AUGUST 2018

Your guide to self-publishing

First Lines from BookLife Authors •
Ask the Editor with Betty Sargent • Book Cover Redesign •
Indie Scouting Report • 81 New Titles Listed

A BookLife Prize
Tim Slee Winner Finds
Inspiration
Two years after winning the
BookLife Prize, Tim Slee
is still self-publishing, still
donating all his proceeds
to charity, and still not
revealing his real name

BY MATIA BURNETT

I
ndie author Tim Slee, the winner of the
2016 BookLife Prize for his sci-fi noir
novel The Vanirim, is exploring new
territory. His latest project, Bering Strait,
is what the Australian author, who lives
in Denmark, calls a “hard-core techno-
thriller” about a future face-off between
the U.S. and Russia over the strategically
vital water way that separates Alask a
from Russia.
Slee (who previously worked in intelli-
gence and would prefer to not reveal his
 ® INDIE SUCCESS
I write for the joy
of it and to give
back to the community,
and every book I write
helps do that.
real name) calls his natural curiosity the driv-
ing force behind his writing. Inspiration arises
from intriguing newspaper articles and voyages
abroad. He tends to land on a concept for a book
before he conceives of his characters; he searches
for voices that can offer unique perspectives on
the story concepts he plans to explore.
“So, I write crime through the eyes of
a nun,” Slee says. “A postapocalyptic
world through the eyes of a trauma-
tized murderer. The Viking discovery
of Amer ica through the eyes of a
woman disavowed by her family.”
Slee also takes the research process
very seriously: “The subject matter
isn’t always something I know inti-
mately before I start, but I dive deep
once I start a project, researching,
talking to experts, visiting locations.”
For Bering Strait, he visited military
and police websites and chat forums
to consult with experts. “I needed to
get a whole lot of technical detail
right, from air force weapons and
tactics to special forces jargon, in
order to make the book feel and sound
authentic,” he says. The volunteers
he found to weigh in on his work
include a Russian military radar coder
and a German Leopard tank weapons
systems technician.
Since beginning to self-publish his
work, Slee has relied strongly on
public support and word-of-mouth
recommendations to draw readers.
For his most recent books (The Vanirim
and its sequel, The Aesir), he reached
62 B O O K L I F E , AU G U S T 2 7 , 2 0 1 8
out to a mailing list of 383 people, asking them to
buy paperback copies from the self-publishing
service Lulu and to forward a link to friends with
the recommendation. “Most of them do help out,”
he says.
Coinciding with the release of his books, Slee
also runs what he calls a “#readerzero” promotion—
a chance for a fan on his mailing list to receive
the first printed copy of the novel. He also heav-
ily promotes his work on social media. He typi-
cally sets the goal of selling 300–500 copies of
each title upon its release.
Slee’s efforts to promote himself have paid off.
Recently, his unpublished novel Burn was shortlisted
for the Banjo Prize in Australia. The prize winner
(to be announced on August 31) will receive a
publishing contract with HarperCollins, with an
advance of $15,000.
But Slee isn’t in the writing business
for the sales, and he counts himself
lucky. “I write for the joy of it and to
give back to the community, and every
book I write helps do that,” he says.
Proceeds from Slee’s sales go to
charity. In the past, he has donated to
Médicins Sans Frontières/Doctors
Without Borders. This year, sales from
his books will benefit Plan International,
an organization that advocates for
children and the rights of girls. “In
the time of #MeToo, Plan International
seemed a good choice as they work
to educate and empower girls,” he
says. “Almost all of my book s con-
sciously feature strong female pro-
tagonists.”
Where will Slee’s natural curiosity
take him next? Maybe “an abandoned
tram shed in inner urban Sydney, the
Capitol building in Sacramento, or a
windy bay in Newfoundland,” he says.
Slee also takes time to take in his
immediate surroundings and enjoy
the fruits of his labors—literally: “I
just finished picking apples for a pie.
Tree is about to collapse with the
weight of them. We’re looking at our
warmest August day for a hundred
years this Wednesday.” ■
 ®
COVER ART

Cover Redesign
This month, Michele Argyle at Melissa Williams Design
reimagines the cover of Don’t Tell Anyone by Laurie Boris,
who said the new cover “works on so many levels.”
To submit a book for a free cover redesign, email us at booklifeeditor@booklife.com.

Original Cover

The title
interacting with
the artwork
The minimalist
shows that
color scheme
though this is
sets an inviting,
a mystery, it’s
warm tone that
a fun and
will appeal to
playful read.
many readers.

The new cover

still indicates
Adding two
that food is a
subtitles gives
large part of
readers a
the story, but
clearer sense of
the illustrated
what they can
image more
expect from this
clearly nudges
family secrets
the book into
mystery.
the women’s
fiction genre.

64 B O O K L I F E , AUGU ST 2 7, 2 0 1 8

Q&A SPONSORED
BookLife Talks with
Joseph Wurtenbaugh
Wurtenbaugh returns with a new book examining
the fragility of historical events through a reimagining
of Hitler’s 1936 remilitarization of the Rhineland.
What inspired you to write A Prophet Without
Honor?
A Prophet Without Honor is an episto-
lary novel set in 1936, three years
before the start of World War II, that
reimagines Adolf Hitler’s reoccupa-
tion of the Rhineland, leading to very
different consequences. But in a
larger sense, the novel’s subject is
really the historical process itself. I
was a criminal law practitioner for 40
years. I did more than 150 jury trials,
from homicide to trade secret theft.
Trials are really small-scale historical
inquiries. The fragility of events and
their interpretation is endlessly inter-
esting to me.
To what extent do the characters
and events in A Prophet Without
Honor depart from the historical
record?
The book is 90% historical, deviating
only at the end. To make that deviation
plausible, however, I had to reimagine
the careers of a number of statesmen.
Dwight D. Eisenhower has a starring
role, and Charles de Gaulle plays a
minor part. But I’d stress that all this
stays fairly close to the characters and
careers of the persons we know. The
alteration from the historical record
is actually very slight.
What about the book do you think is most relevant
to today’s readers?
Recognizing the complexity of historical under-
standing, how unclear the road behind actually is, is
always useful. In the book, the fall of Hitler is an
ambiguous event. No one dances around singing
“Ding, dong, the witch is dead.” The aftermath is
enormous confusion and controversy.
®
How and where did you conduct your research? Did
you turn up anything particularly surprising?
I traveled to Munich in 2013 to walk over some of
the places I intended to write about. I also ran down
some fairly obscure sources on early Nazi history.
By far, the most important was Hitler’s First War by
Thomas Weber, which depicts a Hitler who is even
more contemptible than the person we know, an
unbalanced hysteric who probably had a nervous
collapse at the end of World War I—
and lied about it. I draw on this char-
acterization in the book.
How did the process of writing this
book differ from composing your
previous novel, Thursday’s Child: An
Epic Romance?
The process was completely differ-
ent. Thursday’s Child is told almost
exclusively from the perspective of
the heroine, Adele Jansen. As for A
Prophet Without Honor, I had always
wanted to write an epistolary novel.
There are probably around a dozen
different voices in the book, from
the German nobility and the British
upper class to a Kansas farm boy
(Eisenhower) and an earthy car
mechanic. Switching between these
voices was great fun!
Who is your ideal reader and why?
I hope that what I’ve done is fun and
accessible to all readers. But, gener-
ally speaking, the better read and
more literate a reader is, the more
they will enjoy the book.
What is the one thing you most want
to tell readers about you or your
books?
After all the highfalutin stuff, I’d emphasize that
both of my novels are fun. They move quickly, with
lots of events and interesting, sympathetic charac-
ters. I like to think I’ve created the same kind of
books as the ones I like to read, which are lively and
plot-driven with serious underpinnings and a lot of
interesting information provided in passing.
To learn more, visit booklife.com/wurtenbaugh
B O O K L I F E .C O M 65
 ® BOOK SALES
Reframing
Success
What to expect—and
what not to expect—
when publishing a book
BY BROOKE WARNER
T
here’s nothing like writing and publishing a
book to bring out the dormant diva who lives
inside every aspiring author. Even the most
unassuming authors have moments when indulg-
ing the fantasy of übersuccess sends them into an
uncharacteristic fanning of tail feathers as they
imagine what might be possible. And, of course,
there are authors with far less reserve, who can
be blatant in their own self-regard. I say more
power to them. Publishing a book is a big deal, and
it doesn’t hurt to dream. What does hurt, however,
is allowing that dream to cloud reality.
In my experience, there are two ways in which
authors inadvertently sabotage themselves through
anticipation: first, their expectations are too high,
and, second, their expectations are too high and
they are unwilling (or unable) to put publicity
dollars behind their efforts, which results in a huge
disconnect.
In the nearly two decades I’ve been working with
authors, I’ve heard 10,000 copies as a sales goal
over and over again. I would love to better under-
stand the psychology of 10,000 copies and why
writers have glommed onto that number. My guess
is that it stems, at least in part, from the fact that
authors and publishers at writing conferences often
include discounted or free e-books in sales numbers.
I also imagine that 10,000 sounds like a smaller
number than it actually is. Whatever the reason,
it’s an unrealistic benchmark for 95% of authors,
and it’s especially unrealistic for debut authors.
66 B O O K L I F E , AU G U S T 2 7 , 2 0 1 8
Brooke Warner
In 2015, Lynn Neary reported a story on NPR
called “When It Comes to Book Sales, What Counts
as Success Might Surprise You” that noted that
one of the books shortlisted for that year’s Man
Booker Prize had sold fewer than 3,600 copies and
another fewer than 3,000. For publishers accustomed
to looking at dismal royalty statements, 3,000
copies sold is a solid performance, but for an author
hell-bent on 10,000 as the measure of success,
that’s missing the mark by quite a lot.
Indie authors are sometimes at a disadvantage
because they don’t always understand what tradi-
tional publishers know: that most books fail—which
means they fail to earn out their advance, never
mind their expenses. Given the advance-to-sales
ratio these days, most books are destined to fail
by this definition. After all, we’re seeing more and
more books being published every year, while
readership and consumer dollars spent on books
remains steady.
Given these realities, where should indie authors’
expectations fall? What agency do authors have if
they want to experience some modicum of publish-
ing success?
First, debut authors would do well to think of
their first books as an investment in themselves
and their futures. It’s common book publishing
wisdom that the needle doesn’t truly begin to move
on book sales until authors publish their third
book. As such, this industry requires patience, and
selling 1,000 or 2,000 copies of a freshman effort
 BOOKLIFE_HALF_VERT_Layout 1 5/14/14 4:16 PM Page 1

