PW Select April 2013, Official Guide To UPublishU at BEA!

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Offical Guide to uPublishU at BEA
April 2013
A bimonthly guide to whats new in self-publishing Full reviews of 38 self-published books Listings for 202 new titles
Plus:
An overview of the upcoming uPubU event at BEA 2013, including program guide and list of exhibitors How to transition from publishing traditionally to publishing yourself A profile of an author/ oceanographer
uPublishU at BEA
uPublishU Targets Authors and Entrepreneurs

BEAs self-publishing programming speaks to the widening responsibilities of authors
By Alex Palmer
Authors attending this years uPublishU, the self-publishing section of the BookExpo America tradeshow, should not expect to hear much about how to write a book. As new technology and a rising reputation has attracted a growing mix of both new and experienced authors to self-publishing, uPublishU has shifted its programming to speak to self-publishers not as writers but as entrepreneurs.
eld on Saturday, June 1, at the Javits Center in New York City, uPublishU will run a packed schedule of programming from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. This includes a wide variety of education panels, an exhibitor area feaSally Dedecker turing dozens of author services Guy Kawasaki companies and industry experts, as are now going the self-publishing route. well as a lunchtime keynote from selfIts not just for newbie kinds of writpublishing entrepreneurial guru Guy ers. There are many authors who have Kawasaki. been traditionally published who are sayOverseeing all of it is Sally Dedecker, ing, I left everything up to my publisher publishing consultant and education in the past, how do I do this on my own? director of BEA, who is responsible for says Dedecker. organizing the content as well as selecting The programming this year has been the speakers and working with exhibitors organized so that every hour will have for uPublishU. Her priority this year has three sessions running simultaneously, been to evolve the programming to appeal each speaking to a different segment of to the cross-section of authors and aspirparticipants, whether green or deeply ing publishers jumping into self-publishexperienced. ing. These include writers working on Authors looking to understand the selftheir first book, veterans of self-publishpublishing landscape can attend Tools of ing out to expand their audience, and the Trade, run by Author Connections authors like Kawasaki who have worked president Beth Kallman Werner, to learn with traditional publishers for years but about author services like writer.ly,
Authoright, and Ganxy. At the same time, more advanced attendees can drop in on Building Your Author Brand: Seven Initiatives for the Experienced Author, in which writers will learn how to develop their existing platform. This session is designed to help serious authors think of themselves and their work as a brand in order to open doors for book sales, continue to build their name as an author in their genre, and raise their profile as an expert in their field, says Sandra Poirier-Diaz, president of Smith Publicity, who will be moderating the discussion. Another more advanced session is what Dedecker is calling E-books 2.0, which will look at some of the more high-level options authors have when putting an e-book together, including embedding videos and other interactive elements. Each event aims to give attendees both general best practices to consider and specific case studies they can use as real-world models. At the session An Authors Guide to Goodreads, the social networks director of community, Patrick Brown, will be discussing how authors can promote their books through Goodreads giveaways and other types of outreach. At the same session, author Bella Andre, who has used Goodreads to help fuel several bestselling romance novels, will speak specifically about how she used the site to reach new readers and create momentum for her books.
An Expanding Focus
Until last year, the self-publishing part of BEA was called DIY Authors Conference and Marketplace. Dedecker says that its name was changed partly because of the increasingly established position of selfpublishing, making DIY sound a bit
W W W . P U B L I S H E R S W E E K LY. C O M
uPublishU at BEA
amateur for authors runing the book in the months after publicaning marketing operation. tions that could compete Dedecker believes Kawasaki can encourwith major publishing houses. age attendees to view the work of a selfBeyond the name, the programming has published author as that of an entrepretaken a more holistic approach to the pubneur. He is so tuned in to the entreprelishing process, rather than focusing heavneurial spirit, and if youre going to be an ily on writing. Writing a book is a fairly independent author, you really need to large subject and we are take on that role, says more into the publishing Dedecker. You have to and business aspect of it, have the understanding says Dedecker. This makes that Ive got not just the the selection of Guy Kawawords on the page, but the saki as the luncheon keycover art to think about, the note speaker particularly interior design, format, and appropriate. The author of my platform. 12 books, including the Dedecker urges attendbestselling Enchantment: The ees to come with a clear Art of Changing Hearts, Sandra Poirier-Diaz idea of the project they are Minds, and Actions, his latest is the selfworking on, but with an open mind about published APE: Author Publisher Entreprehow exactly they will publish and market neur, which covers all aspects of the selfit, and even the format of the book itself. publishing process, from the logistics of You should be open to understanding selecting a publishing platform to marketall the possibilitieswhether its e-book only, or electronic and print, or do you start in a niche area so that youre building your platform, then target a few social platforms from there? says Dedecker. You should be prepared to see that there are so many opportunities out there in publishing. She adds that the top question she had in mind when devising the programming for this year, was Ive written my bookhow do I market it? With the barriers to publishing now virtually nonexistent, the biggest challenge authors are finding is how to stand out from the mass of titles and actually reach readers. To help answer these questions, in addition to the speaker sessions, uPublishU also features a trade show of several dozen exhibitors, representing a wide range of publishers and author-service providers. To entice attendees to visit their booth and spend more time at the show, many exhibitors are planning promotions and special giveaways to help introduce their services. The bibliographic data management
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company Bowker will be exhibiting and plans to offer a couple of prize packages at and end of the day drawing. We hope that will encourage people to stay there all day, says Patricia Payton, senior manager of publisher relations and content development at Bowker, who will also be moderating a session on book distribution. There are a few other sponsors putting out promotions as well, so its a suite of prizes rather than just one. The shows connection to wider BEA events also presents opportunities for authors and publishers at all levels. Selfpublished authors need to wear all the hats of a publisher from planning an overall strategy for a book, editing, designing covers and interior layout, to distribution and publicity initiatives, says Smith Publicitys Poirier-Diaz. With industry leaders gathered at BookExpo America, and uPublishU as part of this event, these sessions offer attendees the collective knowledge from experts in each of these key publishing roles. succeeding at self-publishing. Kenneally Opening and Closing encourages self-published Besides the exhibitors and education sesauthors to celebrate that they have more sions, the show will be book-ended by tools than ever to get their book into readopening and closing events in which all ers hands or on their Kindles, while makattendees will take part. The opening ing sure they dont ignore the many nonpanel focuses on the growing role that of writing aspects of publishing. self-published authors in the industry. The speakers on Kenneallys panel What many authors are coming to include Jon Fine, director of author and grips with is that with the great opportupublisher relations for Amazon; Cindy Ratnities they have now, there are also great zlaff, president of Brand New Brand You; responsibilities, says Christopher Kenand Robert Gottlieb, founder and CEO of neally, director of business Trident Media Group. development and author [Gottlieb] has made his relations at the Copyright career as an authors repreClearance Center, who will sentative, and hes going to be moderating the session. have some invigorating The opening session will things for people, says introduce a point that will Kenneally. The whole come up frequently panel is going to be about throughout the days prounderstanding that this is gramming: writing a great not just about publishing book is only a small part of Christopher Kenneally your book, its about build-
uPublishU at BEA
ing your career. Ratzlaff will also be moderating a separate session on how to use social media to launch a book, laying out the top five social media platforms that can do the most to expand an authors fan base. Ill show authors where they can save both money and time and which platforms work best for reaching their ideal audience, which platforms are best for driving sales, and which platforms are essentially free advertising venues, says Ratzlaff. My goal is to help them make informed decisions about using social media to tell a specific, interested audience about their books. Ratzlaffs wide-ranging background is indicative of the direction of the industry in general, as the lines between author, publisher, and marketer blur. She spent 10 years each at Simon & Schuster and Rodale, while publishing her book Queen of Your Own Life through Harlequins nonfiction division in 2010, and self-publishing the book Queenisms: 101 Jolts of Inspiration through CreateSpace and Kindle Direct. My coauthor and I do nearly all of our marketing for our books through social media, Ratzlaff says. I hope Ill be able to save authors time, money, and frustration by sharing what works, what doesnt, and whats worthy of their budgets. The closing session, which will again bring all attendees together for a general discussion, focuses on Getting Down to Business: Putting It All Together. This session will feature a panel of industry experts and authors connecting the many points that have been discussed throughout the day, offering some takeaways for attend- Patricia Payton ees to keep in mind as they wrap up.
Digging Deeper
The conference aims to help authors dig into the nitty-gritty of the self-publishing market. A Crash Course in e-book SelfPublishing, moderated by Smashwords marketing manager, Jim Azevedo, gets into such technology details as formatting an e-book, understanding copyright issues, and setting prices. Dedecker sees these as crucial points for authors to understand in todays market, recalling an experience years ago as an illustration of how far self-publishing has come. I remember saying, We could have a session on metadata, and someone from one of the larger publishing houses said, Thats too much of an IT thing,
uPublishU at BEA
she says. But that covers press releases, book blurbs, and a lot of other elements these authors are having to think about. These kind of deeper details are just what attendees are going to get at sessions like Understanding How to Distribute Your Book. Moderated by Bowkers Patricia Payton, the discussion covers the value of an ISBN number; how wholesalers, retailers, and e-book conversion houses fit into the supply chain; and submitting title data to publishing outlets to help with a books distribution. Self-publishing should be treated as a business and not just a hobby, says Payton. I want to make sure authors have the tools to create a business plan, and know when they should hire someone or when they can do something themselves. Dedecker sees this years uPublishU as a snapshot of how far self-publishing has come and expects it only to grow further. People just need to get a sense of where the opportunities are for them now, she says. We could probably make this a three-day eventthis is a world thats going to continue to change and evolve and grow.
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uPubU Program Guide

KEYNOTE LUNCHEON
Lunch 12:301:30 p.m. Room 1E14/1E15/16 Guy Kawasaki has been capturing the attention of business and tech world leaders for many years. He is a special adviser to the Motorola business unit of Google, former chief evangelist for Apple, founder of numerous tech companies, and speaker and author of 12 books, including the New York Times bestseller Enchantment: The Art of Changing Hearts, Minds and Actions and his newest, APE: Author, Publisher, Entrepre-
Saturday, June 1, 2013, Javits Center

Moderator: Christopher Kenneally, director, business development and author relations, Copyright Clearance Center Speakers: Robert Gottlieb, founder & CEO, Trident Media Group; Cindy Ratzlaff, president, Brand New Brand You; Jon P. Fine, director, author and publisher relations, Amazon 1010:50 a.m.
neurHow to Publish a Book. Kawasaki will share the ways that an author can become a successful self-publisher and be transformed into the three roles of author, publisher, and entrepreneur. He unveils the new publishing term Artisanal Publishing, which describes writers who love their craft and who control every aspect of the process from beginning to end. Kawasaki offers a reality-based, tactical, and practical approach, offering tips for the writing and publishing processes and explaining how to produce both e-books and printed books. Learn how to write for the right reasons, use the right tools, and the benefit to tapping the crowd during the writing process. 99:50 a.m.
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Room 1E14/1E15/16 Today the business of publishing offers endless opportunities for writers and others to take charge of their creative efforts. Whether you are an aspiring author, one who has already self-published, or newly independent from traditional publishers, you have access to new technologies, supportive book discovery sites, and social media platforms. Once considered a last chance, self-publishing is now the first chance to see your work published. Chase your dream and you could find your book on bestseller lists, and even landing a lucrative contract with a traditional publishing house. Whether you choose to go it alone or sign-up with a self-publishing company, you will learn volumes from industry insiders and experts ready to share their insights on the new publishing alternatives for authors. Learn how indie authors can build their brands, market to readers of specific genres, grab the attention of reviewers, and find interest with literary agents.
Room 1E07 Before you even think of a marketing plan for your self-published book, ask yourself: Is my book worthy of success? Marketing is only one step in the recipe for a bestseller. If you want to get great reviews, build a loyal readership, and make lots of sales, you need to have a stellar product first. This panel will give you the key ingredients for success: the techniques of writing a bestseller, the power of a professional cover and interior design, the importance of quality editing, and the dedication it takes to turn your dream into a bestselling novel. Moderator: Diane OConnell, CEO, editorial director, Write to Sell Your Book Speakers: Betty Kelly Sargent, founder and CEO, BookWorks: The Self-Publishers Association; Susan Newman, founder and creative director, Susan Newman Design; Perry Crowe, director, Kirkus Editorial 1010:50 a.m.
Get to Know Who Your Key Audience Is & Where to Reach Them
Room 1E08 Target your sales and marketing efforts. The more you know about the readers and consumers of the books you are writing, the better you can strategically align your marketing efforts and promote your books. Experts will provide a thorough demographic breakdown of the buyers of e-books and print books by the key book subjects of
interest to self-published authors, as well as a current overview of the book publishing industry by the numbers today. Takeaways include understanding who are the buyers of key self-published genres, how book buyers discover new titles, key differences between consumers of print and e-books, and how to identify trends in book publishing today. Moderator: Carl Kulo, U.S. director, Bowker Market Research Speaker: Jim Milliot, co-editorial director, Publishers Weekly, vice president of PWxyz 1010:50 a.m.
A Crash Course in E-book Self-Publishing: How to Do It Fast, Free & Easy
you how to publish like a professional and reach a global market. Learn the top trends in e-publishing, followed by a step-by-step checklist of whats involved to produce, publish, price, distribute, and market your e-book. This session addresses every authors most common questions about e-book formatting, conversion, cover images, ISBNs, copyright, piracy, pricing, and distribution. The panel will give you the foundational knowledge you need to become a more professional, more successful author, regardless of your publishing experience, without technical jargonall terms are defined in plain English. Speaker: Jim Azevedo, marketing manager, Smashwords 11:30 a.m.12:20 p.m.
Social media might be free, but your time is not. A publishing executive turned social marketing expert cuts through the hype so you can focus your energy on the top five social media platforms that can rapidly increase your fan base. This session will give authors a bookselling campaign strategy using the top social media platforms, apps, tools, and stealth marketing techniques. Ratzlaff will show you what to do yourself, when to spend money to have others do it for you, and how to make the tools work together to put you and your book in front of a very large audience. Speaker: Cindy Ratzlaff, president, Brand New Brand You 11:30 a.m.12:20 p.m.
Room 1E09 E-books are the fastest-growing segment of the publishing industry, and self-published authors are in the lead. This introduction to e-book self-publishing will teach
Launching Your Book Through Social MediaThe Must-Have Social Media Platforms Every Author Should Be Using
Room 1E07
An Authors Guide to Goodreads
Room 1E08 The director of community at Goodreads and a bestselling author discuss how to pro-
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mote a book on Goodreads in a fun and productive manner. Using case studies drawn from the authors own experience as well as other success stories, the speakers will show how authors can get the most from Goodreads. Moderator: Patrick Brown, director of community, Goodreads Speaker: Bella Andre, bestselling romance author 11:30 a.m.12:20 p.m.
How to Become a Bestselling E-book Author
Room 1E09 Self-published e-book authors are hitting all the bestseller lists. Nearly every week, self-published e-books are featured on the New York Times bestseller list and in the top10 bestseller lists at every major retailer. What are these authors doing to make their books stand out from the million-plus books crowding online e-book shelves? What can
you do as a self-published author to take your e-book to the next level of success? This session identifies the best practices of the most commercially successful selfpublished e-book authors. Session attendees will hear real-life examples of how many self-published authors broke out to become bestsellers. Among the many secrets in this presentation are best practice strategies for cover design (including examples and a cool case study), pricing, platform-building, distribution, how to turbo-charge word-ofmouth with viral catalysts and how to tap into the global market. Speaker: Jim Azevedo, marketing manager, Smashwords 1:302:20 p.m.
Book PR 1-2-3: Think Like a Journalist
Room 1E07 Learn how to get the book news and reviews your book deserves and to build the
best book PR campaign by thinking like a journalist. Learn what kind of PR and marketing the media and readers respond to. The focus will be on developing a message, and understanding and knowing the media, rather than simply social media how-to. Discover how to persuade journalists to do a story, feature, review, or interview about your book by giving the press what they need. Essentials include a story idea, a headline, a pithy book description that sells, well-crafted talking points and suggested interview questions, an author biography highlighting your most important credentials for media appearances, and explanations of any connections the book or its author may have to trending topics in culture and the news. As well, PR and marketing can entail creating content that might entertain or engage and be likeable in social media. The session will highlight the importance of matching your content to the right
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media to reach the desired demographic, in effect micro-targeting or narrowcasting to your particular book buyer, whether via NPR, Oprah, HuffPost, the New York Times, BookRiot, or Flavorwire, or even smaller media outlets more targeted to your subject matter. Specific media examples of book news and review media that effectively reach book buyers will be identified and discussions will include the use of social media to make the most of media placements by sharing them online and creating organic and viral spread. Moderator : Susannah Greenberg, president, Susannah Greenberg Public Relations Speakers: Jeff ONeal, editor-in-chief and cofounder, BookRiot.com; Karen Schechner, senior indie editor, Kirkus Reviews; Matt Sutherland, managing editor, ForeWord
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Getting Discovered: A Guide to Finding Readers, Building a Niche Market & Promoting Your Book
Mark Leslie Lefebvre, director of self-publishing and author relations, Kobo Writing Life; Maria Murnane, bestselling author of romantic comedies 1:302:20 p.m.
Room E108 While self-published authors may lack the marketing muscle of a big publishing house, social media and the Internet have almost leveled the playing field. In this session, experts in the field will reveal the tools and strategieseverything from social media best practices to methods of targeting niche marketsthat indie authors can use to garner new readers, sell books, and successfully market their work. Learn how you can find readers and grow your audience when going it alone. Learn about raising your profile with readers and selling more books. Moderator: Adam Boretz, reviews editor, Publishers Weekly Speakers: Jon P. Fine, director of author and publisher relations, Amazon;
E-books 2.0Fun & Cool Things to Engage Readers
Room 1E09 Are you ready to take the next step with your e-books? Have you thought about including multimedia and interactive elements in your e-book and on your Web site? Get insight on how to create enhanced/multimedia e-books with hyperlinks, images, and embedded videos so you can create a better e-book experience, engage with your fans on the Internet, and expand your reader base. Industry experts go through recommended equipment purchase; the basics of lighting, setup, editing, and uploading, and metadata; and talk about how much you can do on your own and when to engage
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with third parties to help add interactivity to your title. Moderator: Brian Felsen, president, BookBaby, CD Baby, and HostBaby Speakers: Chintu Parikh, CEO and founder, SachManya, Kite Readers 33:50 p.m.
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Room 1E07 Learn the business models, insights, and indie missions of companies that offer services to authors. From this expert panel you will gain contacts, information, and trade services that lead to benefits and solutions you can count on. Moderator: Beth Kallman Werner, founder and president, Author Connections Speakers: Niina Pollari, project specialist for publishing, Kickstarter; Joshua Cohen, cofounder and head, business development, Ganxy; Gareth Howard, founder and CEO, Authoright; Kelsye Nelson, CEO and cofounder, Writer.ly 33:50 p.m.
Building Your Author Brand: Seven Initiatives for the Experienced Author
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Room: 1E08 Authors will learn how to navigate the book supply chain. Terms such as wholesaler, distributor, e-retailer, and print on demand (POD) will be defined. Learn the value of the International Standard Book Number (ISBN) and how to submit your title data to specific publishing outlets that will assist in the distribution of your book. Key takeaways will be expert insights into how each player (wholesaler, retailer, distributor, e-book conversion house, and self publishing service provider) within the supply chain assists the self-publisher in getting a book to readers. Terminology that outlines each publishing standard like e-book production, POD, short run, and ePub will also be covered. A comprehensive glossary of terms will be distributed to attendees that includes brief definitions of the terms discussed throughout the presentation. Moderator: Patricia Payton, senior manager, publisher relations and content development, R.R. Bowker Speakers: Jennifer Heinz, manager of distribution and services fulfillment, Lulu.
Room 1E09 Learn how to take your author brand to the next level. Designed for the sophisticated author who wants to continue to attract new audiences, this session will reveal how to court new fans and turn them into new book buyers. Authors will learn tips to develop compelling Web sites, blog content, and book-related social media platforms, like Goodreads. Creative pricing techniques and promotional book publicity strategies that build credibility and exposure will also be discussed. Moderator: Sandra Poirier-Diaz, president, Smith Publicity Speakers: Lindsey Rudnickas, digital marketing manager, NetGalley; Peter McCarthy, founder and principal consultant, McCarthy Digital; Nina Amir, president, ninaamir.com 44:50 p.m.
Getting Down to Business: Putting It All Together

