AUGUST 2017

Your guide to self-publishing

Building a Better Author Platform
Indie Scouting Report First Lines from BookLife Authors
Ask the Editor with Betty Sargent 78 New Titles Listed

Changing the
World, One
Reader at a
Time
How two indie authors
turned a series of chapter
books into a franchise
BY MATIA BURNETT

J anelle Diller and Lisa Travis were friends

long before they were coauthors. The
creators of the Pack-n-Go Girls series of
chapter books, aimed at girls ages six to nine
(of course, boys are welcome, too), met more
than 20 years ago. The two have a long pro-
fessional relationship, having worked
together at a community college, a tech firm,
and a talent management firm. Perhaps
most importantly, they also have a mutual
love for world travel.
So, when Travis came up with the idea to
write a childrens book series that features
diverse girl characters on travel adventures,
Dillerwho has published novels for adults,
including Never Enough Flamingos and The

Virus was right on board: Both of us have lived abroad
and traveled extensively, Diller says. We know how
travel stretches our thinking. We knew that if we could
give any gift to young kids it would be [to encourage
them to] be curious, travel, and get out of their comfort
zones.
The first Pack-n-Go Girls book, The Mystery of the
Ballerina Ghost (2013), features a Native American
girl named Brooke who travels to Austria. Subsequent
titles in the series feature Jess, an African-American
girl who visits Thailand; Sofia, a Cuban-American
who visits Brazil; and Wendy, a Chinese-American
who travels to Australia. In the books, each nine-
year-old protagonist meets another nine-year-old
girl in the country that she visits and a mystery
unfolds. So far, there are nine chapter books, as well
as a coloring and activity book, with more on the way.
The authors planned to self-publish the series from
the beginning. Part of this decision had to do with
their desire to expand beyond the parameters of book
publishing: We may be a book company, but were
so much more, Travis says. In addition to the books
and supplemental tools, they are also developing
Pack-n-Go Girl toysa merchandising venture that
they are modeling after companies such as American
Girl. They learned that many publishing companies
didnt want to deal with toys, and toy companies
didnt want to deal with books, Travis says.
Choosing to publish on their own terms gave them
more creative control and more responsibilitysome-
thing they both take very seriously. When selecting
an illustrator for the series, they compiled a focus
group of second and third graders, having them look
at sample art from several different artists. Adam
[Turner] was their clear favorite, Diller says. We
were glad, because he was our clear favorite, too.
Travis and Diller have focused on creating quality
books that align with their mission while also ramp-
ing up their innovative marketing and outreach
efforts. They regularly attend signings at bookstores
and to do author visits at schools, libraries, and
special events. In order to broaden the classroom
appeal of the books, they have created an exploration
kit for each of the featured countries, with activities
in math, science, reading, writing, geography, and
art. They have been very active on social media,
drawing attention to the Pack-n-Go Girls books on
Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest. The
Pack-n-Go Girls website is also a way for readers to
find additional content relating to the travel destina-
tions and to connect with a community of fans.
INDIE SUCCESS
Using social media has also allowed Diller and
Travis to better connect with writers, publishers,
librarians, and educators who share their desire for
more diversity in childrens books. When the We
Need Diverse Books campaign started a few years
ago, Diller and Travis began sharing the Pack-n-Go
Girls books through associated networks. They have
also been involved with the Multicultural Kid Blogs
community and for the past three years have been
sponsors of Multicultural Childrens Book Day.
Some Sanguine Advice
Their outreach has paid off. Though they didnt start
out with money on their minds, Diller says, weve
doubled our revenue every yearwere quite pleased
with the trajectory. The duo began selling on Amazon
and have added Ingram as a distributor to major and
indie bookstores. They have also paired up with Follett
and Mackin for the school and library distribution
markets. This year they have added hardcover books
to their paperback and e-book selections and intend
to move on to audio adaptations for next summer,
with the toys to follow.
Having found a successful business model that
allows them the freedom to market and expand their
franchise as they see fit, Diller and Travis have some
advice for potential self-publishers. First off, a book
must be well written, well designed, and error-free,
Travis says. Professional editing, illustrating, and
designing gets you noticed, she adds. Hard work
and innovative marketing take you to the next level.
Diller says passionsomething they bring to each
new journeyis essential to a projects success.
And they themselves seek out adventures. Diller
has visited more than 45 countries and lives on a
sailboat in Mexico with her husband each winter;
Travis has studied in Germany, traveled around the
U.S. in a Volkswagen camper, and lived in South
Korea. And, through the series, they and their read-
ers have toured haunted castles in Austria, caught
thieves in Mexico, saved dolphins and turtles in
Brazil, searched for lost golden temples in Thailand,
and chased aliens in Australia, Travis says. In addi-
tion to the adventures in the books, Travis adds,
they hope to inspire readers to embrace adventure,
be curious, value what unites us, and celebrate the
differences that make us unique.
Were lucky in that, even beyond a story to tell,
we have a mission behind our books, Diller adds.
We really do want to change the world one reader
at a time. 
B O O K L I F E .C O M 61
 COVER ART

Cover Redesign
This month, Deborah Bradseth at Tugboat Design turns
her talents to reimagining the cover of the coming-of-age
novel After and Before: The Story of Hatley Chambers, by
indie author Glenn Seerup.
To submit your book for a free cover redesign, email us at booklifeeditor@booklife.com. Original Cover

The original
cover, although
it was just
The layout for typography,
the title on the sparked
original cover curiositybut
worked well, so the redesign
I kept a similar adds a human
dramatic style, element that
adjusting it readers can
only slightly. relate to better.

I used a soft
yellow for some
of the text to
make it stand
out. But in a
The new image
way that didnt
and color
prevent the
scheme sets a
hands from
dark, moody
remaining the
tone, giving
covers focal
the reader an
point.
ominous feeling
that fits with the
overall story.

62 B O O K L I F E , AU G U S T 2 8 , 2 0 1 7
 Christianity is over.
The Gospel of Judas ended it.
A practicing Gnostic tells all:

"A revelatory interpretation of the

Gospel of Judas. ... [the authors]
fellow experts will find thrilling,
deep thought in these pages. A
tightly argued presentation of an
explosive, Judas-centered counter
narrative."
-K
Kirkus Reviews

"... the author's ideas are well

argued with citations, ... a
thought- provoking, if
challenging, alternative look at
Christianity.- Blue Ink

those interested in history,

theology, and philosophy will find
more than enough to keep reading."
- Scott Neuffer, Foreword
Reviews

A l s o By R obe rt Wa h l e r
T h e B i b l e S ay s S av i o r s
http://amzn.to/2vWMzZj

Lo ok i n g to R e p u bl i s h a n d g o to T V
ISBN: 978-1-5246-2760-7 (sc) judaswasjames@aol.com
 AUTHOR PLATFORMS

Tapping into TED

TED Talks have become important
marketing tools for nonfiction authors
BY BROOKE WARNER

I
remember sitting on a publishing panel about a year after The
Oprah Winfrey Show aired its final episode and discussing how
she had disappeared from recent book proposals. Gone were
authors claims to some Oprah connection: the possibility that
theyd get on her show or be chosen for her book club.
The panelists were joking about this when the agent sitting next
to me opined that TED Talks had become the new Oprah as far as
author platforms are concerned. At that time Id only seen a hand-
MAGAD3
ful of TED FOR notably
Talks, most PW WEEKLY,
Susan WITH
Cains1/8
TheBLEED
PowerON ALL 4 SIDES
of Introverts.
H plus bleeds = 5.4375 W plus bleeds = 8.125
Today TED is a household name, with hundreds of conferences a
year. TED is now a major media site, and theres a popular podcast BROOKE WARNER
called the TED Radio Hour. Every nonfiction author I know has

WAR
VIET NAM
OUT THE
BOOK AB
FINALLY... A TRULY
FU N N Y
A TRULY

AZE AT FUNNY BOOK ABOUT

LONG D

Lo n g B i n hAC HOSP
ITAL
24TH EV NAM, 1966-68
THE VIETNAM WAR!
VIET
SOUTH Spend a year in Long Binh with a couple draftees from
Wisconsin who were trained as combat medics and
sent off to set up a field hospital in South Vietnam
Photo ... where every day was an adventure... and just
l about every place you went was a combat zone!
l
THOROUGHLY ENTERTAINING &
HIGHLY INFORMATIVE! HHHH
l

isconsin
of two W
ventures edics and sent off
hu m orous ad bat m
Th e com etnam This book is not about combat. It's a lighthearted
trained as spital in South Vi
draftees field ho
to se t up a but information-packed look at what life was like for
some of the 2.5 million American non-combatants
STEVE who spent a year in Vietnam but rarely (if ever)
N
DONOVA
found it necessary to pull a trigger. See reviews and
FRED
BORCHA
RDT READ SAMPLE CHAPTERS AT:

OIR BASED ON
A TRUE ST
ORY www.LongBinhDaze.com
OUS MEM
A HUMOR ISBN: 978-0998615905 (PB, 380p) $24.95 Amazon * DCI Communications