BOOK SALES
is something worth celebrating.
Second, publicity matters. There are few indus-
tries that have as many subjective nuances as book
publishing, which makes publicity a particularly
hard conversation. Authors can spend a lot of
money and see very few results. But without pub-
licity, the idea that a book will reach its readership
Get one.
Taps the experience, integrity and
is nothing short of naive. Publicity needs to start
months ahead of publication, and the indie authors
I know who’ve experienced the greatest success authority of Publishers Weekly to
always have their eye on what’s happening with Support for
their publicity campaigns. assist indie authors achieve their
Third, authors who have evergreen books could
continue to find a readership for years and years INDIE AUTHORS
publishing goals.
to come. Authors going into new publishing ventures
can look at their books as products that they
from Publishers Weekly
continue to plug and to sell for years. Blog and tips,insights
• Profesional tips,
n Professional insightsand
and
social media posts and speaking opportunities and
podcast interviews are all opportunities to find
strategies for creating
creating and
and
new readers for old books—if authors remember to marketing your book
plug them.
And finally, it’s important to look at the big
picture. What other sales opportunities might be • Connect and
n Connect and share
share with
with other
other
explored? Today’s authors can publish in multiple indie authors
indie authors
formats, including audiobooks, the fastest-growing
segment of the industry. Authors I work with have n A free and easy way to submit
had success with discounted e-book campaigns to • A free and easy way to submit
drive more sales, Facebook and Amazon ads, and self-published books for review
self-published books for review
publishing supplemental digital-only content as in Publishers Weekly
loss leaders. Publishing also opens up opportunities in Publishers Weekly
for speaking engagements, paid writing gigs,
teaching, coaching, and other opportunities to
earn money.
Success in book publishing is about sales and
always should be, but it can also be about exposure,
building an author platform, growing author vis-
ibility, and establishing expertise. My advice to
debut authors about publishing success is this:
change that 10,000 benchmark to 1,000 for the Support for
INDIE AUTHORS
first book; learn everything there is to learn about
book publishing and apply those lessons the next
time around; be in it for the long haul; and celebrate
the small victories, such as moments of connection from Publishers Weekly
with readers, a glowing review from a stranger,
and the potential that these kinds of victories have
to propel the next book.  ■

Brooke Warner is publisher of She Writes Press

and SparkPress, a TEDx speaker, writing coach,
and the author of Green-Light Your Book and
What’s Your Book?
booklife.com
B O O K L I F E .C O M 67
booklife 1/2V rev10_6.indd 1 10/6/14 2:24:54 PM
 ®
BOOKS TO WATCH

Scouting Report
In this month’s roundup of the best-reviewed BookLife
titles, we highlight a medical thriller, a contemporary
romance, a portrait of a modern witch, and two books for
younger readers.

Hexen’s Cross Love over Lattes

J. KOWALLIS DIANA A. HICKS
Synopsis: A portrait of a Synopsis: After a rejected
modern witch and student rental application leads to
of European occult practices an emotional breakdown in
who finds herself caught in a café, Valentina de
the middle of an ancient Cordoba meets a hunky
prophesy. stranger and leases a cot-
PW’s Takeaway: Kowallis’s tage on his estate. But can
blend of mythologies is she keep their relationship
immersive and impressive, strictly professional?
and the volatile chemistry between the two PW’s Takeaway: Each stolen glance is taut with
protagonists propels this dynamic narrative sexual tension that continues to build until an
forward into the series’ next volume. utterly satisfying release. This irresistible
Comparable Title: Anne Rice’s The Witching romance is sure to satisfy.
Hour Comparable Title: Christina Lauren’s Roomies
Sample Line: “The next thing I know, my Sample Line: “Like an avalanche, out of nowhere,
father’s lifeless body hits the ground with a a hum in my chest spread and filled me with a
soft thud. It’s the same nightmare I have kind of desire I’d never felt in my life. The kind
nearly every time I close my eyes.” I’d never thought could be for me.”
Read the Review: Read the Review:
publishersweekly.com/9781642370423 publishersweekly.com/9781509219452

Petro and the The Organ A Yorkie’s

Flea King Growers Tale
KENNETH LAMUG RICHARD VAN DAVID HEANEY
Synopsis: When ANDERSON Synopsis: This
Petro’s village is Synopsis: In this novel centers on
attacked by the thriller, a doctor anthropomorphic
Flea King, he sets avenges the death animals who face
out to find a solution to the of his wife and daughter and significant questions about life’s
infestation. finds himself on the run. meaning.
PW’s Takeaway: Lamug’s black- PW’s Takeaway: Hits the ground PW’s Takeaway: Heaney offers
and-white artwork is accessible, running... breathless. wisdom, poetry, and humor.
expressive, and full of wit. Comparable Title: Robin Cook’s Comparable Title: Katherine
Comparable Titles: Luke Pearson’s Charlatans Applegate’s The One and Only
Hildafolk series Read the Review: publishers- Ivan
Read the Review: publishers- weekly.com/9780990759744 Read the Review: publishers-
weekly.com/9781717379238 weekly.com/9781975991326

68 B O O K L I F E , AU G U S T 2 7 , 2 0 1 8
FIRST LINES ®

First Lines Chant of a Million Women

SHIRANI RAJAPAKSE
“They come to this place every day to
Our monthly look at some of the best touch you.”
first lines from BookLife authors Crossing Zero
DALE BRANDON
August brings books about child smugglers and “Danny Fagan never killed anyone on
murderous mothers. To submit a first line, an empty stomach.”
email booklifeeditor@booklife.com.
The Bone Field
LEONARD KRISHTALKA
The Tribal Case “When the phone rang, Harry
THERESA JANSON Przewalski was stapled to the wall.”
“There is peace in not forcing some-
thing that by nature will have a force of Suffering Ends When
its own.” Awakening Begins
JEWEL HART
The Big Yank “Even now, more than forty years after
J.P. SEXTON the fact, I still have a hard time believ-
“I became a smuggler when I was nine.” ing that my mother tried to murder my
sisters and me.”

Q&A SPONSORED

BookLife Talks with

A.M. Watson
Debut novelist Watson takes on the topic of child
labor, showing children’s enduring resilience in the
face of hardship.

What inspired Infants of the Brush: A Chimney

Sweep’s Story?
Armory v. Delamirie is a case from 1722 about a silver-
smith’s apprentice who stole a jewel from a chimney
sweep’s boy—a child forced to climb and clean chim-
neys to remove harmful soot and coal ash. When I
realized that the jewel, a piece of property, was
found by a child who was himself the property of a one that we have not yet mastered. Children every-
master sweep, I knew it was a story that must be where are still subjected to unspeakable cruelty in
told. the name of greed, pleasure, and wealth. I hope that
Infants of the Brush will compel readers to take
How do you think this book’s themes of poverty, steps toward creating a society that teaches children
children’s rights, and child labor are relevant to find value in their work and protects them from
today? jobs that endanger their health, rob them of an edu-
When I was writing Infants of the Brush, I realized cation, and steal their childhood.
that assigning every human life value and dignity
is a relatively new concept in humankind’s history, For the complete interview, visit booklife.com/watson

B O O K L I F E .C O M 69
 ®
WRITING ADVICE

Ask
your story fit your chapters. on the short side. If your story
Many novelists these days is more leisurely, then longer
prefer chapters that are between chapters may be appropriate.

the 1,500 words—or six book pages—

and 8,000 words, or 32 book
Also, I’m a big fan of varied
chapter length. Sue Monk Kidd’s

Editer
A veteran editor answers
your writing questions
BY BETTY KELLY SARGENT
pages. But, there are hundreds
of famous exceptions.
Donna Tartt’s (624-page) novel
The Little Friend has only six
chapters, ranging in length
from 52 to 166 pages. Jennifer
Egan’s (433-page) novel
Manhattan Beach is divided
into eight parts, each contain-
(335-page) novel The Mermaid
Chair is a shining example of
how effective this can be. Four
of her chapters are just over
three pages, many are seven
or eight pages, and one is 22
pages. The impact is gripping,
creating that can’t-put-it-down
feeling, right from the start.

