Pride of Riverstone

Mandy Schimelpfenig
March 23 2023
397 pages

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Book Summary: 

Five years after living the trauma of forced servitude, 21-year-old Ula leads an idyllic life as lady-in-waiting to the Queen of Praed. Content to live a sheltered life, she’s reluctant to leave her childhood home when the king and queen declare they’ll visit Ilano, the homeland of the people who invaded her country and left her toiling in the bowels of Praed Castle.

Determined to overcome her shyness, Ula makes new friends, endures heartbreak, and begins to forge her own path. But when an old enemy threatens hard-won peace, the entire continent unites for the first time in history. With war raging around her, Ula is forced to confront her feelings and face the most difficult decision of her life – to summon the courage to step out of her older sister’s shadow and seize control of her own fate.

This is the continuing story of the Daughters of Riverstone, a saga of women who are not content to stand by and allow a world of men to determine their destinies.

Author Bio:

Mandy received her B.S. in Zoology from Washington State University and an A.S. in Veterinary Technology from St. Petersburg College. Clearly her life goals were not geared toward a career as an author. She is a Certified Veterinary Technician specializing in small animals. When she’s not saving lives, she’s weaving tales of strong women using their intelligence to pursue incandescent happy endings. The Rise of Riverstone is the debut novel in her medieval historical fantasy series, Daughters of Riverstone. She lives on the Washington Coast with her husband and their four children. Besides leaning uncomfortably over a computer screen, Mandy enjoys camping and hiking with her family, reading, and wearing out her dogs on the beach.

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Scrooge’s Folly – Saving Jacob
David Weinberg

April 25, 2023
Old Fezziwig Press
294 pages

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David Weinberg’s Romantic Comedy Scrooge’s Folly – Saving Jacob Marley explores the relationship between Charles Dickens and his two best friends, Ebenezer Scrooge and Jacob Marley. Charitable merchant bankers, they refused to finance A Christmas Carol…which caused them to be turned into elderly curmudgeons in Dickens story. Scrooge eventually becomes a beloved father Christmas…but Marley is forever wrapped in chains. So much the laughingstock in London, his marriage and his happiness are destroyed. Even in the afterlife he hungers for redemption.

Award-winning, but down on her lucky playwright, Andrea Smilow, is commissioned by The Playhouse in Connecticut to save it from bankruptcy with a new work. When she arrives, she discovers that The Playhouse is inhabited by Jacob Marley’s spirit, and he wants her play to be about him…to set the story straight about how Dickens ruined his life with A Christmas Carol. Andrea comes to believe he needs is to be reunited with the spirit of Ebenezer Scrooge, who lives in the caretaker house. It is all Scrooge’s idea. He has been working with Andrea’s roommate, the most powerful witch in North America, to win a second life for Marley from God…and to get Marley and Andrea to fall in love.

Weinberg’s Scrooge’s Folly – Saving Jacob Marley will make you laugh and cry…and might just send you to your local bookstore or library to read how Dickens fictionalized his two best friends.

Author Bio:

David Weinberg is a screenwriter, songwriter, novelist and guitar player. Most recently he was a quarter- finalist in the 2022 Creative Screenwriting Pilot competition for his pilot entitled ‘Potus.’ He has a B.S. in Environmental Health from Quinnipiac University, and a Masters in Liberal Studies from Wesleyan University. He is divorced and owns the two most spoiled cats in America.

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I Know You
Russel Govan
June 1, 2023
Guernica World Editions
250 pages

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Eilidh, bright, headstrong and feisty, gets sparkling exam results that confirm her university place. Her boyfriend reveals he has deceived her. In the ensuing argument she is knocked unconscious. She arrives in 1984, in an Ethiopian refugee camp, where she nurses a dying child, then a wounded aid worker before wakening back home in present-day Scotland. Three days later, at an isolated beauty spot trying to come to terms with her ex boyfriend’s betrayal and her experience in Ethiopia, she encounters Walter, who is in the early stages of dementia. He is there because of a tattoo on his wrist that simply states the date and location of the beauty spot. Eilidh recognizes Walter’s symptoms, takes him home and contacts his niece to come and collect him.

