymous trips to
hang out with skateboarders in downtown
Chicago.
Additionally,
Tirzah loves
best friend
Heidi in a
more-thanfriends kind of
way, but its
unclear whether
Heidi feels the
same, and
Heidis conservative Muslim
family wouldnt condone such a relationship even if she did. As graduation looms
and Tirzah pursues a soccer scholarship,
the teenager bemoans having to play on
the girls team, struggles in dealing with
Heidi and other classmates, and gradually
feels empowered to live full-time as Troy.
Sotira (Shifts: An Anthology of Womens
Growth Through Change) writes sensitively
about Tirzahs gender dysphoria; the
teens tender friendship with Heidi and
the realistically varied reactions to
REVIEWS
Tirzahs transitioning are also handled
well. Readers may wish for more resolution concerning Tirzahs future with
Heidi, who drops out of the story somewhat unceremoniously toward the end,
but Sotiras first novel remains a
thoughtful portrait of one teenagers
incremental progress toward greater selfknowledge and acceptance. Ages 12up.
Maiden
Chris Sorensen. Pond Publishing, $11.99
paper (298p) ISBN 978-0-9719423-3-2
In this first book in a planned trilogy, a

17-year-old girl is unexpectedly chosen to
travel to her kingdoms capital as a potential bride for the prince. Ever since the
green eyes of the people of Amarin turned
gray, robbing them of their affinity for
growing crops, the land has suffered.
When Jeanettes eyes become green
during the princes visit to her village, it
seems as though she may be the key to setting things right. On her way to the
castle, she has
strange visions
that prompt her
to flee the caravan. As
Jeanette follows
these visions,
she comes to
play a pivotal
role in the
ongoing war
between
Amarin and its neighbors, becoming a
symbol of hope and rebellion. Sorensen
draws inspiration from the Joan of Arc
story to craft this fantasy about a young
woman driven by images she cannot
explain. Despite an intriguing premise
and solid characterizations, the novel
doesnt quite realize its full potential; eye
color is emphasized to a distracting
degree, the plot meanders, and the
stripped-down narrative voice feels better
suited to a younger audience. Ages
12up.
mals, including a bear, birds, otters, and

bunnies. With a fluid sense of movement,
Tans appealing, big-eyed creatures run
and play, but they are reluctant to try
something new: Now lets dance!/ I
shout with a wiggle./ Oh no! We cant
dance!/ say my friends all-a-giggle. After
a bit of encouraging, a moonlit dance
party sees the animals shimmying alongside the boy. Its a playful reminder that
when you Try! Try! Try! the result can
be a lot of fun. Ages 15.
Try! Try! Try!

Lindsey Craig, illus. by Ying Hui Tan. Owlbop,
$8.99 board book (32p) ISBN 978-0-99672124-0
In an upbeat board book, a boy enthusiastically imitates friendly woodland aniW W W . P U B L I S H E R S W E E K L Y . C O M 76g
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