H ow long should chapters in

my novel be? Does it even
matter?” —John S.
ing from two to five of the
book’s 31 chapters. And Ian
McEwan simply divides his
(221-page) novel The Children

Y es, it matters, but relax.

There are no rules when it
comes to chapter length. The
important thing is to concen-
trate on making your chapters
BOOKWORKS_HALF_H_0715_Layout 1 7/24/15 10:12 AM Pageand
fit your story, not on making
Act into five parts.
Chapter length helps create
the rhythm of your book. Do you
Betty Kelly Sargent is the
founder and CEO of BookWorks.
want your novel to feel fast If you have a question for the
paced
1 breathless? Then editor, please email Betty Sargent
you should try to keep chapters at booklifeeditor@booklife.com.

Calling all Indie Authors

What can BookWorks do for you:
● Help You Find Your Reader ● Chat With Our Experts
● Post Excerpts from Your Book ● Showcase and Sell Your Books With
for Peer Review Direct-to-Retailer Links
● Get a Featured Author Cover Medallion ● Find the Best Editors, Designers, Illustrators,
for Your Book Marketers, and Publicists in the Business
And that’s just for starters
Let us help you Prepare, Publish and Promote your books. We show you how to make
indie publishing easier and, yes it’s true —how to make it fun.

JOIN NOW!
bookworks.com
 PAID LISTINGS

® PW SELECT LISTINGS

New Titles from

Self-Publishers
Booksellers, publishers, librarians, and agents are encouraged to look at the 81
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 track records and followings 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 9975107-1-3; $4.99 e-book, ISBN 978-0- Minimum Payment

And Then There Was Swine Flu: 9975107-0-6 Paul Shona.
The Diary of a Amazon, BN.com CreateSpace. $2.99
Hospital Manager Wally gets a diary at age nine and has no e-book, ASIN
Acklima Shadick. Toplink idea what a confidant and adviser it will B07DKX8SWW
Publishing. $12.99 paper become as it chronicles his increasingly Amazon, BN.com
(272p), ISBN 978-1- bizarre life’s journey. Only Jo knows A tale of families rav-
949169-51-5 Wally’s dark truths. aged by high personal
Amazon, BN.com debt and outsourced jobs and their
A fictional account of a Hender Nathaniels: courage and will to overcome the result-
week in the life of a hospital manager He Didn’t Haunt, He ing adversities.
during the swine flu crisis. Taught!
Bri B. Toplink Publishing. Of Metal and Earth
Bozophobia $15.99 paper (243p), Jennifer M. Lane.
Scott Parson. Scott ISBN 978-1-948962- CreateSpace. $13.99
Parson. $12.95 paper 80-3 paper (306p), ISBN 978-
(271p), ISBN 978-0- Amazon, BN.com 1-72127-153-5
9996378-1-4 The Westlyn family experiences some- Amazon
Amazon thing unexplainable when they move into Seven owners of a
Franklin, a clown hid- an old house in Boston. little green Jeep find
ing from romantic fail- hope, healing, and restoration through
ure behind sarcasm and face paint, falls A Life in 4:4 Time their journeys.
for a mystery woman on the run who may Cheryl Hyatt. Xlibris.
be the Baggy Pants Slasher, a notorious $19.99 paper (356p), The Orchard Lover
killer of clowns. ISBN 978-1-5245- Christianna McCausland.
8750-5; $3.99 e-book, Spring Idyll Press.
Dear Jo: Excerpts ISBN 978-1-5245- $12.99 paper (242p),
from the Bizarre 8749-9 ISBN 978-0-692-
Journals of Wallace Amazon 08403-8
Dean Prichard 1954– A popular young video journalist is work- Amazon
1987; A Novel ing hard for her life’s dreams. What Alden Forth was
Ron Hellard. Amsden should she do when all the things she raised to believe she could never have
Publishing. $19.99 paper ever wanted are suddenly available for true love. When a revivalist minister
(474p), ISBN 978-0- her to take? upsets the balance in her town, she must

72 B O O K L I F E , AU G U S T 2 7 , 2 0 1 8

PW SELECT LISTINGS
decide if love will save her or destroy her.
Private Universe
Cornelia Feye.
Konstellation Press. $12
paper (224p), ISBN 978-
0-9987482-0-7
Amazon
This mystery and
coming-of-age novel
about a young woman’s spiritual quest
combines art history, complex relation-
ships, world travel, and the search for
meaning.
The Republic: Traitor
R.R. Quaggiato. Xlibris.
$27.59 paper (402p),
ISBN 978-1-5434-
0507-1; $4.99 e-book,
ISBN 978-1-5434-
0506-4
Amazon
Could anyone justify the murder of 100
million people if it would save an
American city? The new, unelected U.S.
president is left with nothing but ugly
choices.
River Rat
Michael E. Oppitz. Xlibris.
$19.99 paper (356p),
ISBN 978-1-5434-
3501-6; $3.99 e-book,
ISBN 978-1-5434-
3500-9
Amazon
Robbie Jaspers embraces grounded val-
ues, principles, and the simple lifestyle
of a River Rat who finds and saves his
life. He then becomes a River Rat him-
self.
Round ’bout Midnight
Trevy A. McDonald.
Reyomi Publishing. $15
paper (340p), ISBN 978-
0-9670712-4-4
Amazon, BN.com, Kobo
In this sequel to Time
Will Tell, Thomasine,
Rachel, and Hope learn that life is best
lived one day at a time, with each new
PAID LISTINGS
®
day starting round ’bout midnight. experiences flying machine success and
a series of catastrophic setbacks. After
The Secret Observations of Liliana Joo WWI, a lawsuit against Glenn Curtiss
S.C. McQueen. S.C. ends with an extraordinary, authentic
McQueen. $2.99 e-book, quirk of fate.
ASIN B07FMD8532
Amazon The Ugly Priest
Liliana Joo is your Richard Stickann.
average teenage AuthorHouse. $13.99
drama queen—with a paper (244p), ISBN 978-
twist. High school can 1-5462-4058-7
be tough, but when she deals with both Amazon, BN.com
personal and academic life, she finds A story of deceit, vul-
trouble to meddle in. nerability, and loss of
commitment caused by a priest’s mis-
Sepp: America and the West steps with the women who haunt his life.
Helmut S. Helmut
Schonwalder. $13 paper When Leaves Fall: A Spiritual Novel
(266p), ISBN 978-1- Andres Pelenur. Raina
973182-91-7 Books. $3.99 e-book,
Amazon ASIN B07BPSN5XW
Spending his dollars Amazon, Audible
freely to buy some Cancer turned
happiness and living 38-year-old Dr. Laura
an excessive, extravagant exaggerated McDermott’s life
lifestyle puts a sudden stop to Sepp’s upside down until a
success. chance encounter with a mysterious
priest changed her life forever.
To Caress the Air: Augustus Herring
and the Dawn of Flight, Book One Poetry
C. David Gierke. Write Ways of the Heart Gaining Strength
Associates. $32.95 Along the Way: A Collection of Poetry
hardcover (766p), ISBN and Short Stories
978-0-9990457-3-2 Kevin J. Ste. Marie.
Amazon, Apple iBooks, AuthorHouse. $16.99
BN.com, Indiebound, paper (110p), ISBN 978-
Indigo, Ingram, Kobo 1-5462-4251-2; $5.99
A biographical novel e-book, ISBN 978-1-
that chronicles Augustus Herring’s life, 5462-4250-5
achievements, ordeals, and return from Amazon, BN.com
adversity, stirring controversy over the The author gives the
origins of manned, powered flight. reader a glimpse into the underrepre-
sented perspective of a real male’s long-
To Caress the Air: Augustus Herring ing for romance, companionship, and
and the Dawn of Flight, Book Two enduring love.
C. David Gierke. Write
Associates. $32.95 Mystery/Thriller
hardcover (765p), ISBN The Bone Field
978-0-9990457-7-0 Leonard Krishtalka. Gatekeeper Press.
Amazon, Apple iBooks, $11.98 paper (307p), ISBN 978-1-64237-
BN.com, Indiebound, 017-1
Indigo, Ingram, Kobo Amazon, BN.com, Google Play
Augustus Herring A scientist vanishes on a dinosaur dig.
B O O K L I F E .C O M 73