Room 1E14/1E15/16
Youve heard all about how you have to use technology to build your brand, blog regularly, network, act more like a business, and get yourself out thereso much, in fact, that you might be a little overwhelmed. In this closing session, well offer some grounding advice, including a checklist you can start filling out before you leave today. By the end of this session, you will be focused on expanding your publishing efforts, or youll have inspiration and tools to take those first steps to becoming a published author. Moderator: Sally Dedecker, president, Sally Dedecker Enterprises Speakers: Barbara Freethy, bestselling romance author; speaker TA from Nooks self-publishing division; Lori Culwell, president, Get Creative, and managing editor, BookPromotion.com
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Going from publishing houses to self-publishing

Lawrence Grobel realized everything had changed when his phone stopped ringing. As a professional writer, Grobel had been consistently prolific since the 70s. His long-form interviews with director John Huston, actor Marlon Brando, and writers Truman Capote and James Michener, among others, all appeared in Playboy, and Grobel had so much additional material from each interview he parlayed them into books.
Authors Go Native
By Ryan Joe
round 2006, Grobel stopped getting assignments from Playboy; this, it turned out, was endemic across the publishing industry as the 1620 article assignments he used to have yearly from various national publications all slowly
began to vanish. Used to be Id take a trip to New York, Id meet with the editors and wed have lunches and dinners, and Id come back with a shitload of assignments, says Grobel, who lives in Los Angeles. That doesnt work anymore. He grew weary of the book publishing industry as well, tired of dealing with publishers, editors, and agents. He recalls a recent incident when a particularly obnoxious young agent explained to him how to write a proposal. I told her, I think I know how to do it, Grobel says. She says I had to do it her way. And that happens over and over again. Frustrated, Grobel self-published 11 of his books digitally in the last year (some had been published before, but he retained the digital rights), which he sells through Amazon. They include a memoir, his interview books, poetry, and two novels: Catch a Fallen Star and Begin Again Finnegan. So far, hes hopeful and trying to figure out how to drive purchases through social media, giveaways, and other tactics that have been adopted by self-published authors. At least, he says, hes not wasting his time writing something that nobody will publish. He now has an outlet for his work.
Finding the Right Shelf
Steve Almond describes the relationship between author and publishing house as an arranged marriage. That means each party has a different agenda, he says. The artist wants to make beautiful art and put it out in the world. And the corporation
12 P U B L I S H E R S W E E K L Y A P R I L 2 2 , 2 0 1 3
might be invested in the artist and his vision, but they must most centrally worry about paying the bills. Almond knows that a chunk of his work isnt commercially viable. Though hed published with Random House and Algonquin, when he pitched This Wont Take but a Minute Honey, a collection of short-shorts about writing, it was not met with enthusiasm from the publishing houses. When I tried to describe it to a publisher, I could tell he thought, What the fuck is this guy talking about? Theres no market for this guys work and definitely not for short-shorts, Almond says. Unfortunately, this means most marketing resources are placed into the publishing houses top-sellers, while everyone else gets to wait in the cellar. Adrian White was ecstatic when his first novel, An Accident Waiting to Happen, came out through Penguin Ireland, so much so that he quit his job as the head buyer and marketer for the Irish bookstore chain Easons to concentrate on writing. But after looking at the accrued sales for Whites second novel, When the Rain Gets In, Penguin opted not to publish his third. That was a major setback, when youd be expecting to submit your next book, White recalls. And I worked hard on it, I was pleased with it. [But] because I work in the trade, I could accept the fact that, yeah, sales couldnt justify it. He decided to self-publish this third book, Dancing to the End of Love, as well as his two previous ones after reacquiring the rights from Penguin. But a publishing houses inability to maximize its authors sales potential may speak more to a houses own limitations. Unlike what publishing houses would like to believe, there isnt a universal marketing template that can sell all books to all readers. Perhaps the most striking example is Stephanie Bond, author of 60 projects for Harlequin, Random House, HarperCollins, and St. Martins Press. As a hybrid author whose novels are a blend of romance, womens fiction, and mysteryin other words, an author without a genreshe consistently found herself languishing on the midlist. Publishers didnt know what to do with me, she says. They didnt know where to shelve my books in the bookstores. One of my mysteries Borders shoved into romance. Books-A-Million shoved that same book into mystery. Barnes and Noble shoved it into general fiction. My own readership couldnt always find me.
DOING IT YOURSELF
Bond began working with the Indie Book Collective, founded in 2010 by the popular self-publishing novelist Carolyn McCray, to better market her e-books. After she started self-publishing including selections from her backlistshe compared the stats. Over 15 years of publishing 60 titles with traditional publishers, Bond had sold four million books. Over one and a half years of self-publishing 14 projects, shed already hit the one million mark. She felt especially vindicated when she received a sixmonth royalty check from Harlequin that was less than a days self-published e-book sales on Amazon. Carolyn McCray wonders if this is conditioning from the publishing houses. Authors think, Only a publisher can do this, only a publisher can take your book out, she says, and they bought that hook, line, and sinker. Maybe [authors have] been hand-held by their publisher and they dont want to do it. McCray first self-published her work when it was still dominated by vanity presses. By 2010, as self-publishing gained legitimacy, McCray already had 10 books in the hopper. As of this writing, shes ranked 22nd in Action & Adventure in Amazons Author Rank feature, which lists the most popular authors on an hourly basis. Thats one ranking behind James Patterson, two rankings above Lee Child. McCray, whose work includes international thrillers like her seminal novel, 30 Pieces of Silver, and techno-thrillers like Encrypted, has been experimenting with online marketing techniques to push sales. She discovered, for instance, that readers just want the essence of the book, which is why she ripped out the long description that typically populates the back of a book in favor of three punchy sentences. She tries to figure out what mood readers are in when they do an online search for her work, so she can make sure theres resonance between the keywords her prospective reader is searching for and the book description. Bonds status as a hybrid authora handicap in the world of traditional publishingproved to be a self-publishing boon, as she was able to tailor keywords and product descriptions to the various genres her books inhabit, essentially increasing her audience. Keying in phrases like funny mystery or romantic mystery brings up her books, even if the reader doesnt know Bonds name or the title of anything shes written. McCray emphasizes the elements of trial and error. Im the queen of 2%, she says. If something can get me 2% more sales, I would do it. Incrementally add a series of 2% changes and suddenly theres an exponential sales increase. This philosophyand McCrays experiences when she was unable to act fully on it explains why shes unsatisfied with publishing house marketing and selling apparatus. For a while, she had a seven-book deal with Amazons mystery and thriller imprint, Thomas & Mercer. It didnt work out, she says. How they sell is very traditional. They have some fairly strict rules in how they price, and what the cover art should be. Amazon changed the art on McCrays novel 30 Pieces of Silver, thinking it hewed too closely to Dan Browns The Da Vinci Code. Amazon also removed the books subtitle, An Extremely Controversial Historical Thriller. To McCray, this was a mistake. Because they werent subtitling, 30 Pieces of Silver could be a number of things, she says. It could be a religious book. And I had a warning because I had pushback from the Christian communitythat if they were concerned about Passion of the Christ or The Da Vinci Code, dont buy this book. These warnings, shed also discovered, generated sales.
Standing Out in the Maddening Crowd
Certainly, growth in self-published titles has been sharply rising. Bowker, which issues the ISBNs for books published in the U.S., released a study last October noting that since 2006, the number of self-published books produced every year increased 287% almost tripling, with most of the growth happening in e-book formats. However, as this pool gets increasingly crowded with authors vying for attention, its foolhardy to jump in without a plan and realistic expectations. There are so many stories out there about people who have made it big self-publishing, and theres not enough out there about the 99% of authors whove self-published a book and it disappears, says Julia Drake, director of Julia Drake PR, which provides literary publicity and book marketing services. Drakes firm has worked with more than 100 authors, from New York Times bestsellers publishing through one of the big six (Hachette, Macmillan, HarperCollins, Simon & Schuster, Penguin, and Random House, though the latter two are expected to merge) to a selected group of self-published authors. Many of those self-published authors, Drake says, are shocked by the amount of work they have to do well after writing their books. Even before authors submit to the extremely boring task of converting their document to a readable e-book format, they must invest in copyediting, cover design, and, for nonfiction authors like Grobel, legal vetting. When he was compiling Conversations with Capote for its 1985 release, Truman Capotes fellow author and rival Gore Vidalhaving not read the manuscriptassumed Capote had spoken unfavorably about him and immediately threatened to sue. Lawyers for the books original publisher, Penguin, told Grobel to tone down some of Capotes insults. But when Grobel self-published an e-book documenting the making of Al Pacinos 2011 film Wilde Salome, called I Want You in My Movie, the legal burden was entirely on him. He wanted to use an outtake from the films set on the cover, but was warned that the film studio could claim it was a shot from the movie. Grobel also wanted to incorporate the famous poster of Uncle Sam pointing his finger, only to learn the rights were owned by a manufacturing company. I had to get permission, he says. I wrote to them, but it took a while. Though even these initial stepsand the marketing, promotion, and sales that inevitably followseem daunting, author
Going Legit
Unlike books marketed by traditional publishing houses whose

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DOING IT YOURSELF
imprint is a badge of legitimacy, self-published authors have to build that respect. My nephew says my e-books dont count, Grobel says. I say I have seven new books. He says: No, theyre not books. Hes an assistant attorney general in New Jersey, one of the smartest guys I know. I know hes teasing me. But theres a part of him that isnt. White associated self-publishing with horrible nasty paperbacks with shiny covers that dont feel like any book youd see at Barnes & Noble. It was a prejudice hed harbored from his years as a bookseller. But this opinion seems to be shared by literary trades that treat self-published work as a bastardized art. Consequently, the standard review track for most conventionally published books arent available to self-published authors. Drake points out that Kirkus, Library Journal, and Publishers Weekly dont review self-published books in their regular trades. We encourage our authors to go with PW Select and Kirkus Indie, she says. When they do that, they get some reviews before the book comes out and that really helps us get attention from media. But increasingly, online user reviews have gained influence over literary periodicals. In a recent PW Select profile, author Guy Kawasaki said, The proxy of quality is the number of stars in the Amazon rating, and the first few reviews. Its a sentiment echoed by McCray. When Amazon reissued 30 Pieces of Silver without the subtitle, her book got slammed with one-star reviews from Christian readers. This was especially disappointing. Four- or five-star reviews in quantity (Around 20. Three five-star reviews are your mom and your sisters, says McCray) add legitimacy. Moreover, 30 Pieces of Silver was the title that traditionally drew readers further into her library so its success affected the success of her other books. For Our Husband, Bond experimented with three cover variations before settling on the one she thought was most successful. Authors making their first foray into self-publishing ultimately need to stop thinking of a book as a static object. Its hard to get out of that mindset, Bond says. As big as the e-book audience is, you could relaunch your book every single day. If you put the e-book out there and its not selling as well as you like, something is wrong. Its the wrong cover, your product description is wrong, your SEO [search engine optimi- zation] is wrong, or its not tagged correctly. Something is wrong. You can keep tweaking it and all the elements of the book until something hits.
SELF-PUBLISHED LISTINGS
New Titles from Self-Publishers

The 202 titles submitted for our 11th PW Select
Booksellers, publishers, and agents are encouraged to

take a look through the following listings of self-published books from authors either waiting to be discovered or with a track record and a following who are doing it on their own.
ART
Gods for Future Religions: Surreal Sculpture Ho Baron. Gallant Link, $19.95 paper (96p), ISBN 978-0-9853497-0-7 Amazon Visionary artist Ho Baron weaves a tale of a mythical kingdom wh er e h is s u r r e a l sculptures play Jungian archetypal roles. Botanica: iPhone Photos Ralph Nelson. Ralph Nelson, $60 hardcover (156p), ISBN 978-0-9882649-0-8 Hennessey & Ingalls, Shopify (online) A collection of more than 78 stunning iPhone photographs of botanicals, beautifully presented in a 162page, 11-in.13-in. book; intro. by Ray Bradbury.
hardcover (247p), ISBN 978-1-59725253-9; $3.99 e-book www.messageinabody.com The son of a New York congressman finds meaning and purpose after a journey of self-discovery that took him from the streets of New York and London to the Himalaya Mountains. Running Away with the Circus, or, Now Is the Winter of Our Missing Tent Mel Atkey. Friendlysong Books, $23.50 paper (203p), ISBN 978-0-9916957-1-3 Lulu.com A memoir of Atkeys tour of Taiwan with the American Universal Circus in 1997, based on letters he wrote home about the bizarre experience. A Fortunate Passage: Two Families Journey into the Heartland Grady T. Birdsong. VBW Publishing, $15.95 paper (266p), ISBN 978-1-62137065-9; $9.95 e-book ISBN 978-1-62137070-3 www.gradytbirdsong.com Ever wondered how your family came to America? Birdsongs Grandparents journeyed from very different cultures into Americas heartland, meeting in 1919 in frontier Kansas. His orphaned grandfather traveled from a Georgia devastated by the American Civil War, while his grandmother was the youngest daughter of Volga-German immigrants. This story paints a poignant picture of lifes difficulties in the early 20th century.
Sorry I Was No Fun at the Circus: Devil Winds in the City of Angels Deborah Giovanni Chastain. Santiago Publishing, $19.95 paper (400p), ISBN 978-0615-62811-0; $9.95 e-book All bookstores, Amazon, BN.com In an intimate and disturbing narrative, the author relates how she faced a stage III breast cancer diagnosis while in an abusive relationship. When she finally confronted her husband about his lack of support, he left her. Here is one womans attempt to find understanding and meaning in the most stunning disappointments and betrayals of life. Journey Man: A World Calling Willia m Cla a sse n. Cornel & Wi lliams, $17.95 paper (276p) ISBN 9780615608488 Amazon Starting at an Israeli collective farm in 1974 and ending, 30 years later, on a Native American reservation, Claassen traveled through nine countries on four continents. His adventures include surprises as a long-distance hitchhiker, dropping into a revolution, facing a devastating earthquake, and embracing spiritual awakenings. What in Sam Hill?: The Empire Builder Glenn Dykstra. CreateSpace, $8.50 paper (102p), ISBN 978-1-4818-9979-6 Amazon
BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY

Forgery of the Month Club Keith L. T. Alexander. Seaborn Assets, LLC; $9.99 e-book ISBN 978-0-615-74367-7 Amazon The author and his mother built a castle in their backyard, designed a human-powered flying machine, and bought houses with forged documents. Message in a Body Joseph Anfuso. Pediment Books, $27.95
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The life, loves, accomplishments, and forgotten discoveries of the famous 1900s Pacific Coast architect and entrepreneur, Sam Hill. Kauai Kids in Peace and War Bill Fernandez. Makani Kai Media, $19.95 paper (250p), ISBN 978-1-4793-8491-4 Keplers.com, 650-324-4321 Pearl Harbor changed Bill Fernandezs childhood days on Kauai, in Hawaii. Making tin canoes and surfing on an ironing board changed to fear, racism, gas masks, and GIs. Christmas on the Move out West Matthew Gonder. Matthew Gonder, $6.99 paper (122p), ISBN 978-0-9852002-0-6 Amazon This wacky memoir recounts Christmas in snowy Portland, Ore., in 1968. A motherless clan of five children, father, and aunt make do against all odds, reminding us that family, regardless of its composition or resources, is all one needs to be truly happy. Hartland to Capitol Hill: The Journey of a Wounded Healer Ernie Gunderson and Mary Gunderson. North Star Press, $14.95 (228p), ISBN 978-0-87839-578-1; $8.99 e-book www.erniegunderson.com Mary, the daughter of Danish immigrants, grew up in Minnesota and Iowa, was a country school teacher, married a farmer, and raised 11 children, two of whom suffered from mental illness. As the founder of a local chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, she testified before Congress to tell her familys tragic story. This work by her son is based on her unpublished family history as well as diaries, journals, letters, and essays. Life Minus 3: A True Story Surrounding the Embezzlement of Eleven Million Dollars Dennis Hart. Dennis Hart, $13.95 paper (398p), ISBN 978-0-9853010-1-9; $1.99 e-book Amazon A habitual gambler recounts a life of bad decisions in sports books and corporate embezzlement, and the effect it had on his family. The Year of the Cicadas Catie Hartsfield. Crooked Tree Publishing, $14.95 paper (373p), ISBN 9780-9884567-0-9; $ e-book ISBN 978-162488-533-4 www.theyearofthecicadas.com; Amazon; BN.com When Hartsfields teenage son fell from a 180-foot cliff, he suffered traumatic brain damage and other injuries. In the months that follow, the author and her husband communicate through journals, revealing how this tragic incident changed family dynamics, and the authors views about herself, family, God, and her marriage. perspectives. Thou Shalt Not Steal: The Baseball Life and Times of a Rifle-Armed Negro League Catcher Bill Ready Cash and Al Hunter Jr. Love Eagle Books, $11.95 paper (202p), ISBN 978-0-615-44546-5; $2.99 e-book www.readytoplayball.com; Amazon The candid, gritty, and often humorous autobiography of 91-year-old Negro Leaguer Bill Ready Cash, feisty all-star catcher for the Philadelphia Stars in the 1940s. It won the2012 Robert Peterson Recognition Award from the Society for American Baseball Research, Negro Leagues Committee. Tigering: Memoir of an Ivy League Mascot Blanche Rainwater Kapustin. CreateSpace, $9.95 paper (222p), ISBN 978-1-48208561-7; 99 e-book Amazon; www.blanchekapustin.com/ news/details/?id=166 Nearly 18 years after graduating, Kapustin writes of her four years as the Princeton mascot, loathed by Penn, Cornell, Columbia. Here are the behind-themask pranks, fights, and lessons in having a secret identity. How Was I Supposed to Know?: The Adventures of a Girl Whose Name Means Lost Lorna Lee. Early Girl Enterprises, $11.99 paper (402p), ISBN 978-0-9888468-0-7; $5.99 e-book ISBN 978-0-9888468-1-4 Amazon Was Lorna born curious and insecure or did her fathers mysterious disappearance when she was four years old make her that way? Was she really a Good Girl or was she clever enough to be an adept actress? Why did she wait until she was 50 to start saying what was really on her mind? In this memoir, the author invites readers to transform their life stories from tales of woe to tales of wow. Fahim Speaks: A Warrior-Actors Odyssey from Afghanistan to Hollywood and Back Fahim Fazlui and Michael Moffett. Warriors Publishing Group, $14.95 paper (214p), ISBN 978-0-9821670-7-6; $8.99 e-book Amazon Hollywood actor Fahim Fazli was born in Afghanistan, but escaped with his family when the country was torn by war and civil strife. In the U.S. he found a career as an actor, yet returned to Afghanistan as a Marine Corps interpreter, where his personality and cultural awareness made him a target for the Taliban. Leaving: A Memoir Frank Phelan. CreateSpace, $17.60 paper (516p), ISBN 978-1-4700-5725-1; $9.99 e-book Amazon Both a memoir and a biography, this is also a love story between a priest and a nun. Anne Francis Cavanaugh, the provincial superior of the Sisters of Mercy of Erie,
Pa., was leading her Sisters through the changes of the 60s. But when the Church retrenched after Pope Johns death, Anne Francies was called to the Vatican for questioning. As a priest, Phelan supported her and relates her story in detail. . The book follows Phelans short story collection based on reminiscences, Four Ways of Computing Midnight, published by Scribner in 1985 and reprinted in paperback in 2002. Driven by Faith: A Memoir of Faith, Family and Finding Purpose Earnestine and Todd Robinson. WordText Publisher, $15.99 paper (310p), ISBN 978-0-9886552-0-1; $7.99 e-book ISBN 978-0-9886552-1-8 www.earnestinerobinson.com Robinson struggles to overcome humble beginnings and incredible odds until she stands front and center as a composer on the stage of Carnegie Hall. Give Me Your Truth: Inspiration, Memoirs and Musings from the World of a New York City Publicist Sherri Rosen. Amazon Digital Services, $2.99 e-book ISBN 978-0-615-67994-5 www.sherrirosen.com/e-book/ New York City publicist Sherri Rosen serves up a compilation of musings and memoir, showcasing bold ideas and her passion for authenticity in a collection about publicity, book promotion, and the human condition. If I Only Knew... Gigi Scott. Eco Press Publishing, $22 paper (655p), ISBN 978-1-4801-9362-8; $5.99 e-book ifionlyknewbook.com The story of three generations, all female, all Jewish, spans three continents, from the late 19th century to 2012, always circling back to that haunting phrase, if I only knew. Bloody but Unbowed John Seaman. Writers Club Press, $29.50 paper (519p), ISBN 978-0-595-23073-0; $2.99 e-book ISBN 978-1-61430-532-3 McNally Jackson Books; Amazon; BN.com The saga of an artists life, successes, illicit sex, and madness. Hell Camp: How to Chew on a Crazy Childhood and Avoid Choking Niki Smart. iMay Productions, $15 paper (288p), ISBN 978-0-9856166-0-1; $8.99 e-book ISBN 978-0-9856166-1-8 www.hellcamp.weebly.com A fast-paced, slap-in-the-face journey through a bizarre childhood with a crazy mother who will stop at nothing to get what she wants. Relating one of the best worst-childhoods, this memoir is hilariously funny yet heartbreakingly sad. Negroes, Flies and Wet Toilet Paper; Confessions of a Preachers Daughter: Losing My Religion and Finding God Debra Roberts Torres-Reyes. iUniverse, $22.95 paper (306p), ISBN 978-1-45021901-3 Amazon A tell-all story of religious abuse and overcoming it as told by a preachers daughter . A guidebook for anyone wanting clear direction on enjoying a happier life. Multiple modalities are woven together to address the physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual realms. Suicide Was on My Mind David Mize. RoseDog Books, $14 paper (116p), ISBN 978-1-4349-3181-8; $9 e-book ISBN 978-1-4349-2491-9 (800) 788-7654 One mans rebirth from a life of danger, addictions, and attempted suicides, in which he gives his life to God and finds peace of mind and joy. Divining Truth: Straight Talk from Source Toni Elizabeth Sarh Petrinovich. Infinity Publishing, $20.95 (408p), ISBN 978-07414-8039-2 www.diviningtruth.com A compilation of the 75 most commonly asked questions answered by the I AM Presence. Foreword by Birgitt Williams. I Left My Prostate in San Francisco: Coping with the Emotional Relational, Sexual and Spiritual Aspects of Prostate Cancer Rick and Brenda Redner. WestBow Press, $19.95 paper (272p), ISBN 78-1-44977961-0; $2.99 e-book ISBN 978-1-44977960-3 Amazon From the hospital to the bedroom the author and his wife share their mistakes, victories, and lessons learned to help other couples cope with prostate cancer.
BODY, MIND & SPIRIT

I Am Not a Buddhist Charity Seraphina Fields. CreateSpace, $14.99 paper (240p), ISBN 978-1-47508566-2 Amazon With lucid style and wit, Fields interweaves the past, the present, and the future; science and spirituality; the East and the West; earth and space; and prose and poetry to produce a rich tapestry infused with original inspirational insight. Destination Happiness: Everything You Need to Know to Stay on Course! Alice Inoue. CreateSpace, $14.95 paper (123p), ISBN 978-1-4792-6342-4; $9.99 e-book Amazon; BN.com
BUSINESS & ECONOMICS

Follow the Money: The Money Trail Through History Ruben Alvarado. WordBridge Publishing, $24.99 paper (214p), ISBN 978-9076660-25-7 www.wordbridge.net
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A survey of the three historical forms of money and how the form of money a society implements determines the kind of society it will be and how those in that society will think. Drawing on Brilliance Jackie Bassett and Randy Rabin. AuthorHouse, $25.68 paper (176p) ISBN 9781438992235; $3.99 e-book Amazon Rabin and Jackie Bassett rescue patent lithographs discarded by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and uncover the secrets to innovation success behind them. Marketing in a World of Digital Sharing: Are You Drowning in Social Media Noise and Chaos? Sujata Ramnarayans. MARS Publishing, $16.95 paper (228p), ISBN 978-09859386-0-4; $16.95 e-book ISBN 9780-9859386-1-1 Amazon Addressing marketers, this book will help readers use social media where it can best influence business performance, providing valuable information for both novices and experienced marketers. How to Get a Job Without Going Crazy: A Practical Guide to Your Employment Search, 2nd Edition Donna L. Shannon. The Personal Touch Career Services, $16.99 paper (264p), ISBN 978-1-4681-4796-4 Amazon Job searching has changed, but many job seekers have not. Learn the latest tricks to edge out the competition and impress the hiring managers. StoryBranding: Creating Stand-Out Brands Through the Power of Story Jim Signorelli. Greenleaf Book Group Press, $24.95 hardcover (220p), ISBN 978-1608321452; $9.99 e-book Amazon A 30-year advertising veteran proposes a revolutionary approach to story-based marketing, for brands in search of meaningful and motivating identities. Green Beans & Ice Cream Bill Sims. Greenbean Leadership Publications, $17.95 paper (144p), ISBN 97809860213-0-5 www.greenbeansandicecream.com This groundbreaking book, based on more than 100 years of research into human behavior and decades of successful workshops for top corporations, explains why positive reinforcement is one of the most powerful forces on the planet.
EDUCATION
Yes, We Are Stupid in America: A Former Principals Reality Check on Why Our Public Schools Are Failing Vicky Wells. iUuniverse, $16.95 paper (168p), ISBN 978-1-4759-7187-3; $3.99 e-book ISBN 978-14759-7188-0 (912) 294-4358 A former principal explains why American students do not perform as well as students from countries like Finland, Singapore, and South Korea.
FAMILY & RELATIONSHIPS

Your Turn for Care: Surviving the Aging and Death of the Adults Who Harmed You Laura S. Brown. CreateSpace, $15.99 paper (182p), ISBN 978-1-4782-7418-6; $9.99 e-book www.drlaurabrown. com Adult survivors of childhood maltreatment may face the aging and death of adult family members who harmed them; a clinical psychologist offers this book for them. Secret Storms: A Mother and Daughter, Lost Then Found Julie Mannix von Zerneck and Kathy Hatfield. Blue Blazer, $14.95 paper (338p), ISBN 978-0-9857358-0-7; $9.99 e-book ISBN 978-0-9857358-1-4 www.secretstorms.com A young Philadelphia debutante becomes pregnant and gives her baby up for adoption. Years later, that daughter goes in search of her birth mother. This is the story of two strangers and the riveting journey each took to redeem the past.
COMICS & GRAPHIC NOVELS