64 B O O K L I F E , AU G U S T 2 8 , 2 0 1 7
AUTHOR PLATFORMS
given a TED or TEDx talk or wants to.
As a nonfiction author myself, Id had the goal of
giving a TED or TEDx talk for three years before I
finally publicly announced that it was my BHAG (big
hairy audacious goal) for 2017. Though the compe-
tition for a spot at the annual TED conference is
fierce, the good news for authors is that TEDx
conferences are everywhere, with more licenses
being granted each year to organizers who are
aligned with TEDs goal: to spark conversation,
connection, and community.
Throughout 2016 I looked for opportunities to
apply to various TEDx talks. I even submitted a
one-minute video for the TED conference but didnt
make the cut. Finally, in October, a door opened.
A connection led me to TEDx Traverse City (Mich.).
It took three pitches to the organizers before I
finally grasped what TED means by an idea worth
spreading.
If youre an author or an aspiring author, the point
of giving a TED/TEDx talk should be to support
your book and to further advance ideas that youre
publishing or working toward publishing. In my
case, it took a couple tries before I understood the
intersection of the ideas in my book and my idea
worth spreading via TEDx. In my book Green-Light
Your Book, I encourage authors to publish their work
on their own terms, but that made for too limited a
TEDx talk. Though it took some finessing to get
there, my talk, Green-Light Revolution: Your Creative
Life on Your Terms, aims for a broader viewership
and speaks to anyone who calls him- or herself
a creative artist, driving home the idea that artists
shouldnt allow traditional creative industries nar-
row view of whats marketable to determine whether
they become authors or filmmakers or musicians.
The challenge to think bigger was a great personal
exercise, but, as an author whos always thinking
about growing my platform, I also realized how
important it was to stay on message. After all, a lot
is at stake, and if you go too broad you risk diluting
the ideas that youre cultivating. Plus, theres all
that pressure. The talk, whether you succeed or
fail, lives on forever. Its not like a book that can be
edited to perfection before being sent to the printer.
Its a performance, and you have a set number of
B O O K L I F E .C O M 65

minutesin most cases exactly 18to do your thing
and make the impression of a lifetime. Countless
books have been written on the art of delivering a
TED/TEDx talk, and many careers have now been
built on successful talks.
With all the hype around TED/TEDx, however, I
saw the many ways in which it mirrors what were
seeing in the publishing industry. The more talks
get delivered, the more saturated the field. There
are a lot of TED/TEDx talks, and just because you
do one doesnt mean youre going to get the hundreds
of thousands of views that some of the higher-
ranking talks have received. And, just as is the case
when you publish a book, some of the talks that
have racked up thousands of views have done so
over many years. And so you have to be patient and
continue to get the word out, tirelessly and over
time. Which should be the very definition of build-
ing a platform.
TED/TEDx doesnt have the kind of Midas touch
that Oprah once possessed, but these talks offer
clear pathways to book deals and an opportunity
BOOKWORKS_HALF_H_0715_Layout 1 7/24/15 10:12 AM Page 1
to breathe new air into a backlist book. In my case,
Calling all Indie Authors
What can BookWorks do for you:
Help You Find Your Reader
Post Excerpts from Your Book
for Peer Review
Get a Featured Author Cover Medallion
for Your Book
And thats just for starters
Let us help you Prepare, Publish and Promote your books. We show you how to make
indie publishing easier and, yes its true how to make it fun.
JOIN NOW!
bookworks.com
AUTHOR PLATFORMS
my talk happened a full year and a half after the
publication of Green-Light Your Book. In recent
months Ive been getting a lot of messages from
readers telling me that they watched my talk and
bought my book. Ive gotten a handful of new Amazon
reviews and had plenty of opportunities to revisit
the concept of green-lighting, thus plugging a book
that would otherwise be on the back burner. In an
industry thats constantly strategizing how to make
books discoverable, TED/TEDx is a shining light for
authors.
And its the kind of accomplishment that has a
life of its own, because you never know what reward
youll reap from the fact that your talk is out there,
touching hearts and minds months and years after
its over. Thats the best kind of achievement: one
that keeps working for you long after youve moved
on to your next greatest thing. 
Brooke Warner is publisher of She Writes Press and
SparkPress, president of Warner Coaching Inc.,
and author of Green-Light Your Book and Whats
Your Book?.
Chat With Our Experts
Showcase and Sell Your Books With
Direct-to-Retailer Links
Find the Best Editors, Designers, Illustrators,
Marketers, and Publicists in the Business
BOOKS TO WATCH

Scouting Report
In this months look at the best-reviewed self-published
titles, we highlight a guide to pairing food and wine, an
apocalyptic thriller, a historical novel set during the lead up
to the Iranian Revolution, and a whole lot more.

Cook + Cork Unrest

HARRY MILLS AND CHRIS SANDRA ANN HEATH
HORN
Synopsis: This historical
Synopsis: Sommelier novel from Heath follows
Horn and chef Mills the life of 17-year-old
discuss the intersection Annette Patterson as she
of food and wine and and her family arrive in
creating perfect pairings Tehran in 1987, during
at home. the lead-up to the Iranian
PWs Takeaway: Light, inclusive, and illuminat- Revolution.
ing... Sure to inspire a trip to the local wine shop PWs Takeaway: This is a superb accomplish-
as well as the market. ment of character development, as well as an
Comparable Titles: What to Drink with What immersive journey through Tehrans many
You Eat landmarks.
Sample Line: Our wish is that food and wine Comparable Titles: Reading Lolita in Tehran
pairing is no longer a vague or fatuous concept, Sample Line: Its been said that birds can sense
but a natural impulse based on simple under- an approaching storm. And cattle often run
standings of what can happen when liquid for higher ground before a flash flood. Yet I
meets solid. hadnt been gifted with a similar sixth sense.
Read the review: Read the review:
publishersweekly.com/9780692751008 publishersweekly.com/9780996551724

Resurrection Reflections in Begin Again

America
JEFF GUNHUS
Synopsis: A small
town descends into
martial law out of
fear of a mysterious
airborne virus.
PWs Takeaway: [A] taut, thought-
provoking thriller.... Readers
will keep turning the pages as
the action builds to a surprising
conclusion.
Comparable Titles: Outbreak
Read the review: publishers-
weekly.com/9780998217727
the Mist
CURTIS KRUSIE
Synopsis: A dream
job turns into a
nightmare for Grey
Cavanaugh when
hes suspected of murder and
becomes a fugitive.
PWs Takeaway: Fast-paced action
sequences are balanced nicely
by the depiction of the lovers
devotion to each other.
Comparable Titles: Vertical Run
Read the review: publishers-
weekly.com/9781544699233
CRYSTAL WALTON
Synopsis: Former
model Ti moves to
North Carolina
where she falls
for a single father
raising his 10-year-old daughter.
PWs Takeaway: This classic love
story will have readers enthralled
until the last page.
Comparable Titles: Like Never
Before
Read the review: publishers-
weekly.com/9780986288289

W W W. P U B L I S H E R SW E E K LY.C O M 67
 FIRST LINES

First Lines Paper Airplane

KEVIN N. FAIR
It sucks being a loser.
Our monthly look at some of the best
opening lines from titles by BookLife
authors Life on the Line
FRANK MCNAIR
This month weve got a beautiful she-devil, a August in the South is a trial run in
losers lament, and a trial run in Hades. To submit hell.
a first line, email booklifeeditor@booklife.com.

Chicago Movie Girls

D.C. REEP AND E.A. ALLEN Devils
She had to steal a wallet today. Pa had ERIK HENRY VICK
left her no choice. Ive seen the devil, and she was
beautiful.

Dream Frequency
S.L. LOMAS
Everything can change in one sum- Lana & the Water Carrier
mer. MORGAN YOUNG
Lana McNairs parents must be dead.

How the Lie of Race Continues to

Undermine Our Country

A detailed argument in support of abolishing the concept of

race, giving examples of its corrosive eects and arguing that
we collectively need to get past the iron wall of racialism.
-Clarion Review

A vibrantly personal book that manages to balance rage and

warm-heartedness.
- Blue Ink Review

Available Now at:

ISBN: 9781532022319 (Hard cover)

978-1532022296 (Soft cover)
9781532022302 (E-book)
Pages: 144
www.Connecting-The-Dots-LLC.com @StopFalling4It Publisher: iUniverse (May 22, 2017)

68 B O O K L I F E , AU G U S T 2 8 , 2 0 1 7
WRITING ADVICE

Ask work, not hers. If you feel that

your editor is not respecting
s h e re fu s e s to honor your
re q u e st , then move onfind a

the
your voice, doesnt really under- new editor yourself if you are
stand your subject matter, or is working on your own, or ask for
just plain wrong, then tell her. your publishers advice.

Editer Many editors are not as tal-

A veteran editor answers
your writing questions
BY BETTY KELLY SARGENT
Dear Editor:
ented as Maxwell Perkins, and
even he probably made sugges-
t i o n s h i s a u t h o r s re fu s e d to
accept. Good editors are sensitive
to authors language, voice, and
goals. If you dont feel that your
editor has these qualities, then
move on if you can. But, if the
choice isnt yours because youve
Tr y to remember that what
she is offering is not intended
as personal criticism but as pro-
fessional insight into what could
make your manuscript stronger.
Whether you decide to take it
or leave it should be entirely up
to you. Your name will be on the
cover of your book, not hers.

W hat should I do when I dis-

agree with my editor? It
seems to be happening more and
been assigned an editor by your
publisher, Id follow this three-
step formula: think about what
more. Adam she is suggesting for a day or two Betty Kelly Sargent is the
and allow for the possibility that founder and CEO of BookWorks.