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Hired to find him, PI
Harry Przewalski
chases treachery and
murder from the bone
field of petrified skele-
tons to the bone
rooms of the museum.
Death by Student Loan (A Mariah
Garrett: Nifty 50s Mystery, Book 1)
L.C. Russell. Tiny Cottage
Press. 99¢ e-book, ASIN
B003O86PLS
Amazon, BN.com, Books-
a-Million
What do you do when
you’re $100,000 in
debt and you can’t
leave the house? Well, there’s always the
hidden staircase into the past.
A Different Kind of Fire & Fury: Revenge
Julie Reichwein. Best
Seller Publishing. $4.99
e-book, ASIN
B07BC7CYMQ
Amazon
In a case that tests the
bonds of time, Det.
Velasquez is thrust
into two cases, a rape and the 30-year-
old murder of her friend, as she digs into
this sick, gritty tale of evil.
A Fiery Murder (Sarah Richards
Mysteries, Vol. 3)
Debra Ison. CreateSpace.
$15 paper (308p), ISBN
978-1-985897-25-0
Amazon
Fifteen-year-old
Austin Moreland finds
his life turned upside
down when he unex-
pectedly enters the foster system and is
mistaken for another teen who has been
setting fires.
The Fog Seller: A San Francisco
Mystery
Don Daglow. Sausalito Media. $14.95 paper
(418p), ISBN 978-0-9967815-0-3; $2.99
e-book, ASIN B01867TXOC
74 B O O K L I F E , AU G U S T 2 7 , 2 0 1 8
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From the creator of
the Emmy Award–
winning Neverwinter
Nights, a novel with a
unique hero, an
unlikely love story, and
more twists than San
Francisco’s Lombard Street.
Found in Time
J.K. Kelly. J.K. Kelly
Consulting. $15.95
paper (318p), ISBN 978-
0-9994099-0-9; $9.59
e-book, ISBN 978-0-
9994099-1-6
Amazon, BN.com
A thriller about U.S. Marines testing a top
secret time travel technology. Their mis-
sions are a roller-coaster ride of emo-
tions that take them to hell and back.
Kilos & Killer Heels
Julie Reichwein. Best
Seller Publishing. $4.99
e-book, ASIN
B07FK6M5NJ
Amazon
In this tale of greed,
revenge, and the
search for one’s iden-
tity, FBI Agent Quintana leads the
charge against a female-led assassina-
tion team.
More than One Truth
Matt Benson. Paseo
Publishing. $4.99
e-book, ISBN 978-0-
692-15700-8
Amazon
A disgraced former
military attorney reluc-
tantly returns home, only to be assigned
a case defending a former classmate
accused of murder.
The New Holy Warriors
Alice Sandoval. Christian Faith Publishing.
$32 paper (400p), ISBN 978-1-63575-
903-7
Amazon, Apple iBooks, BN.com
This 9/11 political
thriller involves the
hero, Marc Bravo,
searching for his miss-
ing parents, who are
held by an Islamic
terrorist leader in
Mexico. With great
effort, he solves the crime.
The Obituary
Bill H. Reedy. Lightswitch
Publishing. $14.99 paper
(194p), ISBN 978-1-
944255-93-0
Amazon, BN.com
Philo Stern on his
deathbed confesses
to the murder of one Robert James Allen.
Relative Truth
Dan Griffin. Piscataqua
Press. $7.99 paper
(100p), ISBN 978-1-
944393-96-0
Amazon, BN.com
Eva Guardia believes
that she killed her son
18 years ago. Her attorney, Benjamin
Truitt, is not so sure and sets out to find
out who really killed Eva’s son.
The Rogue Kingdom: An Espionage
Thriller About the US and North Korea
Stephen Steighner.
Stephen Steighner.
$4.99 e-book, ISBN
978-1-5439-3663-6
Amazon
The beautiful Kim Jae
Pak has spent the
years since her
escape from North Korea training with a
martial arts grand master. She is chosen
to assassinate North Korea’s dictator.
Sue Lee Mysteries: Vols. 1–4
D.M. Sorlie. Enchanted Island Publishing.
$9.99 e-book, ASIN B01B0Z4G8U
Amazon, BN.com, Kobo
After the Japanese bomb Pearl Harbor,
San Franciscan Sue Lee Ono lends her
language skills to the U.S. Army’s code-
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cracking efforts. But Therealedwardjames. (334p), ISBN 978-1-

soon she is caught in a com, Amazon 944737-13-9
murderous past con- The first book in the Amazon
tinuing into the pres- Truth Allies Trilogy In 17th-century Spain,
ent after the death of about a friendly artifi- soulmates suffer and
her beloved uncle cial intelligence that fight against preju-
Yoshi. resets our entire soci- dice, social rules, and
ety and world. politics in a story of
Taking on Lucinda love and magic, tragedy and humor,
Frank Martorana. No Matter, No Gravity dreams and reality.
VinChaRo Ventures. Martin E. Goodman.
$13.99 paper (283p), CreateSpace. $7.99 Resonance
ISBN 978-0-9989326- paper (331p), ISBN 978- Jennifer Greenhall.
0-6; $3.99 e-book, ISBN 1-983389-22-1 Forward Progress Media.
978-0-9989326-1-3 Amazon $3.99 e-book, ASIN
Amazon A gifted engineer dis- B079WWKXHS
Reclusive veterinarian Kent Stephenson covers that gravity is Amazon, Apple iBooks,
and his dog, Lucinda, put their lives on not a singular force and that it can be BN.com, Kobo
the line to defend their small town from a harnessed, rendering all related tech- Sophia wants to save
cult that thrives on all that animal lovers nology obsolete; a dystopian outcome the world with her psychic gifts. Nate
despise. seems inevitable. just wants Sophia. Murder pulls them
into a battle for the future, but can they
War Bride: A Toby Whitby WWII Mystery Run with the Wolves, Vol. 1: The Pack survive?
Eileen Enwright T c Tombs. Toplink
Hodgetts. Emerge Publishing. $18.99 Terminal 19
Publishing. $3.99 paper (388p), ISBN 978- L.R. Olson. L.R. Olson.
e-book, ASIN 1-949169-19-5 $4.99 e-book, ASIN
B0762FDP93 Amazon, BN.com B07BBNT5N8
Amazon In the 15th century, Amazon, Apple iBooks,
Vera says she will do three kingdoms are BN.com, Smashwords
whatever it takes to caught up in a Hope is desperate to
marry an American soldier and leave decades-long war that may finally end, escape life, and
England, but will she really steal another but no one realizes that dark forces are there’s no better place than Europe.
woman’s baby? waiting to invoke chaos as a full moon While there, she meets Christian. He’s
rises. supposed to be just a fling, but things
SF/Fantasy/Horror never go as planned.
Excalibur Rising: Book One of an Shadow Play: A Dark Fantasy Novel
Arthurian Saga (The Fae Games, Nonfiction
Eileen Enwright Book 1) 101 Good Reasons to Believe:
Hodgetts. Emerge Jill Ramsower. Jill A Comprehensive Case for Christianity
Publishing. $14.99 paper Ramsower. $2.99 James D. Sideras.
(330p), ISBN 978-0- e-book, ISBN 978-0- WestBow Press. $17.95
692-22005-4 692-14641-5 paper (236p), ISBN 978-
Amazon Amazon 1-973609-97-1; $6.99
Historian Marcus An urban fantasy e-book, ISBN 978-1-
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Excalibur, the sword that cannot exist. to stay alive. world, it can be hard to find time to focus
on what’s important. The author offers
The Great Reset Romance/Erotica concise minilessons for devout
Edward James. Truth Allies. $9.99 e-book, Gypsy Love: Dream or Reality? Christians and newcomers alike.
ASIN B07FFHQCDN Valéria Lopes. Piu Books. $25.99 paper

B O O K L I F E .C O M 75
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After the Darkness The author takes the essential story, a Restoringthewaters.com,
Candace Nadine Breen. fable, and applies it to the workplace, Amazon, BN.com
Candace Nadine Breen. covering teamwork and leadership. An The three threads of
$16.90 paper (188p), illustrated textbook. this book weave the
ISBN 978-1-983312- story of the devastation
65-6 Fathers of Invention: An American Story wreaked upon this
Amazon of Family, Faith and Innovation planet.
A survivor’s true story Andrew A. Pansini.
of childhood incest, rape, abuse, domes- CreateSpace. $14.95 God Spoke to Me
tic violence, and her ability to overcome paper (220p), ISBN 978- Coach Roscoe.
the negative impact these events had on 1-5481-1212-7 AuthorHouse. $10.99
her life. Amazon paper (92p), ISBN 978-
The success story of a 1-5246-9734-1; $3.99
Bending Time: The Power to Live in family that embodies e-book, ISBN 978-1-
the Now the American values of 5246-9733-4
Patrick Paul Garlinger. hard work, innovation, and entrepre- Amazon
Anastasis Books. $16.95 neurial spirit. This book outlines the
paper (200p), ISBN 978- struggles and manifestations of a life
0-9985563-2-1; $9.95 Fifty Years of Begging: Dr. J. Calvitt destined for a higher purpose. It will
e-book, ISBN 978-0- Clarke and Christian Children’s Fund inspire and encourage those who
9985563-3-8 J. Calvitt Clarke III. choose to take a step out on faith.
Amazon, BN.com Archway Publishing.
A radical new interpretation of the $21.99 paper (354p), The Hormone Shift: Using Natural
nature of time provides an equally radi- ISBN 978-1-4808- Hormone Balancing for Your Mood,
cal answer to the core question of all 5547-2; $4.99 e-book, Weight, Sleep & Female Health
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Earth Angel: Find Your Power Shine By the 1950s, J. Calvitt Clarke was run- ISBN 978-1-948817-
Your Light ning the largest Protestant organization 23-3
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Publishing. $11.99 paper biography, Clarke’s grandson honors his Cutillo explains to
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with the angelic king- Coming Glory
dom and the clues to our own divinity Anne Grant. Toplink How to Self-Publish a Book: For the
hidden in plain sight. She offers a guide Publishing. $11.99 paper Technology Challenged Author
to awaken inner wisdom and empower (205p), ISBN 978-1- Barb Drozdowich. Barb
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John Lubans, illus. by his presence, and increase your knowl- Amazon, BN.com,
Beatrice Coron. edge and understanding of this present Ingram, Kobo, Overdrive
BookBaby. $19.99 paper glory and that which is to come. This book is for authors who have fin-
(220p), ISBN 978-0- ished a wonderfully creative story but
692-90955-3 The God Presumption are intimidated by the next steps.
Amazon, BookBaby, Caroline S. Fairless. Prose Press. $22.96
Powell’s paper (350p), ISBN 978-1-941069-79-0