Medusa Kacy McKinney and Milissa Orzolek. She Was Solitary, $17 paper (62p), ISBN 9780-615-65281-8 (504) 656-6553 A graphic novel about three jellyfish who explore the perils of underwater living.
COOKING
Muffins to Slim By: Fast Low-Carb Gluten-Free Bread and Muffin Recipes to Mix and Microwave in a Mug Em Elless. MUFN Books, $9.95 paper (132p), ISBN 978-0-9858224-2-2 Amazon This innovative low-carb glutenfree cookbook features what dieters miss most: freshbaked breads ready to eat in less than five minutes.
A Real Mother: Stumbling Through Motherhood Denise Malloy. One Red Dog Press, $10 paper (136p), ISBN 978-0-615-57731-9; 99 e-book ISBN 978-1-4524-7042-9 Amazon Blogger and writer Malloy was totally uninterested in motherhood until she got pregnantand then she determined to do it right. Her collection describes a world most parents will recognize, but few have described quite so honestly or hilariously. Never Assume: Getting to Know Children Before Labeling Them Patricia McGuire. Advantage Media Group, $11.99 paper (106p), ISBN 9781-59932-392-3; $9.99 e-book Amazon; BN.com Focusing on the behaviors of children and how to understand them, Dr. McGuire uses her developmental pediatric experience to help readers help their children. The Approximate Parent: Discovering the Strategies That Work with Your Teenager Michael Y. Simon. Fine Optics Press, $19.95 paper (510p), ISBN 978-09852276-9-2; $9.99 e-book ISBN 978-09852276-7-8 Amazon; theapproximateparent.com Helps readers translate what their teen thinks, feels, and doesto give them practical ways of supporting teens from adolescence into adulthood. Stephanie Amox. CENA Publishing, $18.99 paper (530p), ISBN 978-0-61575173-3; $5.99 e-book Amazon; BN.com Two girls in a small Texas town find their life is not what it seems, and they must navigate the danger facing them to find out what is real. A Noble Spirit Joanne M. Anderson. Perry Creek Publishing, $14.95 paper (192p), ISBN 978-09706542-1-2; $9.99 e-book ISBN 978-09706542-2-9 anoblespirit.com; Baker & Taylor The characters are fictional, but the horses are real in this story of a veteran of the Afghanistan war in his first civilian job and a girl who befriends a horse as they deal with issues of self-esteem, anxiety, personal loss, friendship, and reconciliation. Death in Bagheria: A Serafina Florio Mystery Susan Russo Anderson. Conca dOro Publishing, $3.99 e-book ISBN 978-09849726-3-0 Amazon In March 1870 Sicily, Serafina Florio investigates the suspicious death of a baroness and uncovers a dangerous plot to destroy the heirs to a large fortune. Generic: Book One Michael V. Anthony. CreateSpace, $8.99 paper (191p), ISBN 1-4751-05556-8 Amazon Michael, a mailroom employee, finds himself wrapped up in a massive cover-up coordinated by his employer, Globonix. My Life on Craigslist Alexandra Ares. CreateSpace, $13.95 paper (204p), ISBN 978-14609-8582-3; $5.99 e-book Amazon; BN.com; iTunes Chick lit with a twist: a young woman comes to New York to make it big, but loses her art gallery job and cheating artist boyfriend. She turns to Craigslist to find out what to do next in her life, and discovers oddities, humiliations, and rare successes. Finalist in the USA Best Books Award. The Other Girl Alexandra Ares. Smart Media New York, $8.99 paper (128p), ISBN 978-0-61574842-9; $3.99 e-book Amazon The minimalist literary novel tells the story of a conversation between an older feminist Italian woman and a young macho Russian man who become roommates. They are torn between the desire to belong and to break away from unfulfilling love. Winner of the Next Generation Indie Award for Best Novella 2012. (Marvins) World of Deadheads Paul Atreides. CreateSpace, $10.95 paper (271p), ISBN 978-1-4801-2682-4; $2.99 e-book ISBN 978-1-301-43961-4 Amazon Ghost meets The Hangover when 28-yearold Marvin dies after being hit by a bus. In this humorous romp through life after death, Marvin conspires with his new friends, also dead, to kill his girlfriend, but there are rules in the afterlife. Black Cobra John Avery. Apticon Books, $ paper (285p), ISBN 978-0-9836963-3-9; $3.99 e-book ISBN 978-0-9836963-2-2 Amazon In this sequel to Three Days to Die, Avery combines the romance of the Caribbean with the horrors of modern-day piracy and the complex realities of the Cold War in an exciting thriller. Deke Brolin Rhol Doug Backus. LBTEH, $11.99 paper (297p), ISBN 978-0-9876732-0-6; $2.99 e-book Amazon
FICTION
Red Lace: A Collection of Literary Tongasms Ailawishes. Xlibris, $15.99 paper (69p), ISBN 978-1-4797-4562-3; $3.99 e-book ISBN 978-1-4797-4563-0 BN.com Erotic tales filled with delicious, orgasmic sex-capades that leave nothing to the imagination. New Beginnings
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When 17-year-old Deke Brolin finds the Sacred Amulet of Rhol, he also finds himself in a strange world and that he is at the forefront of a quest to save the Balance of the Five Worlds, or the Universe as we know it. First in a series. The Kindness Of Ravens Frank Bardessono. CreateSpace, $14 paper (280p), ISBN 978-0-615-64956-6 Amazon; Vromans Bookstore College student Daren is cursed with hyperempathy, always trying to balance the ethereal and the material. He falls in love with Lee, an enigmatic woman who may be a Native American demigoddess. Here is a postmodern tale of magical realism. Whispered to the Heart Terry Barnes. Liberty University Press, $12.99 paper (283p), ISBN 978-1935986-24-9; $10.99 e-book ISBN 9781-935986-37-9 Amazon; www.terrybarnes.us/order.html Bible professor Luke Kendell, battling doubt and a crisis of faith, remembers a life-changing pinewood derby and an unusual prayer to a silent God. Breach of Power Chuck Barrett. Switchback Press, $14.95 paper (384p), ISBN 978-0-9885061-0-7; $5.99 e-book ISBN 978-0-9885061-1-4 chuckbarrettbooks.com A journal found deep inside a glacier threatens the presidency of the United States. Jake Pendleton is ordered to locate and acquire the book, but others are on a quest to find it as well, and theyll kill to get there first. January Exposure: An Ellie Craven Mystery Sunny Benson. Sunny Benson, $2.99 e-book ASIN B00BERCVTQ Amazon In Fargo, N.Dak., the mercury is hibernating below zero. Although chemist Ellie Craven prefers playing hockey to playing detective, she uses her chemistry connections and a sleigh-full of fortitude to rescue her kidnapped niece and expose a murderer who uses the weather as a weapon. Between Bodies Lie H. M. Blanc. AuthorHouse, $23.95 paper (346p), ISBN 978-1-4772-6911-4 Amazon A writer seeks to salvage his declining career on a small tropical island, and instead finds opportunity for personal redemption in this nuanced exploration of personal intimacies that tie and divide. Mechanic of Fortune Peter Bollington. Inkwater Press, $22.95 paper (398p), ISBN 978-1-59299-816-6; $4.99 e-book ISBN 978-1-59299-817-3 Amazon; Barnes and Noble PI James Terrell is hired to find an exhusband. On his quest through the West, this detective satirecum romance lights on the Occupy movement, hitchhikers, scheming doctors, literary figures, combining surrealism with moral fable. The Moroni Deception Jack L. Brody. Visigoth Press, $9.99 paper (335p), ISBN 978-0-615-72226-9; $3.79 e-book ISBN 978-0-615-65071-5 Amazon Identical ritual murders 2,000 miles apart appear to be connected to a Mormon relic long thought to be a myth. Journalist Michael Chenault is accused of the first murder, then investigates the second one in a case that may determine the fate of a presidential race and of the Mormon Church. Hard Magic John Caruso. CreateSpace, $15.95 paper (392p), ISBN 978-1-4791-0385-0; 99 e-book Amazon; Ingram; BN.com Fourteen-year-old Jude Corgan is haunted by his brothers death in a car crash and the mysterious wrecks appearing on the Corgan property in Twin Gaps, Vt., in the years since. Seeking answers leads Jude to a powerful magic that can change the world. Masalai Ryan Case. Ryan Case, $12.99 paper (365p), ISBN 978-0-615-77039-0; $4.99 e-book ISBN 978-1-301-21924-7 Amazon; Smashwords Masalai are local supernatural beings on Papua New Guinea. When a graduate student is framed for murder, she can only save herself by piecing together clues buried in the Papua New Guinea jungle that connect the legends of vampires and werewolves with science, history, folklore, and genocide. The Trouble with Love Cheri Champagne. CreateSpace, $10.60 paper (442p), ISBN 978-1-4793-4251-8; $7.99 e-book ISBN 978-1-4566-1058-6 Amazon; BN.com; iTunes; www.cherichampagne.com It seems that Maj. Charles Bradley no longer cares for his former best friend, Lady Charlotte Mason. But when Charles must protect Charlotte from kidnappers, that may be harder than he expected. Second in the Mason Siblings series. The Hangmans Replacement: Sprout of Disruption Taona Dumisani Chiveneko. Chiveneko Publishing Inc., $14.99 (490p), ISBN 978-0-9918524-0-6; $2.99 e-book Amazon When Zimbabwes hangman retired in 2004, perhaps he wouldnt be replaced. But a good man desperate for a job applies, and the discovery of man-eating plants creates more chaos. Tendrils of Life Owen Choi. Princeton Falcon Press, $11.95 paper (406p), ISBN 978-0-9857286-0-1; $4.95 e-book Amazon; TendrilsOfLife.com
A 16-year-old boy, Jimin, aches to return to his old home on a remote island during the Korean War. Only his absent father knows the way, so Jimin and his seven-year-old sister set out across the war-torn country in an effort to find him. Heart of Wisdom Alan N. Clifford. Lion Publishers, $8.95 paper (216p), ISBN 978-0-9888597-0-8; $4.95 e-book ISBN 978-0-9888597-1-5 (508) 505-1523 A survivor of WWIIs Bataan Death March becomes a renowned medical researcher decades later. His decision to reject a Japanese medical award and forfeit a research grant for his university leads to moral conflict and the ethics of medical research. Blood, Smoke and Ashes Bradley Convissar. Darkest Days Publishing, $10.99 paper (355p), ISBN 978-14819-2886-1; $2.99 e-book Amazon A supernatural horror thriller follows an FBI agent and storage unit auction hunter as they hunt for a killer known as Jane the Ripper. Daniels Heroes Monel Costin. CreateSpace, $12.25 paper (270p), ISBN 978-1-4801-1866-9; $4.88 e-book Amazon Spanning several countries and political regimes, this is the tale of a Romanian Jewish father and son,the father a high-ranking official of the oppressive Communist government, the son a tennis prodigy. 14th Sue Cruise. CreateSpace, $8.95 paper (221p), ISBN 978-1-4681-4592-2; 99 e-book ISBN 978-1-62345-915-4 Amazon The death of Bud Ritters mother in 2008 leads him and his brothers and sisters to reminisce about growing up in 1960s Galveston, Tex., as the current owner of their childhood home lets them wander through it one more time. Search for the Lost Realm Kraig Dafoe. KWD Publishing, $15.95 paper (370p), ISBN 978-1-4819-2281-4; $3.99 e-book ISBN 978-0-9882608-1-8 BN.com; Amazon; iTunes A young man sets out to find a mystical power, missing from the world of Kantania for thousands of years. My Sanctuary T. Daulton. T. Daulton Publishing, $6.99 e-book ISBN 978-1-62209-347-2 Amazon Meet Alex: shes shy, awkward, and lonely, but shes also smart, kind, and courageous. Follow as she discovers the importance of faith, family, and love. January Justice Athol Dickson. Athol Dickson, $14.99 paper (340p), ISBN 978-0-9854302-9-0; $9.99 e-book ISBN 978-0-9854302-8-3 Amazon A chauffeur and bodyguard for Hollywoods rich and famous, Malcolm Cutter is reeling from his wifes unsolved murder. A pair of Guatemalan tough guys, either patriotic revolutionaries or vicious terrorists, offer him a job. Then he gets a bomb through his window, a gangland beating on the streets of L.A., and three bullets in the chest. Dickson has won three Christy Awards and an Audie Award. Ice on the Grapevine: A Hunter Rayne Highway Mystery R.E. Donald. Proud Horse, $14.95 paper (306p) ISBN 978-0-981118-1-3; $4.99 e-book ISBN 978-1-4657-2034-4 www.proudhorsepublishing.com A frozen corpse is dumped on Californias Grapevine Pass, and an ex-cop is persuaded to help free two fellow truckers charged with the murder. Child of the Sword: Book 1 of the Gods Within J.L. Doty. Telemachus Press, $8.99 paper (410p), ISBN 978-1-938701-88-7; $3.99 e-book ISBN 978-1-938135-88-0 Amazon; BN.com; Smashwords; iBooks Rat is a filthy and malnourished feral child who survives on what he can steal, and by hiding within his own magical shadows. Adopted in the greatest of the Lesser Clans, hes enlisted in the wars between the Lesser and Greater Clans, which is actually proxy for the wars between the righteous and the fallen gods. Slingshot: Book One Marc Douglas. CreateSpace, $12.95 paper (299p), ISBN 978-1-4664-0993-4; $2.99 e-book ISBN 978-1-4664-0993-4 Amazon Colonists on an alien planet were forced to migrate by dwindling resources, pollution, and social unrest on their home planet. When their two spaceships crash, the passengers on each believe they are the only survivors, yet when they meet, war is the first result. First of a four-book series. Buh-Bye! Harry! Brie Edison. Smashwords, $4.99 e-book ISBN 9781301385959 iBooks; BN.com; Diesel; Kobo; Sony A shattered and grieving widow and a PI partner are forced into trusting one another while tracking a cold-blooded killer, as they confront their doubts and fears. Eleusis Genevieve Fairbrother. CreateSpace, $12.95 paper (274p), ISBN 978-1-47933996-9; $4.99 e-book Amazon A woman discovers she is the latest embodiment of a goddess who escaped from the underworld centuries ago. Hades still hunts for her but times have changed, and shes done running.
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The Final Confession of Justine Moritz, trans. by Tomas J. Basarich, S.J. Mark Ferra. Mark Ferra, $1.99 E-Book (0p), ISBN 978-1-61430-947-5; $ e-book ISBN Amazon This novella serves as an adjunct to Mary Shelleys Frankenstein. The Frankensteins housekeeper, Justine, who has been framed by the Creature for the murder of young William Frankenstein, makes her final confession to a priest who has known her since childhood. Although innocent, she confesses to the murder (dropping a juicy tidbit or two about the Frankenstein family). I Shall Be Gone Richard Ferrara. Pruett Street Press, $14.95 paper (400p), ISBN 978-0-61575397-3 Amazon Something funny is going on in the mind of Jobeus. Cast out by grim fate from his destroyed home, marooned at the Hawses foster house on the edge of a pathless wood, he seeks a way out of his exile. But which way he goes, only the west wind knows. True Melinda Field. Wise Women Ink, $15 paper (345p), ISBN 978-0-9762008-3-3; $6.99 e-book Amazon When 16-year-old Cats mother is sent to prison in 1998, Cat travels from Phoenix, Ariz., to Northern California to live with, first, her grandmother, then a nurse/ midwife and her horsewomen friends. Over the course of a year, these women confront change, attempts at love, family truths and explore the rich realm of nature, womanhood, family, and the bonds of friendship. Three Is the Charm Ian Finkel. More4many, $19.95 paper (156p), ISBN 978-90-819354-0-1 www.threeisthecharm.com A powerful and brutal account of the dark sides of street life in 1956 New York City presents a story of three working girls, the diner owner who protects them, and three men working in the meatpacking district. Yet in the end love conquers all. The Tesla Conspiracy: How far will they go to keep it a secret? Michael D. Finley. Law Offices of Michael D. Finley, $14.99 paper (327p), ISBN 9780-9884350-1-8; $5.99 e-book ISBN 9780-9884350-0-1 Amazon Graduate students Kathy Olson and Julie Lozano explore evidence of a historical conspiracy to suppress the discoveries of scientific genius Nikola Tesla and battle the sinister forces bent on hiding the secret to free energy. I Punch the General I. Flowers. Imflowers, $7.70 paper (186p), ISBN 978-0-615-70461-6; $4.99 e-book ISBN Amazon In 2248 Earth is so environmentally degraded that humanity is forced to search for a new home outside of the galaxy. When a military battalion is sent to a planet where a scientific team has disappeared, soldier Keven Wingham discovers that he has a paranormal connection with the locals. Tales from the Loon Town Cafe Dennis Frahmann. Dennis Frahmann, $14.95 paper (332p), ISBN 978-1-48255507-3; $7.99 e-book ISBN 978-1-30107396-2 Amazon A amalltown boy leaves his big city job to open a hometown restaurant in the north woods and gets trapped in the collision of fame, fortune, ambition, and love. Cupcakes & Chardonnay Julia Gabriel. Serif Books, $3.82 e-book ISBN 978-0-9886338-4-1 Amazon In this fun, contemporary romance, Suzanne Austin owns the hottest cupcake shop in San Francisco. Then her former boyfriend, wealthy playboy and wine heir Daryle Catterton, shows up with a business proposal she cant afford to refuse. Too Dark to Sleep Dianne Gallagher. Brayer Publishing, $13.99 paper (390p), ISBN 978-09859541-0-9; $5.99 e-book bit.ly/13h8Wjs Former Chicago homicide detective Maggie Quinn is obsessed with her last case, but is she targeting the right person or will she ruin the life of an innocent man? Razing Cain Roberta Georgiou. Roberta Georgiou, $2.99 e-book(318p), ISBN 978-09889350-0-6 Amazon Pregnant Sarah in 1972 finds her situation oddly mirroring that of her Hungarian grandfather and grandmother. Family secrets and the fate of the family farm expose the destructive legacy parents can bequeath to generations and the need to sever those shackles. The First Darkness Mitchell Earl Gibson. Tybro Publications, $10.95 paper (302p), ISBN 978-1935674-75-7; $0.99 e-book Amazon In a spiritual thriller, a 12-billion-yearold angel faces a rare fatal malady that can only be overcome by a human woman with a special gift. Secrets and Strangers James Gilbert. James Gilbert, $7.95 paper (130p), ISBN 9780615669328 Amazon A collection of short stories set along the Mediterranean; Prague; Washington, D.C.; Chicago; and in southern Illinois explores the insides of experience, the multiple
meanings of memory, and the reactions of characters beyond the traces they have left in archives. The author, a professor of history at the University of Maryland, says, The joy of fiction writing is liberation from [one] sort of truth [adherence to the facts] and immersion in another. World Without Safewords: A Mistress Erminegard Suspense Novel R.R. Gilston. CreateSpace, $11.49 paper (298p), ISBN 978-1-4536-3505-6 Amazon A fast, funny, literary answer to Fifty Shades of Grey crossed with a murder mystery. Raised by opera singers, Manhattans Mistress Erminegard possesses the highly trained ear that makes her New Yorks premier dominatrix. She captures a murderer assisted by her submissives: the chief of police, a marine drill sergeant, and a Broadway star. Syd and Marcy Beaird Glover. Bugady Books, $2.99 e-book (177p) ISBN 978-1-301-70168-1 Smashwords A dark thriller finds a cool couple committing murder and videotaping it. Then the camera falls into the hands of a detective, who would rather see them dead than make it to Hollywood alive. Deadly Relations: Book Three of the Deadly Trilogy Alexa Grace. CreateSpace, $12.60 paper (342p), ISBN 978-0-9855939-1-9; $2.99 e-book Amazon Detective Jennifer Brennan vows to find the killer of three young women while fighting her attraction to her detective partner, which violates department rules. The Promises You Keep Karen Marie Graham. Books-A-Daisy, $4.99 paper (160p), ISBN 978-1-93867801-1; $2.99 e-book ISBN 978-1-93867800-4 Amazon Sydney Mackenzie, a language arts teacher, is abandoned and hiding from her past. But shes forced to face it when a new a student in her class may be facing a similar fate. BloodLight: The Apocalypse of Robert Goldner Harambee K. Grey-Sun. Amazon Digital Services, $4.99 e-book (160p), ISBN 9781-62675-009-8 Amazon African-American teen Robert Goldner desperately wants to become a high school wrestling champion to redeem the curse he thinks his murdered mother saw in him. In this dark metaphysical fantasy, Robert must wrestle with a dark force for his very soul. For mature readers. Thwarted Queen: A Saga About the Yorks, Lancasters and Nevilles Cynthia Sally Haggard. Spun Stories Press, $18.99 paper (495p), ISBN 978-14801-5539-8; $2.99 e-book ISBN 978-09848169-1-0 Amazon As the Hundred Years War comes to an end and the War of the Roses is about to begin, the wife of Richard, duke of York, bears a son after a love affair. Here is a portrait of a woman trapped by power, a marriage undone by betrayal, and a king brought down by fear. Prelude and Fugue Laura Haley-McNeil. CreateSpace, $14.99 paper (298p), ISBN 978-1-4751-8013-8; 99 e-book ISBN 978-1-4660-1278-3 Amazon In the Prelude, Olivia St. Claire accomplishes her dream to become a pianist, while studying with former concert pianist Liam Wallace. In the Fugue, her attraction to the married Liam causes everything to fall apart when she has the opportunity to perform with him. Beta: Project Avatar A.M.D. Hays. Diadema Press, $25.99 hardcover (414p), ISBN 978-0-9854182-0-5 Ingram; Amazon; Barnes & Noble World-class cryptographer Dee Lockwood must fight against an array of rogue, sociopathic assassins intent on stealing a defunded military software application and igniting a third Gulf War. Collider Chris Hejmanowski. Fischer Press, $9.99 paper (334p), ISBN 978-0-9857180-0-8; $5.99 e-book ISBN 978-0-9857180-2-2 www.colliderbook.com What if heaven is an alternate dimension? Particle physicist Fin Canty uncovers the answers to sciences biggest mysteries as he journeys through a multiverse to reunite his family and give the world proof of the afterlife. Crawford Hill: Book One: Derek Montgomery Crawford IX Robin Hewitt. Hewitt Books, $11.99 (360p), ISBN 978-1-4801-2177-5; $6.99 e-book Amazon Psychological suspense combine with graphic sex violence in this thriller in which Derek Crawford is drawn into a serial murder investigation despite his own family secrets, leavened by a dark sense of cynical humor. Julie Mangos: Book Two of the Sangster Fi Manley Trilogy Bernard James. Buffalo Soldier Press, $17.95 paper (255p), ISBN 978-09840466-3-8; $9.99 e-book ISBN Amazon; iBookStore; Barnes & Noble A contemporary drama set in London and Kingston, Jamaica, deals with one womans search for closure and clarity concerning her mothers murder and the identity of her father. The Geneva Decision: Pia Sabel #1 Seeley James. Seeley James, $29.99 hardcover (276p), ISBN 978-0-9886996-2-5; $5.99 e-book ISBN 978-0-9886996-0-1 seeleyjames.com An international soccer star, Pia Sabel takes over her billionaire fathers private security company. On her first day on the job, she sees a client assassinated before her eyes. Theres no time for training, so Pia
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must trust her instincts and athletic skills to unravel the complicated maze of money laundering and piracy that take her from Swiss mansions to the jungles of Cameroon. Scrolls of Darkness Paul Henry Johnson. Outskirtspress, $16.95 paper (209p), ISBN 978-1-43279531-3; 99 e-book Amazon Corporate attorney Brent Michaels, descended from ancient prophets, is called on by a friend of his late father to locate ancient Satanic scripts known as the Scrolls of Darkness. Michaels along with a beautiful archeologist, travels from Paris to New Zealand, Rio de Janeiro, and the Middle East for the final showdown. Winter Reeds Holland Kane. Rumor House Books, $14.95 paper (330p), ISBN 978-09858293-0-8; $2.99 e-book ISBN 978-09858293-1-5 Ingram; Amazon A documentary filmmaker travels from New York City to a remote northwest town to research a long-unsolved arson. A fellow New Yorker comes to the same town researching her familys complicated past. The local sheriff has his own reasons for thwarting their investigations, which may all tie together into a smalltown scandal. Angels in Stone Tanja Kobasic. Stone Series Publishing, $17 paper (456p), ISBN 978-0-98815540-4; $9.99 e-book ISBN 978-0-98815541-1 Amazon; Barnes & Noble; Indigo; Chapters An infertile womans desperate need to give her young husband a child puts her at the mercy of a powerful voodoo priestess. Banjie the Beast Edward Lake. Infinity Publishing, $17.95 paper (328p), ISBN 978-0-7414-8044-6; $3.55 e-book ASIN B008CFV284 Amazon; buybooksontheweb.com; BN.com Banjie Bellingston was transformed into a genetically engineered hybrid, with the DNA of a primate and a grizzly bear, with mutant abilities. Years later he must use his talents to try to save the city of St. Iyer. Dreaming of a Fathers Love: A Tale from the Ohio Valley Sharon A. Lavy. Story and Logic Media Group, $15.99 paper (442p), ISBN 9780-615-72436-2; $6.99 e-book Amazon We encourage a person to follow his fathers footsteps. But what if the person is female, snd the year is 1973? The Book of Paul Richard Long. Open Eyes, $19.95 paper (492p), ISBN 978-0-615-64864-4; $2.99 e-book www.thebookofpaul.com The Book of Paul is the first of seven volumes in a sweeping mythological narrative tracing the mystical connections between Hermes Trismegistus in ancient Egypt; Sophia, the female counterpart of Christ; and the Celtic druids of Clan Kelly. Hurricane Lily Rebecca Rogers Maher. $1.99 e-book ISBN 978-1-62539-537-5 (347) 228-7647 Lily Sawyer flees her controlling, wealthy New York family for a solitary Cape Cod home. With a hurricane approaching, she asks Cliff Buckley, an angry local carpenter, to storm-proof her house. A contemporary romance about class conflict, global warming, and the liberating power of righteous anger and good, hot sex. The Three Loribel Maldonado. Graciously Beginning, $9.99 paper (200p), ISBN 978-09856835-0-4; $9.99 e-book ISBN 978-09856835-1-1 www.the-three.info; BN.com; Amazon A speculative fiction novella draws from the story of creation, filling in the blanks within the story as told in the Bible. Master Gardener Rolf Margenau. Frogworks Publishing, $23.95 paper (302p), ISBN 978-09882311-0-8; $2.99 e-book Amazon Wylie Cypher, a retired attorney, helps fellow Master Gardeners thwart Big Agricultures nefarious plans to stop development of magical seeds. Meanwhile, ecoterrorists have plans to save the monarch butterfly. Strays Thomas A. Marks. Xlibris, $23.99 paper (674p), ISBN 978-1-4771-5383-3; $3.99 e-book ISBN 978-1-4771-5385-7 www.xlibris.com; Amazon; Barnes & Noble Leading conflicting but interconnecting lives, four characters involved in environmental issues inadvertently play roles in identifying threats, which could be catastrophic. Cliff of the Ruin Bonnie McKernan. Abbott Press, $24.99 paper (408p), ISBN 978-1-4582-0670-1; $3.99 e-book Amazon; BN.com; Kobo; iBookstore A lawyer and Civil War veteran tracks the mysterious disappearance of a womans husband, finding answers in an Irish castle ruinalong with murder. The Murder Prospect Lee Mossel. The Crude Detective, $12.99 paper (302p), ISBN 978-0-615-65237-5; $9.99 e-book Amazon A Denver petroleum geologist, suffering career burnout, switches to private investigations and is immediately immersed in oil field fraud, dirty money, and murder. Its Nothing Personal Kate OReilley. Quandary Publishing, $15.99 paper (386p), ISBN 978-09886633-1-2; $4.99 e-book ISBN 978-0-
9886633-0-5 Amazon Dr. Jenna Reiner, an anesthesiologist, is hit by a major lawsuit and sets out to prove her innocence; inspired by a true story.. Lost and Found: Book One of Emi Lost & Found Lori L. Otto. CreateSpace, $14.99 paper (402p), ISBN 978-1-4537-5540-2; $2.99 e-book ISBN bit.ly/ELAF1bk Artist Nate Wilson and Emi Hennigan have been friends since high school 12 years ago, but Nate has been in love with Emi. As they embark on a romantic journey, destiny reveals other plans for them both. First in a series. Domestic Tranquility Ken Pakman. Ignition Books, $14.99 paper (272p), ISBN 978-1-937868-15-4; $9.99 e-book ISBN 978-1-937868-14-7 All online booksellers; Ingram October 1962: Cuba fires nuclear missiles against Miami. The U.S. retaliates against the U.S.S.R. JFK and LBJ are assassinated and as the U.S. sinks into chaos, the Joint Chiefs of Staff stage a coup and impose martial law. Fast forward 50 years: martial law still exists, and Chief Inspector Isaac January is the target of a conspiracy that leads to the very pinnacle of power. Under a Tropical Sun Pasky Pascual. Plot Hound Press, $9.99 paper (231p), ISBN 978-0-9887571-0-3 UnderATropicalSun.com The headless corpses of three American Navy men lie on a beach in the Philippines in 1951. Two men hold the key to the murders: an American CIA analyst and a Filipino Communist rebel. The K Street Affair Mari Passananti. Rutland Square Press, $15.99 paper (360p), ISBN 978-0-98589460-3; $9.99 e-book ISBN 978-0-9858946-1-0 (617) 669-4686 What if a massive corporation, with political ties on both sides of the Atlantic, decided to start a war? Should one woman risk everything to try to stop it? Deathgod William D. Patterson. William D. Patterson, $4.49 e-book (338p), ASIN B009O0EUYO Amazon Consultant Adam Mackenzie is monitoring an oil well being drilled in the lush tropical Yucatn, but the well has desecrated a sacred Mayan sinkhole and triggered an uprising. Mackenzies daughter is seized as the perfect human sacrifice, and Mackenzie must defeat the terror and squelch a rebellion to save both his daughter and the world. The novel won first place recognition at the Southeastern Writers Association annual competition. Stitches Courtney Pierce. Courtney Pierce, $15.95 paper (268p), ISBN 978-0-9889175-0-7; $5.99 e-book Amazon Jean and Spence Collins buy a trunk with a piece of magical fabric behind its false bottom. It leads the baby boomer couple on an adventure from Oregon to London and eventually the tomb of Nefertiti in Egypt as they sleuth their way toward retirement. The Tease Nikki M. Pill. Nikki M. Pill, $8.99 paper (188p), ISBN 978-1-4819-3850-1; $3.99 e-book ISBN 978-1-301-92237-6 Amazon; Smashwords Anna is a therapist by day, burlesque dancer by night. Her personal and professional lives collide when a serial killer starts murdering her fellow dancers. MFA, the Novel Jason Rapczynski. CreateSpace, $19.95 paper (592p), ISBN 978-1-4791-4502-7; $4.99 e-book ISBN 978-1-62346-440-0 Amazon While gathering material for his autobiographical M.F.A. thesis, Rapczynskis alter ego lives the writers life to the extreme in this work of transgressive fiction. The 11th Hour of the 11th Day Brenda Ritter. CreateSpace, $15.95 paper (384p), ISBN 978-1-4791-8523-8; $2.99 e-book Amazon; Barnes & Noble The story of Canadian Alfred Ouellette, one of the almost 620,000 Canadians who fought in WWI; nearly 10% of them died in battle. Ouellette survives the war, but life has dramatically changed for his family at home. Sebastian: Secrets Janey Rosen. CreateSpace, $9.99 paper (230p), ISBN 978-1-4818-2792-8; 99 e-book Amazon; www.janeyrosen.com The first novel in the Sebastian trilogy follows the protagonists journey into submission, a journey fraught with danger, erotica, humor, and tragedy. The Mercy Project Jeffrey Royer. JDR Global Press, $15.95 paper (274p), ISBN 978-0-9884401-0-4; $7.99 e-book ISBN 978-0-9884401-1-1 Amazon; BN.com An intricate tale of greed and deception involves a top-secret U.S. government project to euthanize the elderly to cut health-care costs. The Stages Thom Satterlee. Thom Satterlee, $4.99 e-book (386p) ASIN B00AQA6JJ0 Amazon A murder mystery set in Copenhagen, Denmark, and narrated by an American with Aspergers syndrome centers on the theft of a Soren Kierkegaard manuscript. The Lighter Side of Large Becky Siame. Lighter Side Media, $19.99 paper (390p), ISBN 978-0-9876625-2-1;
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$4.99 e-book ISBN 978-09876625-1-4 Amazon Behind 55 kilograms of excess fat is a woman on a mission. When her ex-husband and sister announce their upcoming wedding, Bella embarks on a mission: lose the weight, get a job, and find a man to prove they just cant keep a good mother down. Distracters Maulik Sompura. Maulik Sompura, $10.73 paper (287p), ISBN 978-0-9853820-0-1; $2.99 e-book ISBN Amazon Mike leads a team of seasoned, highly skilled operatives on missions around the world to create a distractionaka misdirectionso that other criminal groups can carry out their plans. But a manmade earthquake, a ruthless and mysterious boss, and a relentless enemy turn their world upside down, and the team members find themselves on the run to clear their namesand save their own lives. Bellme: The Norman Warrior Roy Stedall-Humphryes. Roy StedallHumphryes, $26.12 paper (476p), ISBN 978-1480177765; $9.68 e-book ISBN 978-1-62407-547-6 Amazon A historical novel based on the life of Robert de Bellme, a Norman baron, who battled against treachery and his enemy King Henry Iof England. Defiant Heart Marty Steere. Penfield Publications, $15.95 paper (386p), ISBN 978-0-9854014-4-3; $4.99 e-book ISBN 978-0-9854014-3-6 www.martysteere.com A young couple battles prejudice and misunderstanding to be together as the world plunges into war. Fog: A Morgan Kendall Mystery Linda Howe Steiger. CreateSpace, $14.99 paper (334p), ISBN 978-1-4802-3828-2; $2.99 e-book ISBN 978-1-301-80025-4 Amazon; Smashwords Fog launches a mystery series set in California as Morgan Kendall, an amateur woman sleuth, negotiates plot twists and death penalty challenges. Discussion questions included. The Trinity Signs Scott M. Sullivan. Digital Ink Publishing, $9.99 paper (354p), ISBN 978-0-61569312-5; $2.99 e-book ISBN 978-0-61567187-1 www.TheTrinitySigns.com Tobias, the last remaining member of the Guardians, a special group of knights supported by the Vatican, must jlocate the fabled Trinity Signs before evils grasp on humanity becomes irreversible. Nunny & Cecil: A Tale of Terror Gaila Swindell. CreateSpace, $12.95 paper (312p), ISBN 978-1-4781-7692-3; $1.99 e-book ISBN 978-1-4781-7692-3 Amazon Joe Rodman removes the contents of the graves in the earthen floor of his basement a mistake that will cost him everything he holds dear. Who Sings to the Dead Max Tomlinson. Sendero Press, $14.95 (330p), ISBN 978-1-4819-3389-6; $2.99 e-book Amazon Police fficer Nina Flores is hunting for a kidnapped Indian beggar girl in modern-day Peru. The suspected kidnapper resembles what locals call a ghost who hunts children. Or is this case connected to one 20 years earlier, during the countrys dirty war? Unburying Hope Mary Wallace. Road Angel Media, $15.99 paper (340p), ISBN 978-0-9854207-0-3; $9.99 e-book ISBN 978-0-9854207-1-0 Amazon In the broken Detroit economy, a young woman falls in love with a wounded Iraq War veteran fighting his hidden addictions. When she finds the courage to follow her dreams to Hawaii, the possibility of healing comes with the arrival of the vets recently discovered daughter. The Umbrella Option W.F. Walsh. Xlibris, $29.99 hardcover (278p), ISBN 978-1-4797-9964-0; $3.99 e-book ISBN 978-1-4797-9965-7 Amazon; www.walshbook.com Special Agent Jeff Stein of Homeland Security is pitted against a terrorist group that plans to smuggle a nuclear device onto a cruise ship, sail it to Miami, and take out most of South Florida. Stein join forces with the feds, the mob, and a washed-up television actor to stop what could be the next 9/11 catastrophe. Anaphylaxis: A Medical Thriller Alan Anson Wanderer. Anson Publishing, $15.50 paper (342p), ISBN 978-1-47815943-8; $8.99 e-book Amazon A scientist whos discovered a cocaine vaccine dies from anaphylaxis after a routine allergy shot and the malpractice lawsuit that ensues is fanned by a politically ambitious senator. CBI agent Ben Locke connects these events with a cold case, and a nefarious plot implicating the mob is exposed. Revelle Alison Wiley. Diamond-Cut Life Publishing, $14.95 paper (234p), ISBN 978-09856096-0-3 Ingram; Amazon Revelle, a charismatic dancer who aspires to be a mother, learns her husband has burned all her possessions. The question of his arrest uncovers a complex past. My Year as a Clown Robert Steven Williams. Against the Grain Press, $7.99 e-book ISBN 978-09884030-0-0 Amazon When his wife of 20 years leaves him for another man, Chuck Morgan is abruptly forced back into the single lifestyle. He faces a fumbling, funny, emotionally raw
year of relearning to live on his own. Healing Water Lynn Windham. Bookbaby, $2.99 e-book (246p) ISBN 978-1-62488-348-4 Amazon; bn.com, iBooks Cassie arrives at the ranch to be the livein accountant for two bachelor brothers. She soon discovers there are family secrets galore, but romance as well, wherein the powers of love, forgiveness, and redemption heal family wounds and restore a parched land. One More Son Matvei Zhivov. Amazon, $9.95 paper (232p), ISBN 978-1-4818-3425-4; $3.03 e-book Amazon A Marine raises the child of the family he killed in the heat of battle, while the man whose family perished sets out on a trail of revenge. Stop Dying Fat: Doctors Healing The Disease Of Obesity Eleazar M. Kadile, M.D. Advantage Media Group, $14.99 paper (130p), ISBN 978-159932-190-5; $9.99 e-book Amazon Dr. Kadile treats obesity like any other life-threatening disease, with four power principles, which will repair and revive the body through rapid weight loss with a slendergenic meal plan that is low in carbohydrates and high in protein and healthy fat intake. Commanding Attention: A Parent and Patient Guide to More ADHD Treatment Tess Messer. CreateSpace, $15.29 (328p), ISBN 978-1-4827-8667-5; $7.99 e-book ISBN 978-1-62590-218-4 Amazon Medication is not the only treatment for ADHD symptoms. Public health expert Tesser explains when and why other ADHD treatments sometimes help symptoms more effectively. loween party at the Old Hamstead Farm. They are drawn into the farms legend and the curse of a jealous witch, her toadies, and their broomsticks. Hating Heidi Foster Jeffrey Blount. Alluvion Press, $11.95 paper (120p), ISBN 978-0-9857627-0-4; $6.99 e-book jeffreyblount.com Heidi loses her father in a tragic accident and almost loses her mother to depression. Blaming her best friend, and going through old family memories, Heidi finds a way to heal. Lost in Petra: An Anatolia Steppe Mystery Melissa Mahle and Kathryn Dennis. SpyGirls Press, $8.99 paper (237p), ISBN 978-0-9852273-0-2; $5.99 e-book ISBN 978-0-9852273-1-9 Ingram; Baker & Taylor; Amazon; BN.com An 11-year-old girl, lost in an exotic land, must find a fabled treasure to save her mothers life. Elemental: Bte Noir; Joshua Guerrero. CreateSpace, $14.99 paper (274p), ISBN 978-1-4699-4520-0 Amazon Ezekiel Marek receives a package containing an amulet granting him the ability to control all eight elements. Now he will be tested against a monster loose in his small town. Jack Templar Monster Hunter: The Templar Chronicles: Book One Jeff Gunhus. Seven Guns Press, $10.95 paper (198p), ISBN 978-0988425903 www.jacktemplar.com Jack Templar discovers his hidden heritage as a monster hunter as he turns 14. When enigmatic Eva shows up to offer training and explanations, they are quickly attacked, propelling them into a nightmarish fight for survival against an ageold vampire and his hordes. The reader is
HEALTH & FITNESS