T he primary job of an editor is

to bring out the best in the
manuscript she is working on: to
make it read like the best of your
h e r ch a n g e m ay i mp rove t h e
manuscript; discuss it with her
and listen carefully to her rea-
If you have a question for the
editor, please email Betty Sargent
soning; if you still disagree and at booklifeeditor@booklife.com.

I R O N
Iron String is the intrepid story of Stefan Revak,
his loneliness and hard work as a child raised
by an alcoholic mother to his will to survive as

STRING
a conscripted World War II German army sol-
dier and prisoner of
war. His desperate
love for his wife
M
Maria
aria kept him alive
through every trial
as he crisscrossed
Europe in a war he
did not choose.

"A FASTPACED, GRIPPING TALE THAT PITS TWO FORCESTHAT

OF EVIL AND THAT OF LOVEAGAINST EACH OTHER.
KRISTINE MORRIS, FOREWORD CLARION FIVE STAR REVIEWS

. . . A FINELY DETAILED STORY OF GRIT AND SURVIVAL

KIRKUS REVIEWS

. . . UPLIFTING AND INSPIRING, THIS STORY REMINDS US THAT THE

HUMAN SPIRIT IS STRONGER THAN THE EVIL THAT OTHERS DO.
- ELEANOR SULLIVAN, AUTHOR OF THE TREE OF HEAVEN A SINGULAR VIL-
LAGE MYSTERY

ISBN: 978-1-942545-70-5

B O O K L I F E .C O M 69
 PAID LISTINGS

PW SELECT LISTINGS

New Titles from

Self-Publishers
Booksellers, publishers, librarians, and agents are encouraged to look at the 78 self-
published titles below. Each appears with a list of retailers that are selling the book and a
description provided by its author. 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 Cyrus the Persian to Edens mysterious god and fierce love
The American vs. Amabo Messiah for her murderous brother, Cain.
Brett Cantrell. Xlibris. $41.99 paper (70p), Mason Balouchian.
ISBN 978-1-5245-5726-3 Masons. $19.95 hard- A Hard Decision
Amazon, Xlibris cover (160p), ISBN 978- Westley Thomas.
The patriotic hero of 0-9905973-4-6 AuthorHouse. $14.95
this novel represents Amazon paper (136p), ISBN 978-
the Constitution, A dramatic account of 1-4685-5046-7; $3.99
hard-working people, the life and accomplishments of Cyrus e-book, ISBN 978-1-
law-abiding citizens, the Great, the founder of the Persian 4685-5044-3
and people who care Empire. Amazon
about America. After her childhood sweetheart, William,
The Dead Silence: disappeared years ago during the
Black and White Make Sure Youre Alive Vietnam War, Zera moved on and married.
Ben Burgess Jr. CreateSpace. $15 paper Jane B. Tredition. $16.80 With Williams shocking return, she must
(340p), ISBN 978-1- hardcover (216p), ISBN make the hard decision of whom to con-
5480-7742-6 978-3-7439-3710-9; tinue her life with.
Amazon $10.50 paper (216p),
Bill ONeil and Ben ISBN 978-3-7439-3709-3 How I Got to
Turner are tasked to Amazon, BN.com, Tredition Yesterday: A
handle two racially Dr. Sam Haley, a successful psychiatrist, Fictionalized Memoir
charged litigations. tries to help one of his special patients, Paul Sedlock.
The cases hit emo- Anna, cope with the dark side of mother- CreateSpace. $16 paper
tional chords with the lawyers. hood. (338p), ISBN 978-1-
5187-9093-5
Can I Be Frank? Gold in Havilah: Amazon
Rob Wyatt. CreateSpace. A Novel of Cains Wife Five decades in the life of a thoughtful
$7.99 paper (286p), Jean Hoefling. WestBow 20th-century working man who is also a
ISBN 978-1-5211-0887-1; Press. $3.99 e-book, functioning alcoholic. His relationships,
$2.99 e-book, ASIN ASIN B073276YBS mishaps, faults, and fears eventually lead
B005U676W4 Amazon, him toward a growing self-acceptance.
Amazon Westbowpress.com
The trials and tribula- A child of Adam and Eve Jessica Lost Her Wobble
tions of a rookie priest from England as living at the dawn of history, Akliah must J. Schlenker. Binka. $2.99 e-book, ASIN
he takes on his first parish in Florida. make a perilous choice between devotion B0198UX0BI

70 B O O K L I F E , AU H U S T 2 8 , 2 0 1 7
 PAID LISTINGS

PW SELECT LISTINGS

Amazon, Apple iBooks, (172p), ISBN 978-1- Tokolosi

BN.com, Kobo 5144-8742-6; $3.99 John Skinner. Xlibris.
After her divorce, e-book, ISBN 978-1- $23.28 paper (398p),
Jessie moves to an 5144-8741-9 ISBN 978-1-5144-
island for a new start. Amazon 9923-8; $4.99 e-book,
While trying to cope Victoria Godwins life ISBN 978-1-5144-
with her past, in comes was almost perfect. 9924-5
Amy, who helps her That was until her fam- Amazon
reinvent her life and find love. But is it ily entered the drug world. Their lives This is a compassionate account of
real? changed, but she became stronger with drought-stricken suffering and privation
Gods help and his unfailing mercy. in an imaginary, least-developed African
My Interview with country where peoples pleasures and
Beethoven Republican Presidential Candidate unexpected perils are highlighted.
L.A. Hider Jones. Versus Demon-Crats Doomsday
CreateSpace. $17.99 Patricia Ann Taylor. Two Big Days
paper (378p), ISBN 978- Dorrance. $18 paper Rickey Lee. Page. $12.95
1-5352-0142-1 (256p), ISBN 978-1- paper (112p), ISBN 978-
Amazon 4809-2447-5 1-68409-254-3
A young Virginia news- DorranceBookstore.com Amazon, Apple iBooks,
paperman leaves home to interview the Robert Lowe has BN.com, Google Play,
famous composer Ludwig van Beethoven groomed his son since Kobo
because hes been told that Beethoven birth for the presidency. The book contains two
is his natural father. When Robert Jr. wins the nomination, stories: first Robert Newkirk, a black
the games really begin. Ego rules in this Republican from Atlanta, becomes pres-
The Night Bride: Book family, and it could cost them everything. ident, elected in 2000, aided by Andrew
One of the Night Wife Young; and second, Michael and Daisy
Chronicles The Resistance Between Us: feel empathetic about attaining life in
William Cade. Pronoun. Ingrids Wars (Vol. 1) heaven.
$2.99 e-book, ASIN Phyllis Kimmel Libby.
B073JSSZ8F Mistral. $21.99 paper Walking on Edge:
Amazon, Apple iBooks, (527p), ISBN 978-0- A Pilgrimage to
BN.com, Google Play, 9987441-0-0; $4.99 Santiago
Kobo e-book, ASIN Reino Gevers.
A lurid retelling of our earliest creation B07365CHRC PowerBodyMind. $12.95
stories. An epic tale of Lilith, the first of Amazon, BN.com, paper (204p), ISBN 978-
all women, who flees paradise to escape Ingram, Kobo 1-5466-8565-4
the brutality of man. Nazi terror tramps into France. With her Amazon, Ingram
husband dead and her child crippled, Ingrid A modern-day pilgrimage on ancient
The Other Viki Fellner battles alonehiding refugees paths with the main characters grappling
Bob Bennett. from the Gestapo, which abuses her. with topical issues such as relationships
AuthorHouse. $20.99 and the search for meaning.
paper (454p), ISBN 978- Thank God for Drugs
1-5246-7021-4; $3.99 Kewalnam Christ. Keshown Cassell. $19 A Weekend with
e-book, ISBN 978-1- paper (436p), ISBN 978-1-5408-9755-8 Frances
5246-7020-7 Amazon Lois Jean Thomas. Lois
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challenges. serial killer and a sex Amazon, BN.com
addict in the sooty A mother and her three daughters
Party Girl Nurses Journey labyrinth of New York reunite in this tension-wracked drama.
Victoria Godwin. Xlibris. $19.99 paper City.