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Iron or Steel: A Memoir on Living and interrelated responsibilities of par- 20481-9

Dreams ents, defines what parenting errors are, Amazon, BN.com
Marek Maria Pienkowski and provides a unique approach to solv- When we learn to find
with Linda M. Best. ing them. a stillness in our
Archway Publishing. hearts, minds, and
$33.95 hardcover Practical Perpetual Calendars: bodies, we have a
(228p), ISBN 978-1- Innovative, Convenient and Green chance to create our
4808-6216-6 James R. Saltvold. iUni- own happiness, to get
Amazon, BN.com verse. $17.99 paper closer to our supreme self.
A Polish doctor of noble lineage flees (238p), ISBN 978-1-
communism for the American dream, 5320-2135-0; $4.99 Unsolved: Cold-Case Homicides of
makes groundbreaking scientific dis- e-book, ISBN 978-1- Law Enforcement Officers
coveries, achieves great wealth, and 5320-2136-7 James Bultema. P.D. Publishing. $19.99
restores his family’s lost land. Amazon paper (364p), ISBN 978-0-9974251-1-6
A retired instrumenta- Policehistorybyjamesbultema.com, Amazon,
Lead Us to a Place: Your Spiritual tion engineer presents practical con- Ingram
Journey Through Life’s Seasons cepts for making perpetual calendars a This book examines
Andrew Pacholyk. common household and office item, and the sacrifices made by
ProAcuMed. $9.99 includes designs for desk, wall, and America’s heroic law
e-book, ISBN 978-0- pocket calendars, photo holders, and enforcement officers
692-12041-5 more. who were murdered,
Amazon while their killers
Take the first steps on Seeking Oz: My Twelve-Year Journey in escaped justice.
a journey of transfor- a Cult
mation. This empow- Makena McChesney. What’s Life Without a Dream?
ering, “take-charge-of-your-life” book is Balboa Press. $18.99 How I Overcame Abuse and
a working journal for the soul. paper (278p), ISBN 978- Delinquency to Become an FBI Agent
1-982206-19-2; $3.99 Gary Marting. Archway
New Realities of the Twenty-First e-book, ISBN 978-1- Publishing. $20.99 paper
Century, Part 1: A Psychic’s View of the 982206-18-5 (328p), ISBN 978-1-
Supernatural, Parapsychic, and Amazon 4808-5247-1; $3.99
Religion, Including A memoir of 12 years in a nondenomina- e-book, ISBN 978-1-
Prophecy Prediction! tional Christian fellowship that, due to 4808-5249-5
Prophet Wildman. the teachings and mind control of a Amazon
Dorrance Publishing. charismatic pastor, eventuated in Marting looks back at
$28 paper (244p), ISBN becoming a cult. his life, including how he overcame
978-1-4349-2804-7 childhood abuse, bullying, and juvenile
DorranceBookstore.com Straining Forward: Minh Phuong delinquency to reach his dream of
A devout Christian Towner’s Story becoming an FBI agent.
explores extraterrestrials, the parapsy- Michelle Layer Rahal.
chic, vampires, UFOs, and government Xulon Press. $19.49 Widows 101: How Not to Eat
cover-ups—some of the biggest myster- paper (374p), ISBN 978- Moldy Bread
ies of our time. 1-5456-3163-8 Susan Barber. iUniverse.
Amazon, BN.com, $12.95 paper (108p),
Parenting Errors: How to Solve Them Books-a-Million ISBN 978-1-4620-
Kerby T. Alvy. Xlibris. Following years of 3519-9; $9.99 e-book,
$19.99 paper (132p), abuse and neglect, Minh Phuong ISBN 978-1-4620-
ISBN 978-1-5434- escapes Vietnam by boat, but the mem- 3517-5
3009-7; $9.99 e-book, ories of her past continue to haunt her. Amazon
ISBN 978-1-5434- Becoming a widow isn’t like becoming a
3008-0 Tell the World: Understanding Oneself wife. Barber uses her experience with
Amazon Stephen Jahseed Lark. Outskirts Press. her husband’s death to provide practical
Alvy clarifies the many $14.95 paper (80p), ISBN 978-0-578- tips for surviving the death of a spouse.

B O O K L I F E .C O M 77
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when his beloved brother is dognapped. A fairy tale about an
Children’s/YA J.J. sets off to rescue him on what will impetuous, spoiled,
Absorbing Lives: A YA Dystopian Sci-Fi become the adventure of a lifetime. entitled little princess
Urban Thriller who gets her way with
L.T. Anderson. Rogue Genesis II tantrums, deceptions,
Street Entertainment. Allen Ling, illus. by and even lies. A trip to
$2.99 e-book, ISBN Christian Boe. Genesis II Summer Castle with
978-1-73217-952-3 Comics. $30 hardcover her father changes
Amazon, Apple iBooks, (134p) Maagy’s life.
BN.com, Kobo Genesisiicomics.com
A high-tech thriller Lisa’s breakthrough Nia & the Numbers Game: A Teenager’s
embracing women’s strength, sympathy and potentially world- Guide to Education, Relationships &
for the underdog, and the recognition ending tech draws an evil corporate Sex
that no matter what your situation, you tyrant. Her friend Daniel, with his GMO Kela Henry. BTH
are relevant and you can prevail. animal hybrid guardians, saves Lisa and Creations. $8.99 e-book,
prevents global genocide. ISBN 978-1-387-
Anything I Dream 83258-3
Ali Jensen, illus. by David Regone. Knows No Hillary Hallah Untied the Knot: Amazon, BN.com
Bounds Books & Co. A Rosh Hashanah Treat You Are Part novel, part self-
$12.99 hardcover Bound to Repeat help guide for teenage
(26p), ISBN 978-0- Cheryl Rosenbloom girls to learn how to head toward suc-
692-05619-6 Levet. Balboa Press. cess. The book deals with important
Knowsnobounds.org $16.95 paper (28p), topics, including STDs, pregnancy, and
Two young girls ISBN 978-1-5043- trust.
and their bunny 8766-8; $3.99 e-book,
dream about the multiple professions ISBN 978-1-5043- November in New Orleans: The Journey
they can be when they grow up (e.g., 8767-5 of Souls
architect, teacher, astronaut). These lit- Amazon L.C. Russell. Tiny Cottage
tle ladies know no bounds. In this picture book, the symbols of Rosh Press. $16.58 paper
Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, come (481p), ISBN 978-1-
A Date for Hannah to life while the characters learn an 982079-16-1
Callie Henry. Katharine important lesson about working Amazon, BN.com, Books-
Gilliam Regnery. 99¢ together. a-Million
e-book, ISBN 978-1- Wagering with a
944810-33-7 How to Draw for Children and demon for your soul is one thing, but
Amazon, Apple iBooks, Young Adults: what do you do when that demon cap-
BN.com, Kobo Supercharacters tures the soul of someone you love? The
High schooler Hannah Earl R. Phelps. Phelps sequel to November in Salem.
struggles with her weight and often Publishing. $13.95
finds herself friend-zoned. When hottie paper (64p), ISBN November in Salem:
swimmer Liam seems into her, she 978-1-887627-10-8 The Bargain of Witches
starts to wonder if he’s too good to be Amazon, BN.com, L.C. Russell. Tiny Cottage
true. IndieBound, Ingram Press. $8.58 paper
This book is so simple that the illustra- (358p), ISBN 978-1-
The Extraordinary Journey of J.J. Pips tions alone will guide readers to learn to 4528-6148-7
J.J. Israel. J.J. Pips draw. No words are needed to explain. Amazon, BN.com, Books-
Publishing. $9.25 paper a-Million
(55p), ISBN 978-0- Just Maagy: The ultimate battle
9982343-1-1 Book #1 in the Maagy Series between purity and
Amazon Virginia Burton Stringer, illus. by Lauren evil. Pureness of spirit meets diabolical
The life of J.J. Pips, a Abernathy. Archway Publishing. $21.99 paper corruption in this tale of heroism. Is
young British bulldog, (327p), 987-1-4808-1121-8 November really the woman who can
is turned upside down Amazon stop the demon Astaroth?