The 7 Principles of Health: Your Call to Health Consciousness Natasha Deonarain, M.D. Persephones Publishing, $14.99 paper (248p), ISBN 978-0-9886096-0-0 www.health-conscious.org This book from the Health Conscious Movement is a clarion call for every American who is sick and tired of being sick and tired of todays health-care system. Diabetes Dos & How Tos: Small yet Powerful Steps to Take Charge, Eat Right, Get Fit, and Stay Positive Riva Greenberg. SPI Management, $16.95 paper (296p), ISBN 978-0-9822906-1-3 Amazon Here is the quintessential owners manual for those with diabetes and pre-diabetes.
HISTORY
Why and How the Ice Age Ended Raven Alb J., History. CreateSpace, $28.40 (448p), ISBN 978-1-4774-5438-1; $ e-book ISBN Barnes & Noble; Amazon A complex book about the ice age ending, the great flood that followed, and the history of European languages.
JUVENILE FICTION
Toadies, Creepers Mysteries Book 2 Connie Kingrey Anderson. Movies for the Ear, $7.99 paper (142p), ISBN 978-1935793-03-8; $2.99 e-book ISBN 978-1935793-04-5 Amazon; online and indie bookstores Harry, Gillian, and Arvin throw a Hal-
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warned that reading the book will attract the attention of monstersa sure way to get a youngster to want to read it. The Elephant of Surprise Brent Hartinger. Buddha Kitty Books, $12.99 paper (230p), ISBN 978-09846794-5-4; $7.99 e-book ISBN 978-09846794-6-1 Amazon; Barnes & Noble; Ingram The fourth book in the Lambda Award winning Russel Middlebrook series that began with Geography Club (HarperCollins, 2003). Gay teen Russel finds unexpected romance and danger when he gets involved with a secret society of homeless outcasts. The Crowded Kingdom Louella Dizon San Juan. Louella Dizon San Juan, $7.99 e-book (115p) ISBN 978-162539-595-5 Vook; Amazon; iTunes Two sisters, Jada and Jinny, discover a tiny fairy kingdom within New York City. They befriend elves, magical folk, and a rebel purple fairy with a penchant for power tools. But they also discover that the magical world has declared war on mankind. The Dirty Laundry Monster Alexander Kapustin, illus. by Thomas Barnett. CreateSpace, $9.99 paper (30p), ISBN 978-1-4823-3347-3 Amazon Two kids wont put their dirty laundry in the hamper. Their mother threatens the mess may create a dirty laundry monster. Aesops 1st Book of Childhood Adventures: Aesops Fables and Other Short Stories Vincent A. Mastro, illus. by Anita Wells. Vangelo Media, $12.95 paper (38p), ISBN 978-0-9886791-1-5 Amazon; www.vangelomedia.com Three of Aesops fables are told through the daily adventures of Aesop, a raccoon boy in the why stage of childhood. Surviving Curtis Hall: The Lure of Blood L.A. Matthies. iUniverse, $16.95 paper (256p), ISBN 978-14759-5266-7; $9.99 e-book ISBN 978-14759-5265-0 Amazon In Surviving Curtis Hall: The Lure of Blood, debut author L.A.Matthies artfully navigates the teen angst generated by changing schools, new love, and significant secrets, says Clarion Foreword Reviews. Captain No Beard: An Imaginary Tale of a Pirates Life Carole P. Roman. CreateSpace, $9.99 paper (40p), ISBN 978-1-4781-5170-8; 99 e-book Amazon; www.caroleproman.com Captain No Beard sails the seas with his group of four, facing danger, adventure, and excitement. On the journey, they learn that both friendship and teamwork save the day. I Want to Do Yoga, Too Carole P. Roman. CreateSpace, $9.25 paper (11p), ISBN 978-1-4750-1558-4 www.caroleproman.com A trip to the yoga studio has made Hallie unhappy because she wants to join her mothers class. Unknowingly, she does four yoga poses with the sitter, learning that yoga is all around us and easy to do. Red Rose and Blue Butterfly Sara Sirotzky, illus. by Andra Weber. Ampersand, $17.95 hardcover (32p), ISBN 978-1-4507-9594-4; $ e-book ISBN Amazon.com; BN.com; (773) 769-9299 A warm story about friendship and dreams for children and adults. Tom Ts Hat Rack: A Story About Paying It Forward Michele Spry, illus. by Peggy A. Guest. Spry Publishing, $14.95 hardcover (104p), ISBN 978-0-9887782-2-1; $7.99 e-book ISBN 978-0-9887782-5-2 Amazon Shelby has a zest for life that cant be tamed, and Tom dreams of helping others facing the challenges he faced not long ago. They join forces to help their community, and challenge readers to do the same. Haee the Cat with a Crooked Tail R.S. Vern. Middling Industries, $3.99 e-book (63p) ISBN 9789810701918 Amazon; www.middlingindustries.com Haee is a middling cat with a long and crooked tail. Armed with curiosity and a thirst to seek out the extraordinary, Haee becomes known as the cat who rejects the discipline of the home yet desires some form of security. Porcinis Great Escape Jeanne Yee. Robertson Publishing, $16.50 paper (78p), ISBN 978-1-61170-106-7; $2.99 e-book ISBN 978-0-9888164-0-4 Amazon An adventurous mushroom travels from her birthplace in the mountains of central Italy to the city of Rome as she dreams of avoiding the fate of being served with olive oil and parsley so she can see the world.
JUVENILE NONFICTION
Chuck Yeager Goes Supersonic Alan W. Biermann, illus. by Yaejin Lim. CreateSpace, $10.80 paper (48p), ISBN 978-1-4802-7632-1 Amazon; Ingram C h u c k Ye a g e r grows up, becomes an Air Force test pilot, flies the X-1 rocket plane through the sound barrier, and rises to national fame. The ABCs and 123s of Child Safety Sharon Blacknall, illus. by Linda Ray. Inspiring Voices, $17.45 (46p), ISBN 978-1-4624-0437-7; $3.99 e-book ISBN 978-1-4624-0438-4 bit.ly/12btCeU
This is a fun and innovative 3-in-1 book designed to teach kids about 26 essential safety rules while they learn their alphabet and numbers. Safe to and from School, Thats the Rule Gloria M. Buley. Woodstock Safety Mirror Co., $9.95 (24p), ISBN 978-0-57810625-0 (845) 247-3429 A coloring and activity book that teaches children about school bus safety. Mei-Lings Forever Mommy Susan Von Tobel, illus. by Regina Atwood and Mike Picco. Xlibris, $21.99 paper (40p), ISBN 978-1-4691-2578-7 Amazon Mei-Ling was born in China, abandoned, and sent to an orphanage where she patiently waits for her Forever Mommy, who travels from the United States to bring Mei-Ling home. tions so that readers can appreciate the beauty and power of literature using two basic principles. paper (179p) ISBN 978-09848299-0-3 www.secret-voices.com; Amazon Presents trees as sentient beings, with a personality and a voice, with fun and informative facts about specific trees, their environments, some of the plants and animals within their areas. In addition, the book is a tool in the journey to self. Original, fullcolor illustrations.
NON-CLASSIFIABLE
Americas Most Loved Foods Steve Taylor. Steve Taylor, $19.99 paper, ISBN 978-0-9889306-0-5 (617) 584-7577 A mouth-watering photo journey of Americas most loved foods, plus a side order of history and culture and a dash of fun facts. Over 400 original photos.
PERFORMING
A Million Miles from Broadway: Musical Theatre Beyond New York and London Mel Atkey. Friendlysong Books, $30 paper (296p), ISBN 978-0-9916957-0-6; $9 e-book ISBN 978-1-291-09353-7 Lulu.com; Amazon; Barnes and Noble An examination of musical theater as it has developed in such countries as Australia, Canada, South Africa, Argentina, and Japan.
NONFICTION
Doorway to Heartbreak, Path to Hope... Our Adoption Journey Randy Harper. Publish Green, $7.99 e-book (501p), ePub ISBN 978-1-93829684-0; MOBI ISBN 978-1-938296-83-3 www.ReadingHarper.com Harper recounts the heart-wrenching story of adopting two special needs children, adding to his family of three biological children, and the strains of dealing with multiple diagnoses and navigating bureaucracies and therapies. Throughout, the family relies on instinct, trial and error, faith, and a steady sense of humor. Software and Mind: The Mechanistic Myth and Its Consequences Andrei Sorin. Andsor Books, $68 hardcover (944p), ISBN 978-0-9869389-0-0 www.andsorbooks.com A study of the role of software in society, the fallacies propagated by the software elites, and the degradation of minds caused by these fallacies. Secret Voices from the Forest: Thoughts and Dreams of North American Trees, Vol. 1: The West Laura J. Merrill. Myth & Magic, $28.95
POETRY
Eddys Life Poetry Edward M. Donnelly. CreateSpace, $12 paper (56p), ISBN 978-1-4636-0941-2; $8 e-book ISBN 9781-4636-0941-2 Amazon This debut collection reveal the authors heart and the experiences that have left an indelible mark on his life. Passages II: Brown Doves Helen Drayton. Helen Drayton, $23.13 paper (120p), ISBN 978-1-4781-6004-5; $5.77 e-book Amazon; other retailers A collection of rich and descriptive verse uncovers emotional nuances and captivating glimpses of contemporary aspects of life. Have You Lost Faith in Almighty God?
LAW
The History of Juvenile System and Civil Corruption in Pennsylvania, Vol. 1 Pinky Stanseski. CreateSpace, $18.50 paper (284p), ISBN 978-1-4699-1986-7; $5 e-book Amazon Tw o P e n n s y l vania judges were convicted of putting children and teens into private prisons owned by the judges; this is an account of what they did and a society that incubated them.
LITERARY CRITICISM
Words in World Literature Mark Corwin. Dorrance Publishing, $20 paper (176p), ISBN 978-1-4349-1834-5; $15 e-book ISBN 978-1-4349-1754-6 www.dorrancebookstore.com Texts in 12 foreign languages are accompanied with literal and idiomatic transla-
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Rosemary Karshis. RoseDog Books, $12 paper (70p), ISBN 978-1-4349-3159-7; $7 e-book ISBN 978-1-4349-7226-2 www.rosedogbookstore.com Inspirational poetry speaks to the heart of the true believer and invites those unsure of the power of the Lord to into his loving home. Terrarium B. Morrison. Cottey House Press, $13 paper (96p), ISBN 978-0-9789253-2-1; $5.99 e-book ISBN 978-0-9789253-5-2 itascabooks.com/terrarium.html This new collection explores the haunted places of the past to find the pattern of a life. own? The Master of Evolution: An Illustrated Voyage of Truth and Light Gregory Hatton. Universal Wisdom Publications, $34.95 hardcover (256p), ISBN 978-0-9880275-2-7 TheMasterofEvolution.com An inspiring story combines science fiction and Christianity. An astronaut travels to the moon and encounters an angel who takes the astronaut on a voyage through billions of light years of space-time revealing spiritual visions reconciling evolution theory with Christianity and showing that Christ saved humankind from extinction. Full color througout, with 30 full-page illustrations. Ollie and Taavi Celebrate the Holidays; Ellen Press, Religion. CreateSpace, $10.99 paper (28p), ISBN 978-1466287211; $6.99 e-book ISBN 978-1-62345-302-2 Amazon; BN.com Ollie and Taavi are two Jewish dogs that like to celebrate the holidays. Whether they are lighting the candles for Shabbat, saying Im sorry on Yom Kippur, or eating matzo during Passover, these two furry friends do things their own way. The Search: Eternity, Mortality, and You Robert E. Ryan. Xulon Press, $14.99 paper (143p), ISBN 978-1-62509-217-5 Amazon; Barnes & Noble; Powell; other bookstores A scientific and religious examination of the multi-cosmic intellect we know as God, and a look at your inner self. Christian Controversies: Seeking the Truth Scott S. Haraburda. Meaningful Publications, $29.99 hardcover (378p), ISBN 978-0-9886072-0-0; $15.99 paper; $9.99 e-book Amazon; Barnes & Noble Well documented, clear language discusses Scripture with a real-world perspective of Christianity; a must-read for all who profess to be Christian.
SCIENCE
High Tide on Main Street: Rising Sea Level and the Coming Coastal Crisis John Englander. The Science Bookshelf, $19.95 paper (244p), ISBN 978-0-61563795-2; $9.95 e-book www.hightideonmainstreet.com After 6,000 years of minimal change, we are entering a new era of rapid sea level rise. In clear, easy-tounderstand language, this book explains the science and myths behind sea level rise and how we can begin to adapt to a rapidly changing coastline.
RELIGION
Gift of a Servant Tamara Amos. Mystical Rose, $19.95 hardcover (40p), ISBN 978-0-9857405-0-4 www.giftofaservant.com A Christian gift book presents the Christ-centered reason for Santas annual visit, revealing his mission of love, in a fictional and poetic tale. Faith Through Fire: Rwanda and Me Randall Bennett. CreateSpace, $10.99 paper (254p), ISBN 978-1-4783-4259-5; $8.99 e-book CreateSpace The inspirational story of a mans experiences and struggles as his faith is challenged before, during, and after the 1994 genocide in Rwanda. Johns Gospel: The Way It Happened Lee Harmon. Langdon Street Press, $19.99 paper (440p), ISBN 978-1-938008-42-9 www.dubiousdisciple.com/purchase What happens when Johns Gospel is pulled out from the shadow of the other three and its author given a voice of his
SELF-HELP
Nine Insights for a Happy and Successful Life Mitchell Earl Gibson, M.D. Tybro Publications, $14.99 paper (226p), ISBN 978-1935674-26-9; 99 e-book ISBN 978-14566-0343-4 Amazon This book shows methods that will help you discover the true joy that hides within you, methods that will transform your outlook. Giving Is Not Just for the Very Rich: A How-To Guide for Giving and Philanthropy Susan Aurelia Gitelson. CreateSpace , $13.99 paper (176p), ISBN 978-1-46811104-0; $9.99 e-book Amazon The president of International Consultants offers help in refining priorities, becoming aware of how to make an impact, and choosing charitable organizations wisely. It advises readers on how to create meaningful, innovative contributions that
will benefit others. How I Sold a Ton of Books, and How You Can, TooLester V. Horwitz. Farmcourt Publishing, $39.95 paper (232p), ISBN 978-0-9670267-6-3 www.Farmcourt.com; (513) 295-0464 The secrets of self-publishing are shown in this workbook loaded with practical and proven information. Includes the e-book option and how authors are using social media. A Single Mother, s Few Perspectives Mary Elizabeth Jones, Self-Help. CreateSpace, $8.99 paper (81p), ISBN 9781479352074; $ e-book ISBN CreateSpace One of the few guides specifically about single parenthood, this is a musthave resource for any single parent, informative, but an engaging and appealing read as well. Stepping Into More: Lessons from a Recovering Perfectionist Rachel Karu. Winsome Entertainment Group, $11.99 paper (206p), ISBN 9781-62407-637-4; $8.99 e-book Amazon A self-help autobiography chronicles, with honesty and humor, the authors journey from fearful perfectionist to empowered performer. Karu details her personal journey of wrangling and ultimately coexisting with her gremlins. Interiority Powered How to Use Your Inner Energies at Work Hugh Leonard. Deiorse Books, $25.95 paper (422p), ISBN 978-0-9853415-0-3 (323) 299-3224 This book, and the workshops based on it, provide tools for workers to become aware they are a center of power for productivity and satisfaction. Medicine Is a Team Sport: How to Become a Team Player in Your Own Health Care Dean Limeri. Dean Limeri, M.D., $8.99 paper (95p), ISBN 978-1-4782-1835-7; $6.99 e-book CreateSpace; Amazon; Barnes & Noble A guide, filled with real world examples, that teaches patients how to better interact and communicate with their doctor(s). Its Not Your Fault, and I Can Prove It Steve Shenk. Grape Vine Blue, $37.95 hardcover (368p), ISBN 978-0-98479594-9; $37.95 e-book ISBN 978-0-98479596-3 www.SteveShenk.com; Amazon Shenk leads the reader through the secrets to finding the magnificence in life by presenting magic gifts of hope, wisdom, peace, joy, and the understanding of how things work. Dancing to the Rhythm of My Soul: A Sisters Guide for Transforming Madness into Gladness Rhonda R. Swan. Conscious Mind Press, $16.95 hardcover (192p), ISBN 978-09742645-5-4 Amazon For troubled women, Angry Black Women, seeking help to fix their broken lives, Swan offers practical strategies based on her own experience as a breast cancer survivor and single mother of three. ance and genes are often mistaken for it. Social race is simply a set of cultural categories for labeling people based on how their ancestors were classified and selected aspects of what they look like, and that differs in different cultures.
SPORTS & RECREATION