Over the following 48-hour period Eilidh finds herself transported to various locations in Europe and North America, and time periods from the previous fifty years. Each episode draws her further into an unexpected and unconventional romance. Eventually she travels to WW2 blitzed Liverpool and meets a fellow time-traveler who explains that Eilidh faces a decision with life and death consequences.

Author Bio: 

Russell Govan is a Scottish, Oxford-based author who started writing in 2015. His first novel was published in 2020. A second novel in the same genre is scheduled for late 2021. An extract from I Know You was shortlisted for the 2019 Grindstone International Short Story Prize.

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Best’s Practices: Encouraging Confidence and Relationship-Building
Bianca Clark

December 3, 2022
Poshb Publishing
58 pages

| | Amazon

“Practicing what you learned today will help build your confidence, poise, and elegance. Always remember that this is what makes us the best!”

London, her older sister, Cierra or CeCe, and Malachi or Cai, their teenage brother, listened to their parents’ wise words and realized that the only way to improve, avoid common mistakes, and grow as a person would be to invest in themselves.

If you had to summarize this book’s main theme in a single quote, that would be it.

Introducing “Best’s Practices” By Bianca Clark: A Must-Read Motivation & Mentorship Book For Pre Teens Who Want To Develop Their Life Skills

This fun and educational personal growth book for teens is here to help teenagers and their parents gain an in-depth understanding of how to encourage confidence and promote personal development through the real-life scenarios and adventures of London and her family.

Top 3 Key Takeaways From This Inspirational Book For Teens:

Written for aspiring teens and parents alike, this book is a great conversation starter that provides all the essentials tools and resources you need to learn:

✅ How to improve your conversation and communication skills

✅ How to think outside the box and build your confidence

✅ How to handle being outside of your comfort zone

But Wait… That’s Not All!

Following the different situations that London, CeCe, and Cai find themselves in, you will be able to understand the psyche of a teenager with fears, aspirations, and inexperience and start conversations that will help:

✔️ Understand how to keep yourself motivated

✔️ Learn how to build a professional network and practice for a job interview

✔️ Discover how to prepare yourself for a difficult situation

✔️ Identify your professional strengths and weaknesses

✔️ Embrace yourself and learn daily affirmations that will boost your confidence

And The Best Part?

Instead of a self-development book that lists facts, this easy-to-read and entertaining book will help get the message across without boring your daughter, son, niece, nephew, or grandkids.

Author Bio: 

Bianca Clark is native to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She received her Bachelor of Science in Marketing and her Master of Science in Organizational Leadership from Cabrini University in Radnor, Pennsylvania. Bianca is an aerospace professional with a passion for writing and creating fun, diverse methods for skill learning and advancement. Bianca currently resides in Connecticut. 

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Perfectly Matched
Liana George

April 4, 2023
Scrivenings Press LLC
265 pages

| | | Amazon 

Nicki Mayfield is getting married! Or is she?

Three days after deciding to marry so she can adopt the young Chinese girl who has captured her heart, Nicki Mayfield heads to Texas to become Mrs. Ben Carrington. However, as the unlikely pair prepares to say, “I do,” a shocking revelation threatens their plans to become a family.

While searching for the answers to the mystery holding her future hostage, Nicki must also keep Ms. O’Connor’s legacy alive at New Hope Orphanage – whose future is at serious risk.

As she and Ben work toward building their unconventional family, they discover that sacrificial parenting requires putting the child first in ways that bring indescribable joy and unexpected heartbreak to everyone involved.

In the end, will Nicki find her happily ever after, or will circumstances stop her from being perfectly matched in work, life, and love?

Author Bio: 

Liana George is a sought-after speaker, blogger, and author. Before pursuing a career in writing, she was a professional organizer and the former owner of By George Organizing Solutions in Houston. Her first two books in the Hopeful Heart Series, Perfectly Arranged and Perfectly Placed (Scrivenings Press), are based on her experiences as an organizer and her time living abroad in China. The third and final book in the series, Perfectly Matched, will release in 2023.

In addition to penning novels, she is also the Co-founder and Creative Director at The Author’s Write Hand, a marketing/platform building/virtual assistance agency for Christian authors as well as the co-host of the Uncluttered podcast. When she’s not putting things in order or scribbling away, you can find her reading, traveling, or watching tennis.