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Paddy’s Forest Trek floating away and learn a shocking e-book, ISBN 978-1-
Patti Gill. Litfire secret about their school. 4808-5234-1
Publishing. $9.99 paper Amazon
(32p), ISBN 978-1- Weather Boy: A Story of D-Day We all want friends,
64045-811-6 Steve McCoy-Thompson, but sometimes there’s
Amazon, BN.com illus. by Tammy Flynn something that makes
A young porcupine Seybold. AuthorHouse. us different from oth-
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fun-filled day on a forest adventure, ISBN 978-0-7596- finding friends difficult. Yet, as author
learning fascinating information about 0947-1 Knott-Craig shows, that doesn’t have to
trees. Mccoythompsonbooks. be the case.
com, Amazon
The Secret Laboratory #1: Frankie Brown joins Churchill, You Gotta Have Heart
Gravity Gone! Eisenhower, and a misfit group of spies Bruce Bernstein.
Kristen Bottger, illus. by and scientists to prepare for D-Day, Outsider Press. $9.99
Aleksandra Zawlocka. and uses his odd talent to save his paper (170p), ISBN 978-
CreateSpace. $3.99 father and find the true measure of a 1-73216-510-6
e-book, ISBN 978-1- hero. Amazon, Ingram
73258-240-8 A coming-of-age
Amazon The Weird Animal Club: novel about an
Marie and Albert learn It’s OK to Be Different orphan growing up in New York City. Life
how gravity works Christopher Knott-Craig, illus. by Simon keeps knocking 12-year-old Alan down.
after they accidentally turn it off. They Goodway. Archway Publishing. $20.95 paper Does he have the courage to get back
RADIO_HALF_H_0116.qxp_Layout 1 1/28/16
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(44p),1ISBN 978-1-4808-5232-7; $6.99 up? ■