Your Money & the Casino: What to Know Before You Go Missouri Rick. 4-deuce Books, $14.99 paper (144p), ISBN 978-0-9889717-0-7; $2.99 e-book ISBN 978-0-9889717-1-4 www.missouririck.com; Amazon Make the casino win your moneydont hand it over mindlessly. Learn how the house advantage eats your bankroll, and what to do about it. The Tenth Man: How a Major League Baseball Team Can Gain a 2 to 3 Run Advantage Every Game Bill Welch. RoseDog Books, $31 paper (442p), ISBN 978-1-4349-3079-8; $26 e-book ISBN 978-1-4349-7147-0 (800) 788-7654 Welchs Baseball Analysis and Reporting (BARS) system proves that runs can be saved by better defensive positioning and makes traditional statistics obsolete. If Only I Could Play That Hole Again: And Other Golf Poems Leon S. White. Golfiana Press, $4.99 e-book ISBN 978-0-9832137-9-6 Amazon; BN.com; Apple Poetry for golfers who cherish the game for its perversities as well as its pleasures and who embrace new and exhilarating golf experiences.
SOCIAL SCIENCE
The Myth of Race Jefferson M. Fish,. Argo Navis Author Services, $19.99 paper (154p), ISBN 9780-7867-5436-6; $9.99 e-book ISBN 9780-7867-5437-3 Amazon; Barnes & Noble; internationally; bookstores The book explains that biological race does not exist for humans, but that appear-
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INTERVIEW
By Adam Boretz
PW Talks with John Englander

I fully expected to be attacked by some of the climate change skeptics and even some scientists, who can be rather picky about which facts are used or how they are characterized. To my surprise, the book has received rave reviews from everyone and virtually no attacks to date. I get many e-mails each week telling me how profoundly the book has affected readers, how it clarifies all the disparate climate issues. The feedback is really touching and humbling. While I had big aspirations, I find the reaction even beyond what I imagined. Looking back on your own experience, what are the pros and cons of self-publishing? For the positive you get to determine everything, the title, the cover art, the approach, the length of the book, and you get a much higher portion of the sale price of each book. The negatives are that you have to do everything yourself or find competent, cost-effective contractors to do the various tasks, and [you] have to fund it all on your own. Your book is about a scientific topic that is very controversial. Do you think it will be viewed differently from traditionally published books about similar topics? If the book were viewed as self-published, it might be more suspect. Beyond my own bio, there are several things that have helped give it credibility. A strong cover. Getting a well-known person, Jean-Michel Cousteau, to write the foreword.... I then solicited blurbs and received over a dozen that were exceptional, many from people with significant organizational affiliations. The extensive references cited also help provide credibility for those who know to look for them. Also, I created my own publishing imprint, The Science Bookshelf, that is the publisher of record, similar to the boutique imprints now used by major diversified publishing houses. With all of those elements, I think I overcame any stigma that it does not have a major publisher behind it. In fact, when people hear it is self-published, they respond with disbelief. Along the same lines, what special difficulties did you face selfpublishing a book about climate change, a reality that many people refuse to believe? The book took me almost four years to research and write. Knowing the controversy about climate change, I was determined to tell a compelling story, with rigorous references, and be able to defend it. Still, I was nervous that it might be attacked. That likely made me work extra hard. I have a good reputation and want to keep it. Fortunately, the facts speak. My evidence has won over many skeptics. Also, we should realize that public attitude about climate change is changing. Recent surveys show a majority of Americans are now persuaded that it is happening and that humans are a large factor.
John Englander is an oceanographer and world ocean explorer with training in geology and economics. He has served as CEO of the Cousteau Society and the International Seakeepers Society. His first book, High Tide on Main Street, received a starred review from PW, with our reviewer saying: [Englander] provides a cogent and sobering glimpse at the effects of the rise in sea levels.... Few who read this challenging primer will venture to disagree. We talked with Englander via e-mail about his decision to go DIY, and the realities of climate change.
Why did you decide to self-publish High Tide on Main Street? I attended a seminar about self-publishing by Dan Poynter and was intrigued, but also realized it would be a lot of work to do on my own. So I still talked to a few publishers ranging in size from niche market to large mainstream. I was not comfortable letting them drive the editorial perspective. I kept getting the message from them that I needed to have an intended audience focus [either] on the scientific community or the green environmentalists. My idea was quite different. The story of sea level rise needed to be told with the latest science, discreetly citing the technical literature to give it credibility, but in a voice that spoke to the general public. As an unknown author, I was being offered such a small royalty and advance that traditional publishing did not have much financial appeal. The publishers were eager to hear what audiences and market niches I could bring to them as potential buyers of the book. Since I had many networks and mailing lists, I figured that I might as well try it on my own. Once you decided to self-publish, what was the process like? I read a few books about self-publishing and looked at some options. In the end I used CreateSpace. Though I considered using CreateSpace for editing and design, in the end I contracted all that out myself. I found my own editor and cover designer and just gave CreateSpace a print-ready PDF. By the time I was done, I would estimate that my out-of-pocket costs approached $10,000. Once the book was uploaded and perfected, CreateSpace facilitates numerous marketing channels. If I want to buy quantities for my own direct sales, the price per book is very reasonable, about $4 each. What were the biggest problems of self-publishing? Having to do it all myself. Not having anyone else invest their money and experience in this venture. The lack of any organizational structure or timetable. It can be overwhelming. What has the reaction been to your book now that you have self-published? Has it stirred any controversy? Have you had feedback from people in the scientific community working on climate change?
Reviews
Fiction
Beta: Project Avatar
A.M.D. Hays. Diadema, $25.99 hardcover (414p) ISBN 978-0-9854182-0-5
Hayss thought-provoking and relentless cyberthriller merges lucid prose and cutting social commentary on the technology people both covet and fear. Global conspiracies and the threat of violent death are lent authenticity by compulsive narrative drive and surprising human insight. Aboard a plane to a military conference, celebrated cryptographer Dee Lockwood helps thwart a terrorist attack. Becoming suspicious of her military hosts, Lockwood is pursued by deadly government agents determined to recover secret military software saved on her laptop. Aided by brilliant friend Abe and an ex-MI6 agent named John, Dee flees government assassins on foreign soil and unearths a labyrinthine plot featuring super technology and government conspiracy. Dee is the heart that pumps blood through this narrative. She is infused with realistic emotion and doubts as she struggles to understand the technology both threatening and preserving her. A welcome and timely addition to the genre, this stunning debut makes a statement about technology without sacrificing story.
act upon their attraction to each other. But as their affair grows deeper, the political instability on the island escalates and tragic consequences loom for Cristobal and Ana. Almost from the beginning, readers will find Blancs novel overly stylized in the extreme. The books pacing is tedious, while the prose is heavy handed and overshadows the well-rendered intimate exchanges between characters.
Devil Dancer
William Heath. Somondoco, $14.95 paper (275p) ISBN 978-0-9853898-4-0
When Wendell had turned forty several years before, one of his friends had quipped, Youre on the back nine now. That was how he felt, sweating in the mid-afternoon heat, exhausted and ineffectual, as if hed been hiking up endless fairways beneath a relentless sun and three-putting every green. Meet Wendell Clay, a war veteran and detective who offers his assistance in the mysterious case of a prize horsethe titular Devil Dancerthat turns up dead. In this entertaining novel, Heath delivers a fascinating and wellcrafted tale that takes the mystery of the noir genre and injects it into Kentucky circa the sweltering summer of 1972. Wendells investigation proves to be a good oldfashioned barn burner as a cast of rather colorful characters stumble into view the deeper he gets, leading to a rousing climax.
flict occurs when Bergman learns that hotshot but arrogant researcher Eric Sanderson has committed research fraud. The ensuing complications engage the reader in a wealth of moral dilemmas, as demanding university administrators, a publicity-seeking congressman, government investigators, and a student association become involved. Cliffords ingenious balancing of competing moral imperatives more than makes up for his somewhat unconvincing characterization, and the result is a thought-provoking read.
Iraqi Icicle
Bernie Dowling. Bent Banana, $14.99 paper (376p) ISBN 978-0-9872784-4-9
Between Bodies Lie