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Death in High Places

Sara L. Jameson
February 8, 2023
Scrivenings Press LLC

324 pages

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An Interpol agent with a deadline he can’t miss.

Urgent intel warns of terrorist cells planning coordinated attacks throughout Europe. Special Agent Jacob Coulter of Brussels Interpol is assigned to find the terrorist financiers supporting these groups and shut down their funding operations.

An opera singer’s life and career hang in the balance.

The Queen of the Night’s vocal pyrotechnics have launched many a soprano’s international career. But Riley Williams, Jacob’s fiancée, is terrified of heights, and her Antwerp Opera debut as the evil queen requires her to sing from a hydraulic lift forty feet above the orchestra pit. When newspapers cite Riley’s recent unmasking of an international terrorist plot and the lift malfunctions, Jacob suspects terrorist sabotage.

He encourages Riley to accept her BFF’s invitation to stay the Savoy Hotel in London where she’ll be out of danger. Or so he thinks …

A series of murders connected to a notorious terrorist financier known as the Priest leads Jacob across Europe. When the victims’ deaths point to London, his Interpol partner convinces him London is a haven for terrorist financiers.

But the clock is ticking, and what Jacob uncovers is more devastating than anything he could have imagined.

Author Bio: 

Sara L. Jameson won Scrivenings Press’s grand prize publishing contract in January 2020. They released her debut romantic suspense novel, Cruise to Death, in June 2021. Death in High Places, (Book 2 in the Troubled Waters series), releases February 28, 2023, to be followed by Vengeance in Vienna. Sara is the pseudonym of a multi-published former  university professor who writes non-fiction under her real name. She also writes WW2 historical novels. When not writing, she enjoys reading, swimming, cooking, and dog-sitting.

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The Last Lumenian: Sci Fi Fantasy and Action Adventure of the Rebel Princess named Lilla

S.G. Blaise
October 7, 2020
Lilac Grove Entertainment LLC
317 pages

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She is a rebel. Lilla is fighting for the refugees’s freedom from oppression. The king, her father, lost touch with reality ever since Lilla’s mother died. Now everyone else is paying the price.

The arrival of Callum, a powerful Teryn general, complicates Lilla’s life. His presence leads to conflicted feelings and friction with Arrov, a handsome pilot and fellow rebel.

Her life is not what she imagined it to be. Not by far. Meddling gods, love interests and sudden magical abilities have no room in Lilla’s world, but that has become her new reality. No matter how hard she pushes them away, it’s too late. They all seek to control her anyway.

Now the Era War between two ruling archgods forces Lilla to act: accept who she really is magic and all; find true love; fulfill her destiny by defeating the Archgod of Chaos and Destruction before He finds her. The Last Lumenian.

Author Bio: 

I was born and raised in a faraway land, somewhere in Europe. I wrote my first short story at ten. A terrible nightmare with spider-like creatures inspired me to put my dream to paper. The following day, I read the story to my class and got a positive response (I believe there was clapping). I think adding a joke or two helped.

I didn’t really think at that time that I would be a writer. Frankly, I wasn’t thinking much at that age. . . . not to mention, I really didn’t like to read. I’ll never forget the moment when it all changed. At thirteen, I picked up the book my dad had been trying to convince me to read for years and decided to give it a chance. I read it standing by the bookcase (it was a small book, no more than 200 pages). From that point forward, my passion for books and reading continued to grow. I began to identify my favorite authors and genres. As I write this, I’m wondering what my dad would say. I’m sure it would be, “I told you so.” God bless his soul.

In 2012, a European road trip changed my life forever. It was an amazing experience filled with fun, laughter, and some adventures (namely, driving on a highway without a speed limit). During that trip, I had an idea for a story. You can call it my lightbulb moment. Although English was not my first language, I knew in my gut that I was a writer and would not let anything stand in the way of creating my first book. Other than actually writing it that is. After many exhausting conversations with my very patient husband, he finally said to me, “Stop talking about it and start writing.”

I would never admit it to him, but he was right. I sat down and began writing. Did nothing but write for a month straight until I had 150 pages. My husband read it quite valiantly. After my first attempt at a book, I realized that I needed more guidance to develop my craft. So I attended my first workshop at San Diego Writers Ink. During that workshop, an opportunity was presented – there were two spots open in a Read & Critique group. Without hesitation, I jumped at the chance to join.