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 ® REVIEWS
Fiction
Aunt Sookie and Me: The Sordid
Tale of a Scandalous Southern Belle
Michael Scott Garvin. CreateSpace, $14.99
trade paper (352p) ISBN 978-1-5455-6872-9
Garvin’s satisfying novel begins as
13-year-old Poppy Wainwright steps off
the bus in Savannah, Ga., in August of
1968, sent to live with her great-aunt
Sookie, an elderly, “blasphemous heathen
with a wicked tongue” living in a decaying
mansion in one of the city’s exclusive neigh-
borhoods. Poppy tells readers early in her
narrative that she battles unidentified
“peculiarities,” and when her addict mother
arrives, the household has much to contend
with. Nonetheless, Poppy’s loving spirit
endears her to several of the town’s resi-
dents, including an eccentric ice cream man
and the abused wife of a local football hero.
Poppy is remarkably resilient, but when her
spirits flag, Aunt Sookie is ready to guide
her with a heady and hilarious mixture of
hard-won wisdom and Southern saltiness
(“Men age like a fine red wine, but we
women age like buttermilk left in the after-
noon sun”). Secondary characters are funny
and colorful, and Poppy herself is a clear-
eyed observer of her neighbors, with all their
faults and foibles. Although this novel deals
with some weighty issues (including sexual
identity and domestic violence), Garvin’s
compassion and light touch make this a
highly entertaining and enjoyable novel.
Awaken an Angel:
The Otherkin, Book 1
M. Pickard. M. Pickard, $2.99 e-book (301p)
ASIN B079THDQR1
Pickard tangles love and prophecy in this
brisk paranormal romance series launch.
Seven-year-old Mia runs into the street to
save a dog, and is almost struck by a fast-
moving van. Luke, a good demon, saves Mia
and coaxes her into believing angels and
demons exist. He returns each time Mia is
in need, gradually revealing more about
why he’s in Mia’s life and what larger forces
of good and evil are at work. Pickard puts a
fresh spin on the oft-told tale of destined
mates fighting evil to save the world, cre-
ating an understandable magic system and
intriguing mystery. However, much of the
79a B O O K L I F E , AU G U S T 2 7 , 2 0 1 8
story is explained in narration, with little
action. Readers will find Mia a quick-
witted, genuine, and emotionally available
heroine who’s evenly matched by Luke’s
thoughtful intensity and devotion as their
relationship grows. This story will appeal
to many readers of paranormal romance.
Being Plumville
Savannah J. Frierson. SJF Books, $3.99 e-book
(315p) ASIN B00C1BYRCS
In this dramatic novel, Friersos (The
Sight: City of Sin) explores the pleasures and
perils of interracial romance in 1968. In the
nondescript Southern town of Plumville,
Ga., Coralee Simmons, the daughter of
black housekeeper Patty, and Benjamin
Drummond, the son of Patty’s white
employer, were childhood friends before
Ben’s racist mother insisted that they be
kept apart lest their friendship turn into
love. Fifteen years later, quarterback
Benjamin can’t pass his college English
class, and Coralee is assigned to tutor him.
Old feelings resurface just as tensions
between races peak. The relationship has
sweet tones, but Benjamin’s lack of growth
is difficult to ignore, especially when con-
trasted with the abuse Coralee faces.
Benjamin only comes to think about the
issues of race because of his relationship,
and doesn’t look beyond it. He allows his
peers to use slurs with minimal chastise-
ment and only gets truly upset when people
turn on Coralee. A few scenes of sexual vio-
lence may be realistic, but they diminish
the story’s romantic aspects. Despite this,
the novel will be educational for anyone
interested in the difficulties of making an
interracial relationship work in the late
1960s South.
Bitter Truth: A Beacon Falls
Thriller Featuring Lucy Guardino
C.J. Lyons. Edgy Reads, $29.99 (354p) ISBN 978-
1-93903874-6
Early in Thriller Award–winner Lyons’s
entertaining fifth Beacon Falls thriller (after
2017’s Gone Dark), former FBI agent Lucy
Guardino checks her phone before heading
for bed and finds three missed messages
from her old friend Bill Beachey, sheriff of
Magruder County, Idaho. This remote
mountainous area is known for having “the
least miles of paved roads per capita... in the
entire US of A” and “the highest concentra-
tion of wolves, bighorn sheep, and moun-
tain lions in the lower forty-eight.” When
she contacts Bill’s wife, she learns that he
has gone missing. Lucy and her husband,
Nick, immediately head for Idaho to join
the search for the sheriff. “Somewhere in
that unrelenting sea of green,” Lucy thinks,
“Bill was lost or hurt or being held against
his will... or dead.” As Lucy digs deeper, she
realizes that Bill may have uncovered a
serial killer among the genial local inhabit-
ants. The plot spins along at a good clip,
providing a full complement of thrills, but
the mystery’s solution is all too evident.
Caught
Christina J. Michaels. Finfolkaheem Publishers,
$14.99 trade paper (343p) ISBN 978-0-
9995904-0-9
Michaels’s debut historical romance is
an intriguing blend of action, drama,
humor, and sexiness set against a rich back-
drop of the social and cultural mores of
Georgian London. When the almost bank-
rupt Robert Anderson, Viscount Lord
Charmaine saves Miss Alison Brooke from
a would-be assaulter at a ball, the two
instantly connect. Their rapport is open
and witty, and their attraction to each other
obvious. Charmaine learns that Brooke is
to inherit a fortune, but her father, who
controls the inheritance, probably would
not approve of Charmaine’s bankrupt situ-
ation. Will the conscientious and romantic
Charmaine marry Brooke for love and risk
losing her inheritance, or marry another
woman simply for her fortune so he can bail
his family out of financial ruin? Further
complicating the situation are Marquis
Anthony Farrington, who vies for Brooke’s
affection, and Miss Brenda Boswell,
Brooke’s faithful companion, who finds
herself falling for Farrington. The relation-
ships between the four are even messier
because of the political fervor of the time,
which has Farrington and Charmaine on
opposing sides of the government.
Animated, sharp dialogue is a highlight
that makes the cast of characters even more
memorable. This historical novel about fol-
lowing one’s heart while balancing obliga-
tions to family, friends, and society is a
crowd-pleaser.
REVIEWS
Chicago Movie Girls
D.C. Repp and E.A. Allen. CreateSpace,
$14.99 trade paper (374p) ISBN 978-1-5481-
7783-6
Repp and Allen’s enjoyable ripsnorter
features three sisters who are striving for
acting success in the silent movie scene in
1914 Chicago. After their mother runs off,
Rae and Lily are also deserted by their
father, who robs them of their savings.
Desperate for money, pickpocket Rae lifts
a wallet containing a piece of paper with
mysterious numbers written on it, which
she sells to gangster Lukas Krantz; Lukas
realizes the paper gives him leverage over
local officials and gratefully sends Rae to an
audition at Matt Ridgewood’s film studio,
which he owns. Soon Rae’s stardom soars as
a young comic adventurer, and beautiful
Lily plays an angelic heroine, bedecked in
ruffles. Oldest sister Delia, who lives a
boring life on an onion farm in Wisconsin,
leaves her husband and joins her sisters on
set, cast as a seductress in breast-baring
shirtwaists and fancy garters. Rae falls in
love with a costar who leaves to fight in
WWI, Lily marries a wealthy hotelier, and
Delia marries again. Betrayal, jealousy, and
lovesick suitors power a fast-moving plot
with several twists and turns, and murder
provides a dollop of mayhem to further ani-
mate the story. The intriguing early years
of filmmaking combined with the rich
Chicago setting make this satisfying
entertainment.
Embracing Her Heart
Melissa Foster. World Literary, $4.99 e-book
(322p) ASIN B0742FTP4H
Love is sweeter the second time around
in the emotional first Love in Bloom con-
temporary from bestseller Foster. Ten years
ago, high school sweethearts Grace
Montgomery and Reed Cross broke up their
secret romance when they left Oak Falls,
Va., to pursue different career paths. Grace
is now a successful off-Broadway producer
who’s temporarily back in Oak Falls to teach
a screenplay writing class. The last person
she expects to run into is gorgeous Reed,
and neither is prepared for their immediate
sexual attraction. Grace and Reed are an
irresistible cocktail of hotter-than-hot sex
and tender vulnerability, and Grace’s close-
knit family and community give the story
both hilarity and heart. There isn’t much
conflict to test or strengthen the romance,
but the sheer depth of Grace and Reed’s love
will leave readers feeling utterly sated.
For Sale Murder
L.C. Blackwell. Front Door Productions,
$18.99 trade paper (334p) ISBN 978-0-
9907115-2-0
A serial killer is targeting real estate
agents across the country, a pattern that’s
only belatedly identified by law enforce-
ment after cops from L.A. and Chicago com-
pare notes, in Blackwell’s suspenseful who-
dunit introducing Peter Dumas, “a
clairvoyant and not a run-of-the-mill clair-
voyant.” LAPD homicide detective Mac
McHenry, who’s grappling with the
slaughter of two realtors, turns to Dumas
for help. The killer stabbed the two women
from behind before posing their corpses.
Meanwhile, McHenry consults an Illinois
colleague, David Arnstein, who’s probing
a murder with a similar m.o.: the victim,
realtor Terry Playmore, was decapitated and
her head placed in her lap. Susanna Ryerson,
Playmore’s friend and professional col-
league, who’s also a friend of Dumas, comes
to suspect an attractive potential client may
be the so-called real estate ripper, even as a
figure described only as “the voyeur” keeps
her under close surveillance. Blackwell
throws in enough twists to keep readers
guessing.
Freedom to Endure
Rhonda Kulczyk. Freedom Series, $10 trade
paper (290p) ISBN 978-0-9988327-0-8
With the newest installment to the
Freedom series, Kulczyk (Freedom to Forgive)
provides an engrossing tale of love and loss
in late-1800s Oregon. Meadow is a young,
isolated, abused woman determined to pro-
tect her young son from the tempestuous,
mercurial moods of a violent husband she
never chose to marry. Drew is a young
doctor who, after leaving on a mission, had
been looking forward to returning to his
home in rural Oregon to court the woman
he loved, only to find her affections engaged
by another man. Desperate to get away from
the heartache, he takes a position in Dalles,
Ore., assisting the town’s female physician.
Chance brings Meadow and Drew together,
though faith and ethics kept them apart
®
through a variety of trials and tribulations.
While this is a sweet, gentle story that
immerses readers into the lives of people
attempting to survive a tumultuous period
in history, many questions are left unan-
swered, and some plot errors (one character
dies of smallpox, and later influenza is said
to be the cause of death) distract from oth-
erwise lyrical writing. While some sections
live up to the story’s exciting setup, others
are undeveloped and poorly researched,
resulting in a haphazard reading
experience.
Hearts Unloched: Haunted Voices
Claire Gem. Erato, $3.99 e-book (318p)
ISBN 978-0-9974326-0-2
This suspenseful but unsatisfying tale
centers on a mystery at a haunted resort in
Loch Sheldrake, N.Y. Kate Bardach, a
wealthy Jewish interior designer who can
see ghosts, and Marco Lareci, an even
wealthier Italian investment broker, meet
at a racetrack near the resort, and Marco asks
her to work on renovating the resort, which
he just purchased. Unbeknownst to them,
the hotel is haunted by a presence that is
connected to a dark secret in Kate’s family
history and seems intent on disrupting the
remodeling attempts. Though the story is
set in 2014, the attitudes toward gender
and ethnicity are antiquated (Marco looks
“like an old-time mobster,” and he imme-
diately thinks of Kate as “this bitch” and
“Princess” while observing that her voice is
nasal). The supernatural aspects are
intriguing, if somewhat predictable, but
the uneven pacing of the central relation-
ship between the main characters makes it
hard for readers to connect with the story.
Killing State
Judith O’Reilly. Loughman, $10.69 trade paper
(464p) ISBN 978-1-9997653-0-9
While serving with the British army in
Afghanistan, Michael North, the hero of
O’Reilly’s pulse-pounding series kickoff,
was shot in the head by a sniper, and the
bullet that remains lodged in his brain
could prove fatal at any moment. North
finds meaning in whatever time he has left
working as a master assassin for the Board,
an “arms-length, extra-judicial, govern-
ment agency,” founded by Elizabeth I’s
spymaster, Sir Francis Walsingham. North’s
B O O K L I F E .C O M 79b
 ® REVIEWS
latest target is Honor Jones, a young and
gorgeous Tory MP who has been deemed an
extreme security risk. When he catches up
with her in a London park, he’s flummoxed
to find her waiting for him. In their subse-
quent conversation, he’s unsettled by
Jones’s belief that she’s in the crosshairs
because of her search for a missing friend,
astronomer Peggy Boland. By deciding to
spare her life, North joins her at the top of