H.M. Blanc. AuthorHouse, $23.95 paper (346p) ISBN 978-1-4772-6911-4
Heart of Wisdom
Alan N. Clifford. Lion, $8.95 paper (216p) ISBN 978-0-9888597-0-8
Cristobal Porter is a struggling author who flees to a tropical island to work on his next manuscript. While there, he meets Ana Kaplan, the wife of an American diplomat. Cristobals girlfriend, Nadia, begins an affair with Anas husband, which allows Cristobal and Ana to
In Cliffords novel, which vividly illustrates the conflicts and moral complexities of medical research, cardiologist Paul Bergman, in the late 1980s, enters the teaching program run by a demanding but famous professor, Leo Miller. When Millerwho served time in Japanese prisoner of war camps during WWIIdeclines to accept a prestigious award from the Japanese Medical Society, his university is incensed and embarrassed, and loses the accompanying grant. A parallel con-
In his winning debut novelwhich takes its title from a variety of rose Dowling plunges us into Australias seedy racetrack underworld and the life of Steele Hill, an amiable young dropout who lives by the dole and his wits. Through adept plotting and juggling of time, Dowling gradually reveals Steeles immersion in daffy intrigues that create suspicions in crusty cops Frank Mooney and Bill Schmidt. Willing to fight injustice, Steele uses his street smarts to survive as the complications and bodies mount up, and he and a reclusive teen mathematical genius plot to drug a racehorse at the behest of an expatriate Russian trainer. While the narrative is at times confusing, readers will appreciate the authors ability to render colorful characters and understated witty prose.
Mechanic of Fortune
Peter Bollington. Inkwater, $22.95 paper (398p) ISBN 978-1-59299-816-6
In this whirligig, wholly original narrative, Bollington transfuses the saga of Vladimir Putinlookalike James Terrell, a
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private investigator who specializes in the disappeared, into diverting if heavy-handed reflections on America and life. Retained by Evelyn Maxwell to investigate the disappearance of her ex-husband, Alex, Terrell finds his self-doubts mounting as he begins the assignment. The intervention of Alexs aide, Virona Ruth, brings Terrell out of his social isolation, which is further lessened by a series of encounters with hitchhikers. Showdown and personal enlightenment coincide as Terrell meets his prey at the Four Roses Garage where Doctor T and the Rev. Moody Jingo of the Church of the Ascended Spiritual Society promote the Neighborhood Psychopathy Patrol Corps. AB Despite occasional simplistic slogans masquerading as profundity, readers who enjoy moral fables with a heavy dollop of novelty will find much pleasure. behavior. A bartenders argument that writing classes are worthless may be an ironic reflection on Johns observation that his thesis was an account of his drinking life. Although his message is often unclear, Rapczynski provides a complex picture of a self-absorbed underachiever pursuing a degree that he professes to disdain. Emily turns to Craigslist and decides to use the site to figure out her next career and personal movesa decision yielding disastrous results. While Aress novel would have benefited greatly from professional copy editing, the author nails the cold, callous place New York City can be and highlights the always surprising things that can be found on Craigslist.
Missing in Machu Picchu

Cecilia Velstegui. Libros, $20 hardcover (344p) ISBN 978-0-9851769-4-5
Nunny & Cecil: A Tale of Terror

Gaila Swindell. CreateSpace, $12.95 paper (312p) ISBN 978-1-4781-7692-3
MFA: The Novel

Jason Rapczynski, illus. by Jennifer L. Lassen. CreateSpace, $19.95 paper (592p) ISBN 9781-4791-4502-7
Despite alcohol abuse, dysfunctional relationships, and meagerly paid survival jobs, John pursues his vision of being a great writer and attends an M.F.A. program at Emerson College. That tension between reality and goal drives Rapczynskis overly long novel. Johns choice of a gutter life plays against his ruminations on writing and writers. Rapczynski uses this discordance to contrast Johns contempt for literature and writers with his desire to be one. If John is a fractured figure in a fractured world, his glimpses of academic writing programs reinforce the lack of positives. The bitchiness of the academic establishment may provide satirical insights to those who have sweated their way through the system, but John offers only a repetition of self-destructive
A group of American women decide to get over their misadventures in online dating by embarking on an exclusive hike of the Inca Trail in Machu Picchu, Peru, geared for Ivy League graduates and run by the charismatic and enigmatic Rodrigo. Of course the women dont know that their tour leader is a crazed sadist bent on stealing their money and seducing them into sacrifices he believes will make his depraved dreams come true. Velstegui may have enormous respect for Incan culture and complicated feelings about the influx of tourists to Peru, but that does not translate into an enjoyable novel. Her characters are too broadly drawn and intensely dislikable. Rodrigo is a cartoonish villain, his henchmen equally shallow, and the American women screeching caricatures.
My Life on Craigslist
Alexandra Ares. CreateSpace, $13.95 paper (204p) ISBN 978-1-4609-8582-3
Recently divorced psychology professor Denise Miller along with her two young children, Amy and Adam relocate to Pennsylvanias Amish country, moving into the farmhouse where Denise spent her childhood. In preparation for Denises family, her father childproofs the house, removing piles of bones buried in the basementa disturbance that unleashes the evil spirits of Nunny and Cecil, half-wolf, half-human brothers born at the farmhouse in the late 1800s. Nunny and Cecil befriend eightyear-old Adam and set in motion a crude plot to murder Denise, her parents, and Amy. Although Swindell offers up chills and thrills, the books choppy narrative, stilted dialogue, and horror clichs detract from the narrative. While a series of small scares sets up a truly suspenseful and, indeed, terrifying finale, the books outlandish premise may be too much for some readers to overlook.
In her latest novel, Ares (Dream Junkies) offers up chick lit with a twist: Emily Thompson is a 25-year-old dreamer who quits a bank job in Buffalo, N.Y., and moves to New York City to make use of her art background. Emily soon learns that Manhattan is every bit as tough as shes always been toldevidenced by her losing both her art gallery job and her cheating artist boyfriend, Toby.
Scrolls of Darkness
Paul Henry Johnson. Outskirts, $16.95 paper (209p) ISBN 978-1-4327-9531-3
Corporate attorney Brent Michaels confronts the sinister and Satanic in Johnsons formulaic supernatural thriller. Michaels, a descendent of ancient prophets, is called upon by David Baumanna friend of his late fatherto locate the Scrolls of Darkness: ancient Satanic scripts
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sought by the evil Sons of Darkness. Throughout the novel, plot elements are reminiscent of Ian Flemings James Bond series, but the authors uninspired prose and pedestrian foreshadowing fail to inject tension into the narrative. Even the plot device that resolves the final crisis is flimsy, and Baumanns ultimate doubledealing is too heavy-handed to surprise readers. The books conclusion points to a sequel, but few readers will likely be interested in a second helping.
Simon Says
William Poe. Simon Says, $14.95 paper (348p) ISBN 978-0-615-55957-5
Sighs Too Deep for Words: A

Texas Gulf Coast Love Mishap
William Jack Sibley. CreateSpace, $15 paper (304p) ISBN 978-1-4776-6417-9
Novelist and playwright Sibley (Any Kind of Luck) returns with a melodramatic, spunky tale of good intentions, mistaken identity, and mixed signals. For Lester Briggs, a softhearted man serving a half-decade prison sentence for felonious theft, prison life can get stagnant and restless, and passionate sex with cellmate Little Ray only goes so far. So Briggs takes to the personal ads and begins a longdistance correspondence with Laurel Jeanette Yancey, with whom he soon falls in love. Freed on good behavior and filled with anticipation, he heads to Rockport, Tex., to meet his longdistance love face to face, only to discover that Jeanette is actually closeted Rev. Philip Yancey, who lives with his lesbian sister, Luz. A forgiving soul, Briggs gels with the Yanceys and becomes enriched (and titillated) by them both. A whirlwind of colorful characters populates Sibleys well-crafted novel including kooky locals Melanie and Daniel, who initially drive Briggs into Rockport and befriend him. While these folks add flavor to Sibleys crisply written narrative, its very much Briggss story about burgeoning emotions and living a true life. Sibley demonstrates dexterity in prose, deft characterization, and command of a fresh, contemporary plot line about redemption and starting over that entertains with feel-good appeal.
Maryland author Poes deep, moody semi-autobiographical novel follows the plight of Simon Powell, a man who has spent his youth rejecting his homosexuality. This self-denial began at 17, when, after an acid-induced revelation, he joined the Unification Church, run by the Rev. Sun Myung Moon, and began a spiritual journey that he hoped would assist him in cloaking and repressing gay urges from himself and his conservative-leaning family. Ten years later, Powell returns home to Sibley, Ark., and becomes increasingly in charge of his ailing father Lennys health care. After Lenny dies, Powell feels adrift and flees to Los Angeles, reuniting with old friends, including a pill-popping drunk, embarking on a violent, self-destructive drug- and alcohol-fueled existence that dominates a good portion of the novels second half. What follows is a revolving procession of grimy hustlers and episodes of shallow sex, and a final and disastrous crack binge heralds cathartic hopefulness. Stark and gritty, Poes story about the search for self-discovery is a sobering testament to the authors own personal journey through Rev. Moons Unification Church, which makes the story resonate that much more powerfully. However, more detail on his main characters time with the cult and less on its self-abusive aftermath would have given this promising novel the heart and soul it truly deserves.
encounter and quickly develop a passionate affair. Their relationship has more than the usual challenges given that Martins father is a master sadist who believes his violence is part of a larger plan: clan war linked to prophecies leading up to Armageddon. Its conceivable that the right author could employ gripping prose and well-realized characters to generate reader investment in a story line that most people would find distasteful. That doesnt happen here. Instead of inspiring fear and creating suspense, graphic scenes (e.g., when a persons eyelids are nailed open) repel rather than engage.
The K Street Affair

Mari Passananti. Rutland Square, $15.99 paper (360p) ISBN 978-0-9858946-0-3
The Book of Paul

Richard Long. Open Eyes, $19.95 paper (492p) ISBN 978-0-615-64864-4
In Passanantis thriller of political corruption, greed, and global terrorism, Lena Mancuso, after barely escaping an explosion at the law firm of Rutledge & Smerth, risks life and family to assist FBI agents Henry Redwell and Maxwell von Buren investigate her employerwho they suspect is in league with terrorists. Diving into a muddled vortex of murder and betrayal, Lena must unravel a byzantine conspiracy that could spark another world war. Unfortunately, quick pacing and effective prose are marred by underdeveloped characters that, in many cases, amount to little more than caricatures. While Passananti expertly exposes the dark workings of big government, she populates a potentially exciting world with a cast that will appeal to few readers. The result is an uneven thriller that fails to enliven the genre stereotypes in which it indulges.
Like graphic depictions of violence against women and sententious mythological blather? Then this is the book for you. New York City neighbors Rose and Martin have a chance
The Kindness of Ravens

Frank Bardessono. CreateSpace, $14 paper (280p) ISBN 978-0-615-64956-6
Perhaps they had souls behind Disney software and plastics and they were screaming, trapped in an endless, repeating performance of mock swashbuckling revelry for drone-like millions, entombed
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in a subterranean gulag under the streets of Anaheim. Gifted novelist Bardessono offers this cunning observation as his protagonist Daren, a drunken college underachiever, visits Disneylands biggest attraction for the first time. Observations like this guide readers through the authors relentlessly raw and, often, darkly humorous account of youth and young manhood set in the gritty, neon-colored Los Angeles of the 1980s. Bardessono skillfully weaves a tale of drugs and alcohol in which young men discover the music scene of this lost generation while trying to keep their heads at the same time. Fortunatelyor unfortunately, depending upon how he views itDaren meets Lee, an older Native American woman who could change his path. Bardessonos novel is idiosyncratic, hilarious, deeply emotional, and an excellent representation of the time in which its set. ers will appreciate the characters quiet heroism and be intrigued by this affecting tale of WWII. has a segment on Tesla. The unexplained disappearance of Kathy and Julie at the end opens the door for a sequel, though readers may not be interested enough in the characters to come back for more.
The Stages: A Novel

Thom Satterlee. Smashwords, $4.99 e-book (386p) ISBN 978-1-301-08248-3
The Last Daughter of Prussia

Marina Gottlieb Sarles. Wild River, $24.95 paper (320p) ISBN 978-0-9839188-2-0
In Sarless novel, set during WWII, Manya von Falken is a young East Prussian aristocrat in love with Joshi Karas, a Romani doctor. As the Russians are steadily encroaching into East Prussia and battling the Germans, the two young lovers get caught in the middle. Joshi is arrested by the Germans and taken to Stutthof, a forced labor camp, where he witnesses Nazi inhumanity firsthand and learns to do whatever he needs to survive. Manya and her family flee, but the journey to safety may end up costing her everything, including Joshi. While the Russians in this novel are little more than caricatures, the sentiments and terror of the protagonists are well rendered, keenly felt, and quite vivid. Sarles adapted her novel from the real-life experience of her grandparents, and read-
Daniel Peters is an American living in Copenhagen. He works in the Kierkegaard Research Center as a translator and suffers from Aspergers. When his boss (and former fiance) is murdered soon after the discovery of a new Kierkegaard manuscripta collection of poetry believed by some to be a forgery Daniel is a prime suspect. His condition makes it difficult for him to tolerate changes to his routine or interpret peoples behavior, but he is drawn into the mystery despite himself and must work with the police to uncover the truth. Satterlee clearly is familiar with Copenhagen and Kierkegaard, and this knowledge grounds the story and lends it realism. This is a deftly crafted mystery that will leave readers curious and surprised, as well as empathetic to Daniel, whose Aspergers is portrayed realistically.
The Thing With Willie: Stories of Two Families

Karen Sagstetter. Bergamot, $15.95 paper (256p) ISBN 978-0-9760905-8-8
The Tesla Conspiracy: How Far Will They Go to Keep It a Secret?