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BN.com, Google Play, 5228-2631-6
Waterstones Amazon, BN.com The Butchers Bill:
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tures in heaven while an ordinary couple grounds offer stories NCIS, Thrillers, Book 2
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catastrophic technol- Twin Falls pathologist Toni Day is sup- Bill Thesken. Koloa.
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ISBN 978-0-9903519-
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ISBN: 978-1946312044
Pages: 30
Daingerfield Island
Publisher: Kommuru Books

John Wasowicz.
Use Your Words! Go on an adventure thatll tickle funny BrickHouse. $22 paper
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A legal thriller about a
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Love that it teaches children the importance of proper conversation. complex terrorist plot,
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ISBN: 978-1946312013
Pages: 34
involving political intrigue, courtroom
Publisher: Kommuru Books
machinations, and police skulduggery.
Come Join the Adventure and Experience The Magic of
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ISBN 978-0-692-
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ISBN: 978-0990317814, 978-1503170803 79784-6
Pages: 34
Publisher: Kommuru Books
www.KommuruBooks.com
Amazon, BN.com

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Imogen Trager, the determined heroine Patrick, develops a masterful plan for The large river island of Bane County
of Faithless Elector, will have to fight revenge. This thriller combines science, has a troubled past, but some histories
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Otilia Greco. iUniverse. $13.99 paper (162p),
Demaris Protocol ISBN 978-1-5320- Guardian Unforgiven
Brian Randall. Archway. 1319-5; $2.99 e-book, Nollen Bradley. Nollen
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From the Midst of Wickedness Alan Joshua. Fringe, Book 1
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ISBN 978-1-944037- B06ZYPCBL4 B06XKJMNND
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Amazon, BN.com A mind research In order to stop a war,
A professor recruited experiment goes Chiari Jhahn must
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dents administration vaporizing a Russian city, killing thou- Predatory instinct meets political ambi-
soon discovers disturbing facts involv- sands. Unless Beau Walker finds the tion in this paranormal fantasy series.
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port the presidents agenda to become Romance/Erotica
the Global University. Snatch Girl Eyes of the Seer
L.J. Kane. Bentley Ashley York. Ashley York. $7.99 paper (196p),
Going Gone! A Trackers Novel Hereford. $10.75 paper ISBN 978-0-9986684-
Anita Dickason. Mystic (246p), ISBN 978-0- 3-7
Circle. $7.99 paper 9956273-1-4; $2.99 Amazon, Apple iBooks,
(300p), ISBN 978-0- e-book, ASIN BN.com, Kobo
9968385-3-5 B0722CMW7J In the land of the
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An intricate scheme to Snatched from her sadistic captors lair stitions ignited by fear
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Rescued: A Harris Tower Novel
The Iguana Project SF/Fantasy/ Cara Downey.
Dale Arden. Lulu. $14.39 Horror CreateSpace. $3.10
paper (242p), ISBN 978- Bane County: e-book, ASIN
1-4834-3268-7 Forgotten Moon B071JRQB23
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When the mafia mur- $5.99 e-book, ASIN Smashwords
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Tower Novel series continues the love Dancooneyart.com The Fourth Wife of Aliyar Bey
story between Sean and Shervon, which A cross-dressing, gin-soaked grifter Hlne Zulgadar and Nandita Jhaveri-Menon.
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Rising from the Ashes tion-era San Francisco. Amazon
Marchela Wells. Xlibris. She was a model. He
$19.99 paper (392p), Nonfiction fled Azerbaijan and
ISBN 978-1-5144- Choose Resilience: Break Out of Your joined the Foreign
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ISBN 978-1-5144- Emotional Intelligence Paris and were mar-
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Amazon (166p), ISBN 978-0- of two courageous lives.
An adult romance in which the heroine 9986122-0-1
experiences the joys of love at first sight Amazon, BN.com Gaining the High Ground over
and the terrors of being stalked by men This book challenges Evolutionism
who raped her when she was 16. the notion that com- Robert J. OKeefe.
fort is always good. It iUniverse. $17.95 paper
The Stationmasters Cottage inspires readers to (212p), ISBN 978-1-
Phillipa Nefri Clark. break out of their safe 4759-4962-9; $3.99
Phillipa Nefri Clark. spaces to get the personal and profes- e-book, ISBN 978-1-
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01383-9; $3.99 e-book, Chronicles of the Kwedake Dikep: OKeefe presents a comprehensive study
ASIN B01MS6QD1O A Timeline of the Indian Spring on the on the creation-evolution controversy
Amazon, BN.com, Google Hill TL of 2014 that identifies assumptions unique to
Play, Kobo Robert J. Thayer. evolutionary science and highlights sci-
Heartbroken, betrayed, and proud, a Outskirts. $35.95 paper ences faith in the rationality of nature.
woman ran into a deadly storm. Fifty (350p), ISBN 978-0-
years on, another woman risks her own 9970654-5-9 Godmother: An Unexpected Journey,
world to uncover the secrets of the past Amazon, BN.com, Perfect Timing, and Small Miracles
that will change both their lives. Outskirtspress.com Odile Atthalin. She Writes.
This book examines $16.95 paper (300p),
Comics the possibilities of an addition, not an ISBN 978-1-63152-
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Jaime Olmos, illus. by Constitution for establishing a freedom ISBN 978-1-63152-
Kevin Nichols. that could not have existed before the 173-7
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e-book, ASIN Atthalin takes the
B071GM994S Edward IV, Englands Forgotten reader along on a spiritual quest as she
Amazon Warrior King: His Life, His People, and examines life and death, loss and heal-
A murder mystery graphic novel. Band His Legacy ing, and the life-giving power of love.
members hold reunion. Band singer is Anthony Corbet. iUniverse. $27.95 paper
found dead following reunion. Private (466p), ISBN 978-1-4917-4633-2; $3.99 I Can-cer Vive: Live Free, Be Happy
investigator follows trail leading to revo- e-book, ISBN 978-1-4917-4635-6 Monya Williams. Archway. $24.99 paper (412p),
lutionary Central America. Amazon ISBN 978-1-4808-4003-4; $8.99 e-book,
As the Hundred Years ISBN 978-1-4808-4005-8
The Tommy Gun War ended, a new king Amazon
Dolls, Vol. 1: emerged: Edward IV. Williams, a woman of
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In the Gentle Blue Light of the Dog Star
Chuck Farritor. Infinity. $17.95 paper (349p),
ISBN 978-0-7414-
5565-9
Amazon
Readers will be warmed
by the quiet love and
caring that is a part of
each story, then
grabbed and shaken by
the brutal action that sneaks up on them.
Jesus in the White
House: Make
Humanity Great Again
Gina Messina. The Far.
$14.95 paper (143p),
ISBN 978-0-9989675-1-6
Amazon, BN.com
Messina uses sharp wit
and humor to present Jesus positions on
social policy based on the Gospels while
making comparisons to those of Donald
Trump and the GOP, who often invoke
his name.
The Man from Mensa1 of 600: with stage four non-Hodgkin lymphoma,
Mensa Research
Bernard Mulholland.
CreateSpace. $89.99
paper (482p), ISBN 978-
1-5353-0726-0
Amazon, BN.com
A brief history of the
international high-IQ
society Mensa, founded in Oxford in 1946
to conduct research in psychology and
social science and provide contact
between intelligent people.
Medical Apologetics:
The Universe Diagnosed
Kris F. French, illus. by
Alex Orokotan. WestBow
Press. $16.95 paper
(177p), ISBN 978-1-
5127-7882-3
Medicalapologetics.com,
Amazon, BN.com, Westbowpress.com
A new scientific and philosophical
approach to the ultimate questions of
reality using a medical diagnostic
approach.
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Misreading Judas: Popular arguments for evidence of the
How Biblical Scholars existence of God and his creation are
Missed the Biggest the cosmological, the ontological, and
Story of All Time the argument for the intelligent design
Robert Wahler. of created things.
AuthorHouse. $14.95
paper (116p), ISBN 978- Notes of an Underground Humanist
1-5246-2760-7 Chris Wright. Booklocker.
Amazon com. $21.95 paper
Judas is the sacrifice in the Gospel of (540p), ISBN 978-1-
Judasnot Jesus. Judas is a cover char- 60145-765-3
acter for James the Just. There was no Amazon, BN.com, Books-
Jesus Christ. Christian history needs A-Million
rewriting. In a series of detached
reflections, this book
Mommy, Why Do You touches on most of the important ques-
Have Two Birthdays? tions that arise in life.
T.E. Corner. Balboa
Press. $11.99 paper Our Fated Century
(108p), ISBN 978-1- Grant Rodkey. Xlibris.
5043-7490-3; $3.99 $19.99 paper (240p),
e-book, ISBN 978-1- ISBN 978-1-5245-
5043-7535-1 5816-1; $3.99 e-book,
Amazon ISBN 978-1-5245-
Corner chronicles his wifes life-altering 5815-4
experience when she was diagnosed Amazon
A kaleidoscopic review of events, knowl-
and the fascinating procedures edge, and attitudes that have changed
endured, while on her way to a renewed us and our fellow earthly travelers dur-
life. ing the tumultuous period from 1917 to
2017.
The Mystery of an Old Master Painting,
Madonna of Divine Love Painting by The People Hitler Left Behind
Raffaello Sanzio da Larry B. Stell. Xlibris.
Urbino $19.99 paper (276p),
Carla N. Xlibris. $81.99 ISBN 978-1-5245-
paper (148p), ISBN 978- 8351-4
1-5245-7526-7; $3.99 Amazon, Xlibris
e-book, ISBN 978-1- Stell imparts his
5245-7525-0 impressions of
Amazon Germany and the
The book clarifies the story of a 1514 German people since he lived in the
lost painting, wrongly believed for a cen- western part of Germany from 1961
tury that it was the painting on wood until 1983.
created in 1518 by a pupil of Raphael.
The Principle of True
A New Heaven and Representation:
New Earth Mind, Matter and
William Dewberry. Xlibris. Geometry in a Self-
$19.99 paper (340p), Consistent Universe
ISBN 978-1-5245- John T. Winthrop.
8035-3 iUniverse. $38.99 hard-
Amazon, Xlibris cover (554p), ISBN 978-
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1-5320-1202-0; $28.99 paper (554p), ISBN B073XRQQRT Childrens/YA
978-1-5320-1201-3 Amazon, Apple iBooks, Camis Decision
Amazon, BN.com, iUniverse BN.com, Kobo Valenciya Lyons. CreateSpace. 99 e-book,
A unique formalism arising from the uni- This book enables ASIN B00MR9Z9U8
fication of appearance and reality readers to understand Amazon, BN.com,
answers seemingly unresolvable issues themselves clearly, Smashwords
in fundamental physics, cosmology, and and with this clarity of Following the discov-
neuroscience. insight, problems can ery of her unplanned
dissolve and also lead to wisdom, free- pregnancy, 16-year-
Rule #1 Dont Be #2: dom from stress, and a sense of inner old Cami swears her
You Get What You peace. best friend to secrecy.
Work for Not What But someone soon discovers her secret
You Wish For Up from South Philly and quickly spreads it across town.
Daniel Milstein. Gold Star. Anthony A. Chiurco.
$19.99 hardcover Liferich. $18.99 paper Grandma Doesnt Know My Name
(249p), ISBN 978-1- (294p), ISBN 978-1- Joy Shepherd, illus. by Karalee Hammes.
947165-03-8; $9.99 4897-0145-9 CreateSpace. $11.99
e-book, ISBN 978-1-947165-05-2 Amazon, BN.com paper (26p), ISBN 978-
Amazon, BN.com, Books-A-Million A neurosurgeons 1-5441-4412-2
In his fourth book, Milstein continues to memoir starts from Amazon
challenge readers to dream big with his the authors childhood on the rough A little girl is troubled
candor revealing their own limitless streets of South Philadelphia. by her grandmother
potential. not remembering her
What Happened to Paul Carter, Vol. I: name. She learns how
Stretch for Change: The Very True Story of Alzheimers affects the brain and
How to Improve Your Love, Passion and a changes the way things will be done.
Change Fitness and Hitman
Thrive in Life Katherine De Bois. Guardian Angel
Gustavo Razzetti. Katherine De Bois. William McCauley. William McCauley. $2.99
Liberationist. $19.99 $19.95 paper (282p), e-book, ASIN B00D5EY2SO
paper (294p), ISBN 978- ISBN 978-0-9992339- Amazon
0-9990973-0-4 0-0 For his middle-school
Amazon, BN.com, Smashwords Amazon, Apple iBooks, BN.com, Ingram, Kobo Holocaust project,
Razzetti provides endless excuse-bust- The author tries to understand why her Markus turns to his
ers. The books road map, actionable fianc disappeared and why she is now concentration camp
tips, and exercises can improve readers hunted by a hitman. survivor grandmother,
fitness. but she refuses to
What Happened to Paul Carter, Vol. II: relive the memories.
The Trump Challenge Collateral Damage: The Very True Story Then a stranger who knew her in
to Black America of Love, Passion and a Hitman Auschwitz reveals devastating secrets.
Earl Ofari Hutchinson. Katherine De Bois.
Middle Passage. $9.95 Katherine De Bois. Maddie & Sayara
paper (126p), ISBN 978- $19.95 paper (342p), Sanjyot P. Dunung. Full Circle Media. $9.89
1-881032-00-7 ISBN 978-0-9992339- paper (181p), ISBN 978-1-943967-88-9
Amazon, BN.com 2-4 Amazon, Ingram
Hutchinson presents a Amazon, Apple iBooks, Maddie and Sayara
detailed look at the direction Trump has BN.com, Ingram, Kobo are from very different
taken the country since his election and Questioning her san- cultures. Quickly
what it means to African-Americans. ity, the author struggles to find answers forging a close friend-
and stay alive when her life suddenly ship, they face an
Understanding Me, Understanding You: morphs into a true-life psychological unexpected crisis.
An Enquiry into Being Human thriller filled with deception, heartache, Nave but hopeful
Manoj Krishna. Cleartree. $5.99 e-book, ASIN and hitmen. Maddie is determined