the Board’s most wanted list. O’Reilly adds
depth to the suspenseful plot line with a
plausible speculation of the repercussions
of a Trump administration’s decision to
slash military aid to the U.K. Readers will
look forward to North’s next adventure.
Lost Wages of Sin
Rosalie Stanton. Dominic & Stanton, $2.99
e-book (312p) ISBN 978-1-945074-16-5
This supernatural erotic romance, which
opens the Saints & Sinners series, presents
a fascinating scenario—immortal siblings
who embody the seven deadly sins—but
stumbles in the execution. Ava, short for
Avaritia, has just been dumped by an angel.
Somehow the angel discovered that Ava is
a Sin, which was supposed to be a closely
guarded secret, and Ava fears Lucifer will
kill her—or worse—for letting it slip. She
flees to Natchez, Miss., where she encoun-
ters her eternally loyal and sexy vampire
friend, Dante. Ava should be focusing on
saving herself, but she can’t ignore the
intense chemistry and long history she and
Dante share. Ava is often a cipher whose
motivations are explained but not fully
shown, Dante is jealous and possessive, and
their erotic encounters are sometimes clum-
sily written. Ava’s intriguing relationships
with other immortal beings aren’t given
much time to develop. Still, the promise of
long-buried love finally emerging and the
inventive worldbuilding will be enough to
draw in less demanding fans of paranormal
romance.
The Marvelous Orange Tree
Betsy L. Howell. Rainforest Press, $15.99
trade paper (434p) ISBN 978-0-9792716-4-9
Deception is bold and prominent in this
heartfelt and often gritty Civil War saga, in
which the lives of a Union Army private and
a tomboy intersect. In 1863, Robert Taylor,
20, is part of Grant’s siege of the Confederate
79c B O O K L I F E , AU G U S T 2 7 , 2 0 1 8
stronghold in Vicksburg, Miss.; he experi-
ences both the carnage of battle and deep,
enduring friendships forged under des-
perate conditions. Jennie Edwards is a bois-
terous teenager who prefers trousers to
dresses, loves roughhousing with her two
brothers, and is learning magic tricks from
Owl, a magician, in her idyllic Illinois
prairie home. After her brothers join the
Union Army, and her mother goes away to
get her depression treated, Jennie, dis-
guised as a boy, becomes a soldier and ends
up at the battle of Vicksburg. After she
returns from the war, Jennie is plagued by
wartime visions and prolonged blackouts;
she has also fallen in love with Marie, her
best friend, creating an “impossible” situa-
tion that eventually leads her to Chicago
and, under the tutelage of Owl, performing
magic tricks on stage. Howell cleverly
weaves in Robert’s story and keeps the pages
turning. Readers will be captivated in par-
ticular by the coming-of-age of Jennie, who
makes this story a pleasure to read.
No Man of Woman Born
Ana Mardoll. Acacia Moon, $4.99 e-book
(174p) ASIN B07C86CX8G
Mardoll (Pulchritude), who uses xie/xer
pronouns, explores how a variety of gender
identities undo prophetic expectations in
xer provocative fantasy collection. In
“Tangled Nets,” impoverished nonbinary
fisher Wren chooses to be the annual sacri-
fice to a boastful dragon who claims no man
or woman can kill it. The exceptional
“King’s Favor” pits an insignificant hedge-
witch spy with minor herbalist skills
against an evil witch queen who has barri-
caded her borders and purged the land of all
other magicians. Nocien avenges the
slaughtering of his father’s other sons and
wives in the violent “His Father’s Son.”
Though most stories avoid angst and are
casually queer-affirming, the trans heroine
of “Daughter of Kings” has to retrieve her
grandmother’s sword in the stone before her
politically besieged father begrudgingly
accepts her chosen name and identity. The
gender specificity of the “Sleeping Beauty”
curse in “Early to Rise” founders on Claude’s
daily fluidity and possible asexuality.
Among the many outstanding stories are a
few that fall a little flat—such as the overly
literal “The Wish-Giver,” in which a young
child fights a dragon for the boon of having
everybody see her true gender—but on the
whole this is a strong and highly original
collection. Readers yearning for more
diverse representations of gender in fantasy
will be more than pleased with these fresh,
humanizing stories.
The Torch Betrayal:
A Conor Thorn Novel
Glenn Dyer. TMR Press, $15.99 trade paper
(345p) ISBN 978-0-9991173-0-9
The disappearance in 1942 of a page from
a secret document concerning Operation
Torch—the Allied plan to invade French
North Africa—drives Dyer’s suspenseful
espionage thriller, a series debut. The pro-
logue depicts an unknown man’s theft of
page 117 from the U.S. Army Air Forces
Film Lab in London, where the document
was to be transferred to microfilm. The
crime threatens the Allies’ grand plan to
divert German military resources from the
Eastern Front, thus easing pressure on the
Soviets. Its discovery leads OSS founder
Wild Bill Donovan to tap Conor Thorn, an
operative whose superior is unsure whether
he’s an “asset or liability,” to recover it, in
partnership with an attractive MI6 agent,
Emily Bright. Dyer’s plausible portrayals
of such historical figures as Winston
Churchill, Hedy Lamarr, Ian Fleming, and
Kim Philby are a testament to the diligence
of his research and a good indicator that
he’ll successfully develop his main character
in future books. Jack Higgins fans will find
a lot to like.
Tuning In
Richard Roberts. Highcrest, $9.99 trade paper
(270p) ISBN 978-1-948681-00-1
Roberts’s novel discusses some inter-
esting science in a beautiful setting, but the
lack of sympathetic characters keeps it from
succeeding. Fraudulent marketing CEO
Jeffrey Venn; his aggressive assistant, Lex
Lee; telepath Jon Gunnarson; and neurosci-
entist Ella Sandström travel to Bhutan to
create a mobile app that will make its users
telepathic. Jon and Ella are sincerely
invested in the project, while Jeffrey and
Lex just want a hit that will bring in money.
All are desperate for their own reasons, and
all are in for a shock when they realize the
app actually works. Ella and Jon team up
REVIEWS
against Jeffrey when he tries to use his new-
found powers to convince the FBI not to
arrest him, and to make his app go viral.
Roberts gets very wrapped up in his interest
in the science of telepathy, to the detriment
of the plot; story lines involving Ella’s assis-
tant, Jon’s financial issues, and Ella’s
daughter all fall by the wayside. Despite an
intriguing premise, there are too many
threads left untied to form a cohesive story.
Unscripted
Minnie Adams. Ubiquitous Books, $5.63
trade paper (308p) ISBN 978-1-5272-1846-8
Babysitting a disenchanted movie star
leads to love in Adams’s entertaining tale of
celebrity life, which is balanced by a sober
message of support for victims of harass-
ment. When publicity assistant Andromeda
“Andi” Hart first sees handsome Joe Ascher,
she playfully sticks her tongue out at him.
She’s horrified to discover that Joe is a cyn-
ical movie star that she’s assigned to mon-
itor during a big film event. Although Andi
salvages Joe’s reputation after he gets drunk,
her job is jeopardized, but Joe, tired of using
his fame to take advantage of others, gets
Andi hired as his publicity assistant. The
entertainment industry’s warped values are
highlighted when Joe’s producer hits on Andi
and her pleas for help are ignored. Additional
drama and tension arise as Joe and Andi’s very
different worldviews threaten their relation-
ship. Vivid, fresh descriptions and apropos
movie titles for chapter headings further
enhance this thoughtful story.
The Wolfe
Kathryn Le Veque. Dragonblade, $4.99 e-book
(829p) ASIN B00CKXO59W
Le Veque’s hefty medieval romance
boasts a crowded cast and an overlong plot
more suited to a series. On the border
between England and Scotland in the
1230s, Jordan Scott, the only daughter of a
border laird, is sent to be married as part of
a peace treaty between her father and the
English enemy. On the way, she falls in love
with her escort, Capt. William de Wolfe,
one of the most feared English soldiers. As
Jordan and William fight their love for each
other, Jordan’s cousin Jemma joins them,
adding another layer to the tensions among
the Scots, the English, and Jordan’s
intended new family. Ultimately, Jordan
and William’s relationship develops and
stays strong through deception, jealousy,
betrayal, joy, and tragedy. Inexplicable
emotional changes from Jordan and Jemma,
the occasional anachronism, and some trou-
bling clichés point to Le Veque’s inexperi-
ence, and the constant obstacles thrown into
the plot are frustrating, but the rich detail of
the 13th century shows the author’s talent.
Nonfiction
In Don’s Montana Kitchen:
Gluten-Free and Dairy-Free
Gourmet Cooking from the
Edge of the Wilderness
Don Doig. Lulu, $15.95 trade paper (182p)
ISBN 978-1-4834-8489-1
Outdoorsman and former chef Doig
didn’t let his gluten and dairy sensitivities
get in the way of enjoying a varied diet, as
evidenced in this unique collection of rec-
ipes for hunters and fishermen with dietary
restrictions. Realizing that coconut oil
could work as a stand-in for butter was a
“major breakthrough” for him, and he uses
it to prepare everything from an End of
Winter Curry, made with potatoes and car-
rots, to gingered trout filets with cashews,
with flavors that complement the specific
coconut essence, to riffs that stretch its ver-
satility, such as venison heart pate, braised
mushrooms, coconut huckleberry hollan-
daise sauce, and rosemary honey chicken
(which might raise more eyebrows than
forks). Those who can’t get enough coconut
will find plenty more applications for the
ingredient, as will readers with easy access
to wild fish and fresh game. Grouse, ven-
ison, and duck make up the bulk of the meat
dishes, but readers with extra porcupine,
raccoon, squirrel, or woodchuck meat in the
fridge will appreciate the inclusion of
Doig’s Backwoods Critter Ragout. This is
a sound cookbook, though for a specific
audience.
Children’s/YA
Petro and the Flea King
Kenneth Kit Lamug. Rabblebox, $9.99 paper
(164p) ISBN 978-1-71737-923-8
Lamug’s predominantly wordless graphic
®
novel is based on a traditional Philippine
folktale called “Juan Tamad at ang Pulgas.”
In lively vignettes, Lamug introduces the
titular Petro—a small boy with a rounded
face and raven-colored hair, whose fondness
for video games earns him the moniker
“Petro the Lazy Boy.” When Petro breaks a
pot, his grandmother sends him to town to
obtain a new one. There, he learns that his
village—populated with Seussian tufted
trees and anthropomorphic animals—has
come under attack by the dastardly Flea
King and his flea cronies. Petro sets out to
find a solution to the infestation. He con-
sults with Albularyo the Witch Doctor (a
frog character whose unusual solution to the
flea problem leads to a psychedelic sequence
of events), is swallowed by a whale,
befriends a wind-up robot, and is impris-
oned by a horned tree giant, among other
adventures. Readers who aren’t familiar
with the folktale may not always under-
stand exactly what is unfolding in the
plucky, chimerical scenes, but it doesn’t
matter: Lamug’s black-and-white artwork
is accessible, expressive, and full of wit, and
the visual storytelling promises new discov-
eries to be made upon subsequent readings.
All ages.
Quackling: A Very Loud Fairy Tale
Aaron Shepard, illus. by Wendy Edelson.
Skyhook, $24 (28p) ISBN 978-1-62035-575-6
In this lively folktale retelling of
“Drakestail,” Quackling is a small, noisy,
dapperly dressed duck (he sports a feathered
cap and a golden-buttoned tunic) who has
been swindled by the King: years ago,
Quackling, an exceedingly good saver, lent
him money, but the King has failed to pay
Quackling back, and the duck is tired of
waiting. The affable duck takes to the road,
headed “To the King for my money,” and
meets unlikely friends along the way—
including a personified ladder, river, and a
hive of bees—who each join him on his
quest by jumping into his sack. After
Quacking arrives at the castle and makes his
request known, the King orders that he be
tossed into a pit, and the trusty ladder gives
him a lift. After Quackling is put in a pot
to cook, the river puts out the flame. And
when the king himself appears—he’s a
grumpy bear dressed in royal purple robes
and a crown—the bees chase him away.
B O O K L I F E .C O M 79d
 ® REVIEWS
Edelson enhances the allegorical tale, about
goodness and honoring commitments, with
striking renderings of anthropomorphic
animals. A conclusion sees Quackling in a
role suited to his benevolent nature. Ages
3–9.

79e B O O K L I F E , AU G U S T 2 7 , 2 0 1 8
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 ® BOOKLIFE PRIZE
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The Mad Hatter’s Son
Helen Starbuck
Rating: 10 out of 10
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BookLife Prize Spotlight: General Fiction
Going Widdershins
Sherrye Cohn
Rating: 10 out of 10
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80 B O O K L I F E , AU G U S T 2 7 , 2 0 1 8
enforcement group but is
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ous situation
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