The next three years were spent learning my craft via books, conferences and R & C. I must have written five drafts of the story, until the last draft was the one. Another three years involved editors and other publishing consultants reviewing the final version.

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Straight For The Kill

Winter Austin
January 23, 2023
Tule Publishing
298 pages

| | | Amazon

Sheriff Elizabeth Benoit’s worst nightmare returns when her deputies discover a young woman killed in the same circumstances as a death from 25 years earlier. That previous victim was Elizabeth’s best friend and Deputy Kyle Lundquist’s older sister. Elizabeth has spent a quarter of a century trying to nail the crooked ex-sheriff she knows is involved up to his elbows in this unresolved crime. She has a thick file of clues, but it’s going to take irrefutable proof to put both cases to bed.

Deputy Detective Lila Dayne draws on all her investigative skills, but still she can’t pin down their main suspect. Then prominent members of the community begin to disappear—clearly, there’s a bigger vendetta at play. Despite the legal consequences of being too close to the case, Elizabeth can’t keep away now.

When Elizabeth’s sister goes missing, it’s a no-holds-barred race against time in the showdown that’s been brewing in Eckardt County for decades.

Author Bio: 

Winter Austin perpetually answers the question: “were you born in the winter?” with a flat “nope.” Having returned to her hometown, Winter has stepped into the chaotic world of a full-time wife, mom, author, and employee.

A lifelong Mid-West gal, Winter rediscovered her love of her beloved Iowa with its hot summers and snowy winters. She grew up listening to the captivating stories told by relatives around the table or a campfire. Since becoming a published author, she learned a mindset of a glass half-empty personality makes for a perfect suspense/thriller author. Taking her ability to verbally spin a vivid and detailed story, Winter translated that into writing deadly romantic thrillers. Combining her love of all things rural, agricultural, and military, she’s turned her small town life upside down.

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 Olly & The Spores of Oak Hill

Glen Somodi
November 9, 2022
Published by Glen Somodi
271 pages

Amazon | | |

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Olly and his new friend, Ember, fight off school bullies, greedy mall developers, and nosey townspeople to protect their secret – that there’s a community of nature-loving creatures that have peacefully lived under Oak Hill for hundreds of years.

When Oliver (Olly) Appleton’s grandfather dies in a suspicious accident, his family decides to move to Littleton, Massachusetts, to care for the family estate. Once there, they discover they need to protect their land from a greedy mall developer, Henry Dalton.

Sitting atop Oak Hill, the estate sits in an enchanted wooded sanctuary known for unusual activities and superstitions involving mythical creatures – rumors passed down since the Nipmuc people roamed the land.

When Olly and his new friend, Ember, run into trouble with school bullies, the creatures known as Spores step in to protect them. Through their adventures, Olly and Ember build friendships with members of the Spore community and discover a common goal. They must work together quickly to protect Oak Hill from Henry Dalton or lose their homes forever.

Author Bio: 

Glenn Somodi is an American author who writes his stories in the short space between lying down and dreaming. The stories are written over many nights, replayed, and rewritten in his head for enjoyment. His mission is to find anyone who enjoys reading the stories as much as he enjoys creating them.

He is a proud graduate of the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism at Ohio University in Athens, Ohio. His paying job is as a partner at EYEMG.com, LLC in Akron, Ohio, a website development company.

He was born in New Brunswick, New Jersey, raised by a schoolteacher and a mechanical engineer in Olmsted Falls, Ohio, and has resided in Brunswick, Ohio, for most of his adult life.

He has a patient wife whom he met at Ohio University in 1989. He also has three beautiful children that are his favorite creations. His coworkers include three cats and a dog – a Siamese tabby named Nala, a Chantilly-Tiffany cat named Coco, a Maine Coon named Josie, and the loudest coworker is Beckham, a Yorkshire Terrier. All five share office space for the entire workday.

Olly and the Spores of Oak Hill is the first book of a series of adventures for our main characters, Olly, Ember, and their best Spore friends, Cremini, Bella, Truffle, and Magpie.

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