76 B O O K L I F E , AU G U S T 2 8 , 2 0 1 7

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to fix the problem.
Oh Susannah: Things That Go Bump
(An Oh Susannah Story)
Carole P. Roman, illus. by
Mateya Arkova. Chelshire.
$8.99 paper (62p), ISBN
978-1-94718813-6
Amazon
Susannah learns to
confront her fears and
not let her imagination
prevent her from having fun.
A Pardon for Tommy
Patricia Nmukoso Enyi. Halo. $11.95 e-book,
ASIN B0725M51SV
Amazon, BN.com
Chelseas city is
destroyed during
Hurricane Katrina. Her
father gets swept
away by floodwaters.
Tommy the turkey is
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due to end up as Thanksgiving dinner. heroes battles a usurper for the throne
How can Chelsea save him? of Albanland.
Tillie Heart and Soul
Mary Atkinson. Maine Authors. $14.95
paper (155p), ISBN 978-1-63381-108-9
Maryatkinson.net, Maineauthorspublishing.com
For more
Tillies wish to shine at
roller-skating
information
becomes entangled
with worries about her
about marketing
absent mother, her
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your book with
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friends shifting loyalties.
visit:
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Luke Taylor. Luke Taylor.
booklife.com/
99 e-book, ASIN
B01J6YAWYO
about-us/
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Amid civil war, an
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unlikely band of
Have you ever wondered what happens in the
Suicide's Ward in Heaven? Taking a shortcut out
of this life might not be as easy as you think...
This creative work will linger in the readers mind long
after being nished, as was the intent.
- Pacic Book Review
A strangely eective blend: an optimistic book about suicide.
- Kirkus Reviews
A philosophical dialogue that is a mix of Zen and humor.
-Clarion Review
Available Now at:
ISBN-10: 1491756160
ISBN-13: 978-1491756164
Pages: 284
Publisher: iUniverse