Michael D. Finley. Law Offices of Michael D. Finley, $14.99 paperback (327p) ISBN 978-09884350-1-8
Sagstetter tells the tales of two familiesone white and one AfricanAmericanand explores their differing paths from the Great Depression through the end of the 20th century. Willie, an African-American oysterman in Galveston, Tex., kills himself as the Depression takes its toll on his family. His daughter later goes to Vietnam as a translator and falls in love with a Vietnamese manan affair that leads to tragedy. These are some of the many loosely interwoven vignettes that make up this collection, which asks readers to reflect on humanity, and interpersonal and intercultural relationships. It is difficult, at times, to see the connections between Sagstetters stories, although each one works independently of the others. Readers will appreciate the attention to setting and character in each of the stories, but will struggle to find unifying meaning from tale to tale.
There Is No Mrs. Gezunterman: A Corporate Comedy

Kevin Mednick. Savvy, $9.99 paper (206p) ISBN 978-1-939113-04-7
Graduate students Kathy Olson and Julie Lozano find that interest in scientific genius Nikola Tesla attracts menace from sinister forces. Men in black, suspicious janitors, hooded figures, and an elusive dean are determined to suppress Teslas discoveries in the field of free energy. As the novel progresses, stilted dialogue and paper-thin characterizations derail any suspense or tension. Absurdity rules with Tesla-inspired technology mowing down SUVs and the existence of a talk radio show that conveniently
T.U.L.P. is a grassroots movement of plain ordinary people who think corporations ought to learn right from wrong just like the rest of us.... Its so unheard of, just the idea is shocking. But why? Theyre so much a part of our lives. Shouldnt they be good citizens too? This is the driving question behind lawyer Mednicks (The Almost Life) new novel, which pits the little guys against the big guys in an all-out
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blitz against corporations. Mednicks writing is smooth, witty, and refreshing, his characters equally as enjoyable. Drawing upon his own experience as an assistant district attorney and associate council, Mednick crafts a believable yet slightly zany comedy in which three protagonistsa college graduate, a Russian immigrant, and an artistcome together to lead T.U.L.P. (Treat Us Like People), a group which brings the corporate world to its kneesalmostand ends in a captivating courtroom standoff. this fascinating recollection of a young mans coming of age. Daniels, an outcast with his classmates, finds his life changed when his criminal father shows up briefly at his high school before jumping bail and disappearing. This short encounter lays the basis for Danielss vision of a future reunion with his criminal father. His quest for meaning leads Daniels to wander around Latin America and take odd jobs, while the cloudbreak that gives the book its title occurs in a surfing scene, where Daniels reunites with his apparently reformed father. This working out of their relationship, coupled with his final settling into college teaching, suggests that the authors quest for identity has found resolution in helping students tell their own stories. Daniels asserts that, like Odysseus, his wanderings have ceased and he has found contentment. This is an entertaining and wellcrafted memoir, and even if it wraps up a little too neatly at the end, Danielss story will resonate with readers. ing doctors visits, exercise five days per week, and develop a support network. However, here it is all in one place, in friendly, accessible prose. Throughout, Greenberg encourages readers to be patient, stay positive, never sweat setbacks, and take small steps toward larger goals. With references for further information and an enthusiastic foreword by Dr. Michael Dansinger (an adviser on TVs The Biggest Loser), Greenbergs book provides diabetes patients with helpful advice and encouragement to better manage their health and their lives.
Nonfiction
Botanica: iPhone Photos
Ralph Nelson. Ralph Nelson, $60 hardcover (156p) ISBN 978-0-9882649-0-8
High Tide on Main Street:
Rising Sea Level and the Coming Coastal Crisis

John Englander. The Science Bookshelf, $19.95 paper (244p) ISBN 978-0-615-63795-2
In this collection Nelson, a veteran motion picture still photographer, uses his iPhone camera to capture the vibrant colors and textures of flowers and plant life. The close perspective of most of the shots causes the viewer to focus on the beauty of smaller details: dewy pink petals reach toward the light, bright purples and reds dominate a photo of leaves that have fallen to the ground in fall, and a white tropical flowers pistil looks oddly extraterrestrial. The tiniest details often become the focus of the work, e.g., the grains of a dried-out log resemble storm clouds. Many of the photographs are reminiscent of the paintings of Georgia OKeeffe, gracefully composed and brimming with a dynamic, almost sexual charge. Each image is paired with short, sometimes religious quotes extolling the virtues of nature by such notable (and diverse) figures as Michelangelo, Mark Twain, the Buddha, Henry David Thoreau, and Oscar Wilde. No information is given about the subjects for the botany enthusiast, but there is plenty to feast on visually.
Diabetes Dos & How-Tos: Small Yet Powerful Steps to Take Charge, Eat Right, Get Fit, and Stay Positive
Riva Greenberg, illus. by Haidee S. Merritt. SPI Management, $16.95 paper (296p) ISBN 978-0-9822906-1-3
Cloudbreak, California: A Memoir

Kelly Daniels. Owl Canyon, $16.95 paper (230p) ISBN 978-0-9834764-5-0
Identity issues, father-son relationships, and surfing are themes that resonate in
Greenberg (The ABCs of Loving Yourself with Diabetes) cheerfully gives readers the tools needed to live well with diabetes. The author forgoes scientific details to focus on day-to-day living, e.g., easy to digest tips that include Food Dos, Medical Dos, Fitness Dos, and Attitude Dos. Quick-Starts at the end of each chapter offer specific suggestions for carrying out the authors advice, and worksheets provide templates for working with doctors to manage diabetes. Much of the advice is nothing new: make healthy food choices, take medicine when and as directed, ask questions dur-
Englander provides a cogent and sobering glimpse at the effects of rising sea levels that is underway and will persist for at least a thousand years. Sea levels have been relatively stable in civilized history, but with carbon dioxide levels at a 15 millionyear high, history shows that sea levels will rise 50 feet from current levels, assuming no further warming. By avoiding rhetorical frenzy, Englander gives more credence to the dire scenarios he outlines; e.g., the widespread disappearance of glaciers, possibly within decades, may eliminate water supplies for more than a billion people. The elimination of heat-reflecting ice will speed up the warming process, with major changes in global weather patterns. With the destruction of whole nations possible, an OECD study envisioning damage of $35 trilliontwice the 2010 U.S. GDPin 136 port cities worldwide by 2070 seems secondary. Englanders copious citations, graphics, and glimpses of scientific thinking illustrate the persuasive extent of evidence to support his thesis. The author sees no simple way or magical technology to slow sea level rise, but urges the absolute need to begin planning for unavoidable changes. Few who read this challenging primer will venture to disagree.
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Kauai Kids in Peace and War
Bill Fernandez. Makani Kai Media, $19.95 paper (250p) ISBN 978-1-47938491-4
In this candid memoir, Hawaii native Fernandez (Rainbows over Kapaa) describes his hometown and the effects of the war on his childhood on the ethnically diverse island of Kauai. The narrative, which weaves childhood adventures with historical references, begins in peacetime with Fernandez growing up blissfully unaware of global troubles outside of his island. On an island laden with natural beauty, people trust ancient beliefs in kahunas, spiritual experts with magical powers that can shrivel your body or snatch your soul. Growing up surrounded by more than 20 ethnic groups, Fernandez explains the Hawaiian way of sharing what you had with friends or strangers, though, Unfortunately, this tendency to give without expectation of reward had led to Hawaiians living in poverty. Colorful recollections of learning how to swim, searching for a skyrocket-flying Santa Claus, learning about life while polishing shoes for American soldiers, and his parents investment in a New Yorkstyle theater move the narrative forward. The latter half of the book depicts wartime changes in his hometown after the attack on Pearl Harbor: conflicts and tension between residents and their Japanese neighbors who feared internment; and the effect of soldiers in town. Though the chronology is sometimes confusing, this is an honest retelling of one natives experience during the war, and will be of particular interest to those interested in Hawaiian history.
Although social media enable unparalleled opportunities for feedback, some channels will be more rewarding than others. With everyone able to make an opinion public, marketers must devise a strategy to facilitate this impulse. Although the traditional basics of marketing remain the same, Ramnarayan argues that, in our era of near-universal skepticism, consumers remain prone to heed the comments of those they trust. While sentiment can be manipulated, companies would do well to invite direct feedback and help foster the growth of brand communities. Ramnarayan acknowledges that business apprehension about the new world of marketing remains widespread, but provides a roster of success stories as examples of what can be achieved. Whatever ones feelings about the new media landscapeand Ramnarayan herself acknowledges that social media is no panaceaher crisp presentation, with chapter summaries to highlight the main pointers, confirms that companies that choose not to listen to customers stand to lose ground to competitors who do. The neophyte in this field would do well to review this guide.
Daughter Aimee is renamed Kathy by her adoptive family and is loved very much. But eventually, Kathy becomes curious about her birth parents and resolves to track them down. The book shifts between sections narrated by mother von Zerneck and daughter Hatfield, and both authors have gripping stories to tell. Readers will delight in their shared narrative, which is as heartwarming as it is engaging. Von Zernecks life alone would be a fascinating read, but combined with Hatfields search for her mother it becomes compulsive reading.
Sorry I Was No Fun at the Circus: Devil Winds in the City of Angels
Deborah Giovanni Chastain. Santiago, $19.95 paper (400p) ISBN 978-0-615-62811-0
Secret Storms: A Mother and Daughter, Lost Then Found

Julie Mannix von Zerneck and Kathy Hatfield. Blue Blazer, $14.95 paper (338p) ISBN 978-09857358-0-7
Marketing in a World of Digital Sharing: Are You Drowning in Social Media Noise and Chaos?
Sujata Ramnarayan. MARS, $16.95 paper (228p) ISBN 978-0-9859386-0-4
Ramnarayan provides a detailed, contemporary primer that illuminates the promise and peril of the brave new world of social media. Marketing must aim at communicating with, not at, its targets.
In this touching memoir, Julie is 19 when she is sent to a psychiatric institute in 1963 because of an unplanned pregnancy. As a young debutante in Philadelphia, there are things expected of her, and pregnancy out of wedlock isnt one of them. She gives birth to her daughterwhom she names Aimee but the girl is put up for adoption. After she leaves the institute, Julie marries Frank, the man who got her pregnant, and they both have successful careers in show business.
Chastains memoir tells the tale of a woman who grapples with an abusive husband as well as the inexorable spread of cancer. When she is diagnosed, her husband continues his selfish mind games. As her chemotherapy treatment progresses, he announces his intention to divorce her, and she works to avoid the process server he has sent after her. Readers will be confused by the protagonists murky motivations. And while the wife lacks a character arc, the husband is simply a caricature of the manipulative, abusive spouse. Chastains prose is often flat, and readers will find it difficult to become invested in the books characters or its plot.
Thou Shalt Not Steal: The Baseball Life and Times of a RifleArmed Negro League Catcher
Bill Ready Cash and Al Hunter Jr. Love Eagle, $11.95 paper (202p) ISBN 978-0-615-44546-5
Cash offers a detailed look at his life in this fiercely opinionated memoir. While he acknowledges that he was never a household nameunlike Josh Gibson or Satchel PaigeCash makes the case that he, along with many other talented players, were the backbone of the Negro League. His bitterness at not making it to the majors (he was born the same year as
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Jackie Robinson) is palpableand certainly justified based on his talents. Even with Major League Baseballs glacially slow efforts to include black players, Cashs battingand especially his powerful throwing armshould have allowed him to join the worlds best players. Ironically, Cash found himself treated with more respect when he played abroad. Even readers who are not fans of our national pastime will be moved by Cashs devotion to his wife of more than 60 years and his impressive work ethic, dating back to his pre-baseball days.
Your Turn for Care: Surviving the Aging and Death of the Adults Who Harmed You
Laura S. Brown. CreateSpace, $15.95 paper (182p) ISBN 978-1-4782-7418-6
Yes, We Are Stupid in America!: A Former Principals Reality Check on Why Our Public Schools Are Failing
Vicky Wells. iUniverse, $16.95 paper (168p) ISBN 978-1-4759-7187-3
When an author begins a book by thanking Fox News for teaching her how to report the truth without fear, it gives readers a pretty good sense of her political leanings. Sure enough, Wells begins this diatribe by asserting that the federal government should have no role in public education. Readers who make it past this first section will see that Wells herself concedes that many problems stem from the local level, with incompetent school boards and unqualified school leaders problems that would not be addressed if the U.S. Department of Education disappeared overnight. The author uses her experience in a rural town in Georgia to illustrate the inefficiencies she encountered as a teacher and principal. Instead of genuine insight, she offers truisms students perform best when they receive the best possible teaching.... And despite her citation of the U.S. lagging in math and science testing, she pays no attention to the challenges the country faces precisely because individual states have autonomy on how such subjects are taught.
Clinical psychologist Brown targets a little-known counseling niche in this disturbing yet gripping study. She estimates one of three girls and one of four boys from the baby boomer generation were sexually abused before age 18mostly by family members. In an ironic reversal of roles, many of those abused wind up caring for those elderly abusers. The difficulties these caretakers must address include cultural background, gender expectations, and economic necessity, as well as crippling memories. Brown hints at the range of psychological traumas such abuse victims grapple with and avoids prescribing universal recommendations. Her two imperatives, obvious though they seem, resonate: abusive adults are the sole parties at fault and victims choosing to offer assistance must practice self-compassion and boldly consider their own emotional well-being first. But Brown does not pretend that any bromides compensate for detailed individual analysis; indeed, the variety of reactions that an abusers death can evoke in victims illustrates the complexities of the human psyche. These alone should reward the reader seeking general understanding. Readers with abuse in their families should find abundant ground for reflection and, hopefully, a healthier life.
Molini series, which launches with this chipper story. Normally not fond of sticks, Rohinis dog, Bugle, is quite taken by an odd-shaped one he digs up in the park. Though some readers will recognize it as a boomerang, Rohini does not, so she, her friends Jackson and baby Florence, and Bugle magically travel to find out where in the world the stick came from. When they clap five times and jump, they are transported to Australia, where they meet Lachlan, a friend of Rohinis who tells them about boomerangs. The authors add occasional search-and-find elements to the story (They had really enjoyed their short trip to Australia, but were surprised they didnt see any kangaroos. Did you?), which also incorporates a smattering of Australian jargon and concludes with a few facts about the continent. While the story is only a light introduction to Australia, Ibbotson-Gues vivid cartoons enhance the books mild playfulness. Rohini and her friends learn the difference between fiestas and siestas in A Short Trip to Spain, also available. Ages 36.
Porcinis Great Escape

Jeanne Yee. Robertson Publishing (www. RobertsonPublishing.com), $16.50 paper (78p) ISBN 978-1-61170-106-7
Childrens Books
Picture Books
A Short Trip to Australia
Lea & Tim, illus. by Nicola Ibbotson-Gue. CreateSpace, $9.99 paper (36p) ISBN 978-14782-2604-8
Three children magically globe-trot in the Worldwide Adventures of Rohini
This meandering story introduces a mushroom with a thirst for adventure. Born into a privileged family of mushrooms in Italys Apennine Mountains, Porcini, who was known by fellow mushrooms as being down-to-earth with a nutty personality, hopes to avoid the fate of her brethren, namely being sold at market and most likely end[ing] up grilled and served with fresh olive oil and parsley. This was a highly desired fate and widely accepted among mushrooms. Wanting more from life, however, Porcini has her first brush with freedom when she bounces out of the farmers basket, only to be retrieved and eventually sold to a chef
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in Rome; luckily for Porcini, her downhill roll splits her stem in two to resemble legs, giving her mobility and keeping the chef from serving her to customers. Opposite Yees recounting of Porcinis travails are clean, brightly colored digital cartoons Porcini herself is lightly anthropomorphized with gray eyes and other facial features that remain virtually unchanged throughout. Although Porcini successfully avoids being cooked and consumed, her first adventure comes across as overlong and anticlimactic. Ages 710.
Lost in Petra
Melissa Mahle and Kathryn Dennis. SpyGirls Press (www.anatoliasteppe.com), $8.99 paper (246p) ISBN 978-0-9852273-0-2
Fiction
Jack Templar Monster Hunter
Jeff Gunhus. Seven Guns Press (www.jacktemplar.com), $10.95 paper (204p) ISBN 978-0988-42590-3
In this fast-paced middle-grade adventure, first in Gunhuss Templar Chronicles series, readers meet Jack Templar, who discovers his hidden heritage as a monster hunter as he turns 14. On the eve of Jacks birthday, he develops amazing physical powersspeed, strength, stamina and starts encountering the creatures, or Creaches, that hide in plain sight among humans. When an enigmatic teen named Eva shows up to offer training and explanations, they are quickly attacked, propelling Jack, Eva, and his friends Will and T-Rex into a nightmarish fight for survival against an age-old vampire and his hordes. Nonstop action meets surprises galore as Jacks true nature and abilities assert themselves against overwhelming odds. Written in a casually conversational voice, the narrative flows smoothly, and the characters act realistically under the circumstances. Presented as a story designed to introduce hunters like Jack to a dangerous world (If you read this book, you will be part of this world and the monsters will come after you too, Jack warns readers), the conceit works; author Gunhus delivers a satisfying, if sometimes hectic, tale. Ages 612.
The Anatolia Steppe Mysteries series debuts with this craftily plotted novel crammed with mistaken identities, false leads, enigmatic clues, and narrow escapes. Eleven-yearold Ana arrives in Jordan to join her archeologist mother, who has been hired by the government to create a traveling exhibit of artifacts from the lost Nabatean civilization based in the city of Petra, which became lost to history following an earthquake 2,000 years earlier. When her mother fails to meet her, Ana opens a package from her containing a cryptic message and an object Ana later discovers is an ancient relic that may lead her to hidden Nabatean treasureand her kidnapped mother. Accompanied by Gordy, the son of her nanny, Ana embarks on a quest that involves evading alleged villains, deciphering an ancient zodiac, and pulling off death-defying physical feats. The protagonists are realistically drawn and engaging kids, and Anas clipped, present-tense narrative moves at a snappy pace in this winning blend of history, mystery, and adventure. The authors leave several pieces of the puzzle missing, paving the way for the second installment of this promising series. Ages 612.
(like eating roadkill) and challenging ideas (When you dont spend your whole life looking at a television or a computer screen, you cant help but take a good look at the world). But just as their relationship turns romantic, Russels friend Gunnar suspects that Wade and his freegan friends may be taking their beliefs to a dangerous extreme. This is an unusual story line, but, like Russel, readers may find themselves intrigued by Wades lifestyle and beliefs. Secondary plot lines (including one about Russels possible reconciliation with his first love, Kevin) supplement the core drama, and teens will continue to enjoy Russels ever-humorous narration, which includes direct conversation with readers. After eating barbecued raccoon with Wade, Russel says, If it doesnt sound romantic, youll just have to take my word for it, because it totally, TOTALLY was. Ages 12up.
Hating Heidi Foster

Jeffrey Blount. Alluvion Press (www.alluvionpress.com), $11.95 paper (120p) ISBN 978-09857627-0-4
The Elephant of Surprise

Brent Hartinger. Buddha Kitty Books, $12.99 paper (226p) ISBN 978-0-9846794-5-4
Funny, openly gay high school junior Russel Middlebrookthe star of Hartingers Geography Club and two sequelsfinds the adventure he is looking for when he falls for an anti-consumerist freegan who pops out of the school Dumpster. Through Wade, Russel is exposed to new experiences
Blount delivers an emotional exploration of the power of grief and loss in the story of 14-year-old Mae McBride. Ever since her father died saving her best friend Heidi Foster from a fire, Mae has been overcome with despair, unable to let go of her father or forgive Heidi. As Maes depression deepens, she alienates her friends and family, earning the nickname The Tragic One while she struggles to make sense of the world. The healing process is slow and painful, and Mae gradually finds strength to face the facts behind her fathers sacrifice. But can she mend bridges with her former friend? While the story is framed as a recollection from an older Mae, the narrative struggles to find its voice, often seeming too mature for the moment, the distance of years blunting the otherwise overwhelming emotional black hole Mae wades through. For the storys slim page count, it packs in substantial drama and angst, tending to wallow in Maes grief and despair. Ages 12up.
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