Fiction
Across a Dark Highland Shore:
Hot Highlands Romance, Book 2
Kelly Jameson. Kelly Jameson, $2.99 e-book
(404p) ASIN B00UPH6MI2
Jameson (The Falcons Prize) immerses her
reader in the warfare between the Maclean
and MacKinnon clans in the Scottish
Highlands in 1447. Isobel MacKinnon is
known for having the ability to see visions
of the future. During the new years celebra-
tion of Hogmanay, shes accused of being a
witch and set to be burned at the stake. At
the last moment, shes saved by Leith
Maclean, the same dark Highlander shes
seen in her dreams. Isobel is now charged
with helping Leith win the heart of Lady
Katherine Campbell, the fiance of his late
brother, Logan, though their developing
feelings for each other make that difficult.
Leith seeks to keep the tenuous peace
between the Maclean and Campbell clans by
fulfilling the marriage contract, while also
investigating the suspicious death of his
brother, which Isobels visions may be able
to help with. Jamesons strength lies in her
worldbuilding, and she demonstrates a solid
knowledge of Highlands history and lore.
The story moves slowly, taking too long to
get to the relationship between Isobel and
Leith and to the heart of the plot. If readers
make it to that point, however, theyll be
rewarded with a strong Highland romance.
Begin Again
Crystal Walton. Impact Editions, $13 trade
paper (346p) ISBN 978-0-9862882-8-9
Walton (Write Me Home) delivers heart-
wrenching emotion in the second book of
her romantic contemporary Home in You
series. Ti is a former model who has fled her
art studio in Astoria, N.Y., after receiving
a threatening call, seeking shelter on the
shores of Ocracoke, N.C., despite having an
extreme fear of the ocean. While there, she
encounters Drew, a single father struggling
to raise his 10-year-old daughter, Maddie,
and maintain the store his father built. But
Drew is close to the end of his rope: the shop
isnt doing well, and Maddie has been
recently diagnosed with an immune dis-
order that brings the medical bills pouring
in. But Ti doesnt see a struggling man.
77a B O O K L I F E , AU G U S T 2 8 , 2 0 1 7
Instead, she sees a grump who needs to be
shaken out of his comfortable (and failing)
ways, and so she sets herself up as a consul-
tant with the idea of helping Drew succeed.
Quickly, though, she finds that she needs
Drew and Maddie just as much as they need
her. Waltons writing is lyrical but not
cloying. This classic love story will have
readers enthralled until the last page.
Blood Family
Brent Winter. Brent Winter, $2.99 e-book
(356p) ASIN B01M0RSSCA
In Winters smartly written, if overly
long, debut, Alex Whitfields mundane life
is turned upside down when a quest to find
his missing half-sister, April, sends him
deep into the paranormal and uncovers dark
family secrets. On the first anniversary of
his fathers suicide, Alex is visited by a
haunting vision of his sister in his bathtub
with her wrists slashed. Alex initially fears
hes succumbing to the same insanity that
saw his father committed to a psychiatric
hospital. Aprils increasingly horrifying
appearances push Alex to enlist the aid of
narcissistic necromancer Clyde Braveboy,
who has disturbing motives of his own. But
before he can save his sister, Alex is forced
to confront the secret source of his familys
troubles. Winter adds gravitas to the emo-
tional scenes by interweaving genuine
humor throughout, and readers will con-
nect with Alex as he deals with the improb-
able changes in his life. However, the novel
consistently overstays its welcome.
Multiple points feel like natural conclu-
sions with plot threads tied up and charac-
ters in good places, but Winter continues
putting Alex in escalating situations.
Despite the prose being consistently witty
(You think you can do this without me?
Yeah, I can almost get killed without you.
And for a lot less money, too), by the end,
the events have built to a point where the
conclusion isnt satisfying.
Dead Weight
Matt Casamassina. Matt Casamassina, $5.99
e-book (320p) ASIN B01N7JFZI0
An almost absurd premise sets up
Casamassinas gritty, cinematic postapoca-
lyptic thriller. Seventeen-year-old Zephyr
returns home from a camping trip to dis-
cover that most of the worlds population
REVIEWS
has vanished, leaving only piles of clothing
behind. As he tries to understand this new
reality, he meets a seemingly friendly older
man, Ross, but it soon becomes clear that
Ross is dangerous, and Zephyr decides to
flee the city in search of more people. As the
tense journey progresses through scenes of
horrifying lawlessness, Zephyr allies him-
self with fellow wanderers, including a shy
but endearing young girl, much-too-chill
twins, and an aimless slacker. The group
liberates two sex slaves, teen Aurora and
30-something Sarah, after a gruesome
struggle in Las Cruces, N.Mex. Zephyr and
the other survivors, who are a bit too
unbothered by their victimization and
sudden capacity for violence, limp toward
California to join a collective called Alpha
that intends to rebuild society. Once they
reach Alpha, Zephyr and Auroras love
blooms, but they are soon forced out again
into the harsh, uncertain world. Despite
some loose threads, the work will appeal
broadly to fans of breathless end-of-the-
world action sequences.
Death at Dinner:
A Cassie Pengear Mystery
L.A. Nisula. CreateSpace, $16 trade paper
(220p) ISBN 978-1-5076-2967-3
Nisulas entertaining second mystery set
in an alternate Victorian universe that
includes bizarrely modified technology
(after Killing at the Carnival) finds energetic
Cassie Pengear, who has no backstory to
speak of, reluctantly agreeing to help serve
at a dinner party held at the home of busi-
nessman Edgar Carrollton in Londons posh
Mayfair district. When Carrolltons solic-
itor, John Ainsworth, collapses during the
soup course and subsequently dies, foul play
is suspected. Scotland Yards Inspector
Hamilton arrives to interview the guests,
with Cassie on hand to discreetly pour tea
and soak up clues. She takes a more active
part in the investigation after Mrs. Pomeroy,
the cook, comes under suspicion. Nisula,
who also writes fantasy novels under the
name Lisa Anne Nisula, offers readers a fair
play puzzleall the clues are clearly on
display for those who wish to match wits
with Cassiethough anyone expecting the
complexity of an Agatha Christie whodunit
will be disappointed.
REVIEWS
The Falcon Confession
John V. Norris. John Norris, $11.99 trade paper
(470p) ISBN 978-0-9967618-9-5
Debut novelist Norris tells this tale of the
Norman Conquest well enough, but its sub-
plot of nefarious intrigue rings hollow. In
the summer of 1065, Harold Godwinson,
the Earl of Wessex, returns from months of
captivity in Normandy to England, where
his old friend, Bishop Wulfstan, must hear
his confession and see that it is recorded.
Harold, Wulfstan, the young scribe Aidan,
and Harolds wife, Edith Swanneschals,
each face difficulties leading up to and fol-
lowing the battles of 1066. Harold, as
Norris writes him, is seeking to foil the
plans of Bishop Odo of Bayeaux, Duke
William of Normandys half-brother. To the
modern reader, Odos intentions to destroy
the Islamic realms seem extreme, but they
dont feel out of place for a medieval cler-
gyman. The reactions of Harold, Wulfstan,
and their circle to Odos plans are more like
those of contemporary people rather than
people of the Middle Ages; at a time when
war was a fact of life, Harolds and
Wulfstans recoiling seems out of place.
Norris describes the battle action nicely,
but the motivations dont fit.
The Jssing Affair
J.L. Oakley. Fairchance, $19.99 trade paper
(540p) ISBN 978-0-9973237-0-2
In the tantalizing prologue of Oakleys
solid thriller set in 1944 Norway, Henry
Oliver Rinnan, a Gestapo unit unto him-
self with a maniacal lust for brutal punish-
ment of his Norwegian countrymen,
shoots a man before dumping him in a
snowy ravine. An elderly witness to the
shooting retrieves the victim and manages
to revive him. Flash back to seven months
earlier: Tore Haugland, who has been
working with the Norwegian resistance
intelligence service and the British, was an
integral member of the Shetland Bus opera-
tion, in which Norwegian fishing boats
transported arms and agents between the
Shetland Islands and Norway. His dan-
gerous work becomes even more perilous
after he falls for Anna Fromme, the German
widow of a Norwegian who came to distrust
her before his arrest by the Nazis. After her
husbands disappearance and presumed
death, Anna was suspected of having
betrayed him. Then someone, possibly
Anna, informs the authorities that Tore is
working for the resistance. Convinced of her
innocence, Tore resolves to unmask the
person who really betrayed him. Oakley
effectively recreates a lesser-known chapter
of WWII through well-developed charac-
ters and suspenseful situations.
The Lifeblood of Ill-Fated Women
Kevin James Breaux. CreateSpace, $13.99
trade paper (390p) ISBN 978-1-5372-6045-7
Nordic mythology comes to life in
Breauxs meandering novel. In the midst of
an attack on the Scandinavian village of
Birka, Astrid, a warrior princess, wakes up
to find herself inexplicably in a new location
with no memory of how she got there.
When former soldier Warren and his mer-
chant brother Hammond find Astrid near
death, they take her to their humble town
of Grmstad. A stranger in a strange land
with the life she knows relegated to history,
Astrid struggles to solve the mystery of her
missing time while fighting to defend
Grmstad from a bandit army. She also deals
with the unexpected and not entirely
wanted feelings shes developing for
Warren. Breauxs action sequences are vis-
ceral and immersive but the plot jumps
around before it finally gets somewhere.
When a familiar face appears with a
shocking revelation, Astrid finds herself
caught in the middle of a war between old
Nordic gods and powerful demons.
However, once the primary plot thread is
revealed, its resolved before it truly gets off
the ground. Breaux (One Smoking Hot Fairy
Tail) has written an enjoyable story filled
with highly entertaining action and char-
acters, though one that leaves the reader
wondering, Whats the point?
Loving a Wild Stranger
Kelli A. Wilkins. Kelli A. Wilkins, $2.99 e-book
(295p) ASIN B01N6M551H
Wilkins (Trust with Hearts) has created a
wonderfully sweet romance (first published
in 2014 as Wilderness Bride) set in a small
town in the Michigan Territory in 1823.
Kathleen Stanton, on the run from her past
with nowhere to go, ends up in the town of
Ranford. After encountering a handsome
stranger and overhearing his conversation,
she makes the desperate decision to claim
to be his mail-order bride. Luther Dubois
sent off for a wife a year prior, since no
woman in Ranford wanted to marry a man
who was part Ojibwa, and is shocked when
Kathleen claims to be his. On Luthers
homestead, Kathleen struggles with her
new life, so very different than the one she
had in New York, while Luthers quiet
strength belies his troubled past. Kathleens
lack of trust in men, thanks to her ex-fianc,
and Luthers discomfort with his heritage
make it hard for them to love each other;
meanwhile, theres growing danger to them
both from outside forces. The fantastic ten-
sion between the two characters as they
grapple with their sudden newlywed status
and the awkwardness that comes with mar-
rying a perfect stranger keeps this story
emotional and realistic as they fall in love.
The story flows nicely and does not rush the
romance. A few too many story lines crowd
the novel, but Wilkins keeps readers inter-
ested with strong, complex characters. Fans
of pioneer romances will enjoy this one
Moriarty Meets His Match:
A Professor and Mrs. Moriarty
Mystery
Anna Castle. Anna Castle, $15.95 trade paper
(344p) ISBN 978-1-945382-03-1
In this witty series launch set in Victorian
London from Castle (the Francis Bacon mys-
teries), Prof. James Moriarty, Sherlock
Holmess nemesis, is no criminal master-
mind. Rather, hes an assistant examiner at
the Patent Office, with a firm and fierce
sense of justice. At the vast and hugely
popular International Inventions
Exhibition, Moriarty is on hand to unmask
the anomalies in a newly designed steam
engine. When the engine explodes, killing
a man, Moriarty realizes that he must find
out who tampered with the device or risk
being blamed for the death. Shortly before
this tragedy, Moriarty meets a beautiful
American widow, Angelina Gould, who has
come to London, ostensibly for the 1885
social season. As the mutual attraction
between Moriarty and Angelina blossoms,
the cunning lady introduces the professor
to both love and larceny. As the subtitle
suggests, the pair eventually wed. Readers
will look forward to the couples further
adventures.
B O O K L I F E .C O M 77b

The Night Everything Fell Apart
Joy Nash. Joy Nash, $5.99 e-book (370p)
ASIN B01IRMBM68
Vacillating wildly between existential
angst and moments of inappropriate
hilarity, Nashs first book in the Nephilim
urban fantasy romance series is a sharp bib-
lical tale with some minor inconsistencies.
Young Arthur Camulus is a Nephil of the
Druid clan, the offspring of a witch and a
Nephil demon. Hes also a direct descen-
dent of the famous Merlin. After Arthur
breaks away from Mab, the aggressive,
power-hungry alpha of his clanwho sells
drugs and runs an S&M dungeon in her
spare timehe undergoes his Ordeal, a
grueling transition from dormant power to
full demon form. He joins forces with his
secret lover, Cybele, whos a dormant power
from Mabs trailer park enclave of Demons
Hollow, Tex., to uncover Merlins final
resting place and retrieve his staff of power.
The archangels of Heaven and Arthurs
fellow Nephilim hope he will fail; to
muddle the situation further, a mysterious
Nephil wants Merlins staff for his own
destructive purposes. A slow, somewhat
confusing beginning transitions almost
seamlessly into a plot bursting with action
and character development, albeit cluttered
with clunky sex scenes and discomfiting
hints of sexual assault. Nash (Blood Debt)
cant quite keep all the balls in the air, but
she gamely keeps trying.
North of the Killing Hand
Joni M. Fisher. Joni M. Fisher, $15 trade paper
(376p) ISBN 978-0-9972575-2-6
In this second in her Compass Crimes
series, Fisher (South of Justice) offers a prequel
that combines elements of several genres
into an unwieldy whole. In August of 2002,
in the Brazilian Amazon, 14-year-old Nefi
Jenkins witnesses the murder of her parents.
Ex-military members Blake Clayton (star
of Fishers previous novel), Vincent
Gunnerson, and Ruis Ramos are sent to the
rainforest by Nefis uncle, Senator Hamilton
Jenkins, to bring her back safely to the
States. After her rescue, Nefi adjusts to life
in America while planning a career in law
enforcement, hoping to put to use her rare
level of ability to read people. She and
Vincent both harbor feelings for each other
that Nefis young age prevents them from
77c B O O K L I F E , AU G U S T 2 8 , 2 0 1 7
exploring until years later, when Nefis
quest to find her parents killer and
Vincents work as an FBI agent intersect.
Throughout, Bible verses inform the
choices of Nefi and others. The characters
fall into old-fashioned gender roles, and all
those who are good are beautiful while the
nemesis is ugly. The mixture of thriller and
romance story lines, particularly with the
age gap between Nefi and Vincent, feels
awkward.
The Rector:
A Christian Murder Mystery
Michael Hicks Thompson. Shepherd King, $18
trade paper (342p) ISBN 978-0-9845282-6-4
Thompsons engaging, high-energy
Christian murder mystery is narrated by
Martha McRae, a woman living in a small
Mississippi town who seeks to solve the
mystery of the sudden death of pastor David
Baddour. Throughout the novel, readers are
introduced to the cast of characters who
inhabit the small Delta town in the 1950s.
The book gleefully mixes all the elements
of a small-town murder mysterygossip,
foul play, backstabbingand, as more is
revealed about Pastor Baddour and the
other townspeople, more mysteries, hypoc-
risies, and dangers add to the intrigue. In
spite of the danger McRae faces, she leaves
no stone unturned. As she moves closer to
solving the mystery, she must grapple with
difficult truths about faith, honesty, sin,
and redemption. With its exploration of
small-town life in and close examination of
the inhabitants of the town, Thompsons
tale looks intimately at what it means to
function in a communityhow a popula-
tion can reveal and obscure the truth.
Folded into the narrative are many Christian
lessons, musings, and references, which can
be interesting and edifying for some readers
of faith.
Reflections in the Mist
Curtis Krusie. CreateSpace, $12.99 trade
paper (292p) ISBN 978-1-5446-9923-3
A dream job turns into a nightmare for
architect Grey Cavanaugh in Krusies
thrilling page-turner. Venture capitalist
Salvatore Mancini hires Grey and interior
designer Misty Sommer to develop the Star
Silo, a St. Louis skyscraper that Grey hopes
will bring his name to the forefront of the
REVIEWS
architectural universe. Grey and Misty fall
for each other while working on the project,
and Grey is stunned when months later,
after being summoned by Mancini to
Chicago, hes terminated for having vio-
lated the terms of his employment, which
banned any direct communications between
design team members after ground was
broken for the building. Worse news fol-
lows when Grey learns that the Mancini has
been murdered and the FBI suspects him of
doing it, a development that turns Grey and
Misty into fugitives. Grey tries to stay alive
and clear his name with the help of his
father, a former CIA agent. Fast-paced
action sequences are balanced nicely by the
authors depiction of the lovers deepening
devotion to each other.
Resurrection America
Jeff Gunhus. Seven Guns, $3.99 e-book
(405p) ISBN 978-0-9982177-2-7
In this taut, thought-provoking apoca-
lyptic thriller from Gunhus (Night Chill),
hard times have hit the little hamlet of
Resurrection, Colo., and the mayor has rein-
stated the local fall festival in the hope that
the food, music, crafts, and fun will lift the
communitys spirits. When someone erects
a high electric fence in front of the entrance
to a long-abandoned mine, Sheriff Rick
Johnson is concerned. A series of small,
easily dismissed incidents niggle at his
mind, but he decides to let things ride until
after the festival. Soon, grave problems
develop that directly involve every citizen
of Resurrection and eventually spiral into a
technological threat so cataclysmic that
Rick can hardly comprehend its signifi-
cance. Will Rick and his allies, including
AI expert Cassandra Baker, be able to
thwart the mad plans of Hank Keefer, the
mines new owner, and the unbridled greed
of Cassandras narcissistic billionaire boss,
Brandon Morris? Readers will keep turning
the pages to find out as the action builds to
a surprising conclusion.
The Thurston Heirloom
Suzanne Stengl. Mya & Angus, $9.99 trade
paper (176p) ISBN 978-0-9880365-9-8
In the ninth entry in the multiauthor
Thurston Hotel series, Stengl (The Ghost
and Christie McFee) writes about human
decency and finding home. When 28-year-
REVIEWS
old Mariah Patrick steps off a Greyhound
bus in the inviting Alberta town of
Harmony, she has no money, no friends, and
no known connections to the town, but shes
ready for a brand new start. Recovering
from recent lossesbeing jilted at the altar,
grieving the death of someone close to
herMariah is seeking peaceful anonymity
and a business degree. Why she chose
Harmony of all places is a mystery, but
mountain guide and sporting goods store
owner Teague Farraday is glad that she did.
Guided by a too-charming-by-half deus ex
machina in the form of a well-dressed
elderly gentleman, Mariah magically finds
shelter (Thurston Hotel), sustenance (also
the hotel), and a sweetie (Teague). Harmony
and its inhabitants will hold great appeal
for readers seeking total immersion in
romantic escapism.
Unrest
Sandra Heath. Sandra Ann Heath, $24.99
(350p) ISBN 978-0-9965517-2-4
Heaths debut novel masterfully incor-
porates family, romance, tension, and fully
realized characters into a wonderfully
written piece of historical fiction set in
1978 Tehran, during the lead-up to the
Iranian Revolution. Seventeen-year-old
Annette Pattersonaka Anniearrives in
Tehran with her mother, her 18-year-old
sister, and 11-year-old brother. Theyre
joining their father, Colonel Jack Patterson,
at his new military assignment of helping
to procure equipment for the Air Force, but
unlike where theyve lived beforewhich
has ranged from the U.S. to GreeceIran
is almost overwhelmingly exotic to them.
The strange desert landscapes, the local cus-
toms, unique foods, and awesome land-
marks threaten to overpower Annies senses.
Sibling rivalry between Annie and her
sister, Debbie, escalates when the family
befriends 18-year-old Amir and both girls
start to fall for him. As tension grows
within the family, so too does it grow in the
country: killings and demonstrations occur
with increasing frequency. When a restau-
rant the family had patronized is bombed,
Annie realizes this happened two weeks to
the night wed celebrated Debbies birthday
there. The time period is accurately cap-
tured from the viewpoint of the Pattersons
as well as from the Iranian characters per-
spectives. This is a superb accomplishment
of character development, as well as an
immersive journey through Tehrans many
landmarks.
Nonfiction
Asheville Movies, Vol. 1:
The Silent Era
Frank Thompson. Men with Wings, $15.95
trade paper (104p) ISBN 978-0-9987699-0-5
In a pleasant stroll through a nearly for-
gotten part of the early movie industry, film
historian Thompson (Texas Hollywood:
Filmmaking in San Antonio Since 1910)
gathers up tales of silent filmmaking in
bucolic Asheville, N.C. By the late 19th
century, Asheville was well-known as a
resort area and playground of the wealthy
George Vanderbilt erected Biltmore House,
a 250-room mansion, as a summer home
there in 1895and was easily accessible by
railroad. With views of the Blue Ridge
Mountains to provide picturesque scenery,
the city also possessed plenty of visual
appeal. By 1900, films were being shot
there by two of the largest studios then
operating, Vitagraph and Biograph.
Thompson finds stories of Asheville locals
eagerly volunteering, and even paying, to
become actors and extras. Quotations from
local newspaper interviews with actors and
film crews describing how much theyre
enjoying their time in Asheville also make
it amusingly evident that even then the film
industry knew how to endear itself to its
fans. Only marred by the occasional slip
into a gratingly folksy prose style, this is a
well-researched and carefully indexed book
that joyfully chronicles a bygone era. 133
photos.
Cook + Cork:
A Chef and a Sommelier Spill the
Secrets of Food and Wine Pairing
Harry Mills and Chris Horn. Heavy Restaurant
Group, $39.95 (288p) ISBN 978-0-692-75100-8
Foodies and armchair oenophiles are sure
to appreciate sommelier Horn and chef
Millss collaborative treatise on the intersec-
tion of food and wine and how to create
perfect pairings at home. Instead of offering
up an alphabetical listing or a varietal tour
of wine, the authors start broadly and end
specifically, with chapters focused on a
wines qualities (light-bodied whites, sweet
whites, tannic reds, etc.) and how those
qualities can complement or amplify flavors
in a handful of dishes. The book pivots on
the concept of mind moutha term the
authors use to explain how tastes are per-
ceived. Examples take on the form of assign-
ments that wonderfully illustrate the
authors points: a full-bodied white such as
viognier can be served with pan-roasted
halibut; a tannic red such as Cabernet,
petite sirah, or carmnre can be paired with
braised beef short ribs with gorgonzola
polenta; and sparkling wine can simply and
satisfyingly be served with, yes, potato
chips. Sage advice on navigating big-box
stores, deciphering labels, picking the right
wines without spending a fortune (why
break the bank on a top-shelf pinot noir
when a lower-priced beaujolais is equally
satisfying?), and saving wine for special
people instead of special occasions further
connects readers with the authors. Light,
inclusive, and illuminating, this volume is
sure to inspire a trip to the local wine shop
as well as the market.
A Time to Live, a Time to Die
Nancy Magargle. Carpenters Son, $14.99
trade paper (229p) ISBN 978-1-942587-77-4
Magargle shares the faith-shattering
experience of choosing to remove life sup-
port from her daughter in this lyrical
memoir. In 1993, Magargles college-
bound daughter, Stacey, was involved in a
serious car crash while the rest of the family
was away on vacation. The family raced
home only to learn that massive brain
trauma had left Stacy nonresponsive. For
the next several months, Magargle and her
husband agonized and struggled with the
faint hope that Stacys condition might
improve. Magargle charts her frustrations
with health insurance companies, medical
professionals, and well-meaning but inap-
propriately meddling acquaintances as she
wrestled with a life-or-death decision. In
between discussions of brain injuries and
her emotional challenges, Magargle offers
key points for others to consider when won-
dering what a Christian response to hope-
less medical scenarios should be, such as
faith in Gods love and living with grace.
Some of Magargles lingering irritation
B O O K L I F E .C O M 77d

with her husband and others still bleeds
through despite her claim of transformative
forgiveness, and she occasionally gets lost
in emotive but meandering descriptions.
But as a candid look at end-of-life decisions,
Magargles memoir will help others
approach the issue with more hope and
empathy.
Transparent:
How to See Through the Powerful
Assumptions that Control You
David W. Richardson Jr. Clovercroft, $15.99
trade paper (320p) ISBN 978-1-942557-56-2
According to Richardson, founder and
president of the Assumptions Institute
ministry, assumptions are crucial elements
of human nature that control thought pro-
cesses and actions on a daily basis. Writing
extensively about what he describes as dif-
ferent types of assumer personalities, he uses
the Lewis and Clark expedition as a sim-
plistic analogy for his quest to map the psy-
chological effects of assumptions.
Richardson introduces the Critical
Assumptions Test, a tool to help visualize
where assumptions come from, such as news
stories and movies. He takes the reader
through exercises to learn how to better use
the CAT in evaluating assumptions and
seeing how God truly gives knowledge,
wisdom, and guidance. At times, the book
becomes bogged down in theory, but
Richardson achieves his goal of explaining
how the CAT tool can be beneficial to those
looking to deepen their faith.
Childrens/YA
Riding with the Hides of Hell
Stacia Leigh. Espial Design, $10.70 paper
(256p) ISBN 978-0-692-79727-3
Alternating between tough Miki Holtz
and easygoing Will Sullivan, both 17,
Leighs uneven tale of family and motor-
cycle clubs suffers from a frustrating lack
of communication. After Will wipes out on
his motorcycle while drunk, his father
forces him to come along on a bike rally in
the Pacific Northwest as a final memorial
for Wills mother, who died in a car acci-
dent the previous year. Will winds up
sharing a bike with Miki, the daughter of
the acting president of the Hides of Hell
77e B O O K L I F E , AU G U S T 2 8 , 2 0 1 7
motorcycle club, who is head over heels for
Will despite his seeming lack of interest.
Then the two make a decision that puts
them in the middle of a conflict between
the Hides of Hell and a rival club. Leigh
(Dealing with Blue) creates rounded charac-
ters in both Will and Miki: his inability to
move on from his mothers death and her
self-confidence are highlights of the novel.
However, Leigh glosses over the unsavory
parts of the club, including its illegal activ-
ities, and most of the obstacles the charac-
ters face, both physical and emotional,
could have been avoided by having conver-
sations. Ages 14up.
Malika: Warrior Queen, Part One
Roye Okupe, illus. by Chima Kalu. YouNeek
Studios, $14.99 paper (144p) ISBN 978-0-
9966070-5-6
As the queen of the empire of Azzaza
nascent, fictional 15th-century West
African nationMalika grapples with
internal rebellion, Chinese invaders, and
mounting insurrection from her Council of
Five, the representatives of the countrys
five provinces. On the battlefield, Malika
can take out five rebels with a single swing
of her sword (and a jaguar with a well-
placed kick). And shes just as assured when
facing questioning from her council,
though readers also see her struggle with
how best to show strength, which comes to
a head with the arrival of the king of Atala,
Malikas secret husband, who possesses
supernatural wind-based powers. Okupe
balances exposition, plot progression, and
action within each chapter, providing a
smooth introduction to the machinations
and mythologies of this world (interspersed
notes touch on the real-life inspirations
behind Azzaz). Befitting the story of a
fierce, confident queen who rules from the
front lines as much as from her throne,
Kalus cinematic artwork is dominated by
battle scenes but also highlights the
empires landscape of sand, rocks, and for-
ests, as well as the cultural diversity of its
people. Ages 12up.
10 Steps to Girlfriend Status
Cynthia T. Toney. Write Integrity, $13.99 paper
(202p) ISBN 978-1-938092-64-0
This second book in Toneys Bird Face
series, after 8 Notes to a Nobody, is a thinly
REVIEWS
woven tale that combines a family ancestral
mystery, a degenerative disease, and
romance. Louisiana native Wendy
Robichaud is about to become part of a
blended family with her mother, her close
friend Alice, and Alices father and brother.
Now a high school freshman, Wendy is also
beginning to attract boys, including pop-
ular David Griffin. Meanwhile, her next
door neighbor and surrogate grandmother,
Mrs. Villaturo, is showing signs of dementia,
which alarms Wendy. While looking
through a photo album, Wendy questions
Mrs. V. about a picture, which sparks
Wendys curiosity about her own family his-
tory, and a quest for answers begins.
Unfortunately, Wendy comes off as an odd
combination of empathetic, presumptuous,
and unintentionally harsh (His voice
sounded almost normal. Or maybe I was
getting used to it, she says of Mrs. V.s
grandson Sam, who is deaf). The intercon-
nected relationships between characters get
to be overly convenient, sometimes overlap-
ping to the point of confusion. Although
Toneys writing is solid, the book winds up
short on substance. Ages 12up.
A Little Radical:
The ABCs of Activism
Danica and Jason Russell. Broomstick Engine,
$20 hardcover (60p) ISBN 978-0-692-82451-1
The Russells (Jason Russell directed the
viral short film Kony 2012, about the child
soldiers of the Lords Resistance Army)
bring a focus on activism to a picture book
audience in this rhyming alphabet book. In
an attractive book-within-a-book setup, the
spreads consist of photographs of a hand-
made, zine-like guidebook filled with col-
laged images, pasted-in text, and hand-
drawn or painted cartoons, all thematically
tied to the words being introduced. The
word action is formed from red yarn that is
held in place by a trio of cartoon figures
(A is for action./ It all starts with you./ Talk
wont do a thang./ Without follow-
through). The guidebook is photographed
against a backdrop of rocks on the D pages
(for defend), spray paint and safety pins
bring a punk aesthetic to the R spread (for
radical), and torn b&w photographs of hands
introduce xerography for X (Print posters.
And fliers. Be seen and heard./ You can say
a lot without saying a word). The cartoon
REVIEWS

illustrations can be stick-figure generic, but

the books rhymes nimbly balance motiva-
tion and playfulness, and the Russells
overall attention to detail is evident. Ages
48.

The Jelly Donut Difference:

Sharing Kindness with the World
Maria Dismondy, illus. by P.S. Brooks.
Cardinal Rule, $10.95 paper (32p) ISBN 978-0-
9976085-0-2
Dismondy introduces twins Dexter and
Leah, who squabble with each other but
extend kindness to an elderly neighbor.
While picking up eggs from Ms. Marvis,
who lives nearby, Dexter notices how quiet
her house is and suggests that his parents
invite her over for dinner. During the meal,
Ms. Marvis shares stories of making paczki
(jelly donuts) with her family in Poland
before Lent; with help from their father, the
children whip up a batch of paczki for their
neighbor, who responds with a long thank-
you note. British author-illustrator Brooks
evokes the storys wintertime setting
through a minty palette of pale blues, pinks,
and greens, contrasting cozy kitchen-cen-
tric scenes with outdoor flurries and snow-
drifts. Although both children seem to
recognize the rewards of their kind actions,
neither grows much as a character: Dexter
starts and finishes the book as an empathetic
peacemaker, while Leah is antagonistic and
not much else. Even so, this earnest story of
being a good sibling, neighbor, and friend
may inspire readers to find ways to be gen-
erous in their own lives. All thats missing
is a paczki recipe. Ages 48.

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