PW Select November 2013

8/15/2019 PW Select November 2013

1/32

Plus:

◗ How Christian retail

is adapting to self-publishing

◗raditional publishers haverecruited authors from

WestBow Press

◗ William Sirls moves from WestBow to Tomas Nelson

◗ Betty Sargent offers

writing tips from pros

A guide to what’s

new in self-pub-

lishing

Full reviews of

28 self-published

books

Listings for 160

new titles

November 2013


2/32

The PW

Publishing IndustrySalary Survey

2013

Now Available for Purchase at

publishersWeekly.com/salary2013


3/32

The challenge recently took

her to Banner Books Para-

ble Christian Store in her

hometown of St. Joseph,

Mich., for a book signing to

promote her Christian historical fiction

title, The Pursuit of Elizabeth Millhouse

(Axiom, 2012). Though she sold only a

handful of copies there, and knows she can make more money

selling copies online, Barber believes that “for long-term suc-

cess, it’s better to have a presence in retail stores.”

She is not alone. A growing number of self-published/indie

authors are recognizing the importance of cultivating connec-

tions at bricks-and-mortar bookstores; at the same time, Chris-

tian retailers are warming to a category they have historically

been cool toward.

Lorraine Valk, owner of the indepen-

dent St. Joseph store that hosted Barber,

has a cautious approach to such titles, but

she sees advantages. “Authors love beingable to tell their friends where the book is

available, it creates goodwill, and it gets

the author back into the store on a regular

basis to check their stock,” she says. “And

they have family and friends that are also gaining a positive

image of our store.”

CBA, the Christian retail trade association, sees the self-

publishing explosion as a way for member stores to connect

with their local communities and establish themselves as

places where readers can discover good new authors. The orga-

nization has focused on the trend at its recent trade shows, with

special workshop sessions on how writers can get their books

into stores.

“There are opportunities, but with a

word of caution,” says CBA’s president,

Curtis Riskey. “The opportunity is discov-

ery of new voices and different ideas, but

that must be balanced with good reads,

and busy retailers can’t always personally

vet titles on their shelves to determine

that.”

New TrafficLocal authors wanting to see their books on the shelves at one

of CLC Bookcenters’ three locations in the Philadelphia area

have to complete an application form and provide a review copy.

Jim Pitman, director of retail operations,

currently has a pile of titles awaiting

assessment, with seven in-store signings

taking place in seven weeks. “Local authors

bring in family, friends, and people from

their church. It’s new traffic for us,” he

says. “They might sell only a few books,

but if they bring in three or four new peo-

ple who haven’t been here before, they

have the potential to become lifetime cus-

tomers, which could mean a lot of money over a long period.”

That long-term view is important for retailers who might

dismiss as a bust a signing where only a few people show up and

sales are minimal. “It’s not just about the [immediate] sales,”

says Darren Henry, president of Advocate Distribution Solu-

tions, part of Send the Light Distribution LLC, which serves

Christian stores. Seeing promotion of self-published authors asan opportunity for retailers to tap into the “buy local” ground-

swell, Henry notes that if Christian retailers don’t want to go

that route, others will. He points to Barnes & Noble frequently

hosting local author signings.

A case in point: Amanda Barber recently scheduled seven

events at B&N locations in her area, in addition to her visit to

Banner Books, to promote her book. “It’s a really good oppor-

tunity, and I will continue with them,” she says of the B&N

opportunities, “but I have to figure out what else I can do. It’s

a lot of gas money running around to all these signings.”

Bookstores still leery about carrying self-published books

might be encouraged to consider the category more seriously by

WWW . P U B L I S H E R SW E E K L Y . C OM 1

Christian Retail Adapts to

Self-Published Books—Sometimes

B A B

A year after celebrating the release of her first

novel, Amanda Barber, a private music

teacher, observes, “It’s easier than ever to get

published, but it’s not easy to be successful.

Publishing is a piece of cake, but to actuallysell books—that’s the hard part.”

Amanda Barber

Curtis Riskey

Jim Pitman

Lorraine Valk

R E T A I L I N G


4/32P U B L I S H E R S W E E K LY ■ N O V E M B E R 1 8 , 2 0 1 32

R E T A I L I N G

the way some established authors with traditional

publishing histories now are also taking the indie

route (see PW , Nov. 11, “Having It Both Ways,”

p. 38). Among them is award-winning thriller writer Brandilyn

Collins, who decided to go independent—turning down offers

from other traditional houses—after the recent folding of B&HPublishing Group’s fiction line left her without a contract.

Going HybridSays Collins, “Stores’ historical resistance to self-published

books is and will continue to change as more and more well-

known, bestselling, and award-winning authors choose to take

this route. I know numerous names in this arena doing self-pub

now, either turning to it full-time or going hybrid.” Hers will

be one of the banner names on a new initiative adding further

credibility, if it’s needed, to self-published books’ in-store

potential. Collins’s new work of suspense, Sidetracked , will be

one of the first titles featured in the new Jerry B. Jenkins Select

Line of self-published books to be promoted to Christian retail

in the spring.

They will arrive in stores through 1Source, a partnership

between Jenkins’s Christian Writers Guild Publishing, Believ-

ers Press, Bethany Press, and Anchor Distributors. It launched

in October to offer author services from editing to marketing

and distribution. “Every channel is crucial for success these

days,” says Jenkins. “The problem with self-pubs in the past is

that they haven’t been considered ‘real’ or ‘legitimate’ because

they have been so hard to find in bookstores.”

Jenkins, coauthor of the blockbuster Left Behind series and

Christian publishing’s top-selling writer, founded CWGP in

2012, though he had long been a critic of the substandard writ-

ing, editing, and design of much self-publishing. Now even he

has some of his backlist titles earmarked for self-publishing

someday. “Eventually I saw the light,” he explains, recognizing

that technology was making self-publishing more economical

while at the same time “even good writers were finding it harder

and harder to get traditionally published.”

Because of new technology and a growing number of provid-

ers—from traditional publishers launching their own self- and

co-publishing divisions (see “Keeping Faith with Authors,” p.

4) to former big-name publishing professionals offering inde-pendent services—indie authors are producing more quality

work. But they still need to sharpen their business skills to

connect with retailers.

One big problem is pricing, says Shawn

Kuhn, a longtime retailer who, with his

wife, Suzanne, coaches new authors on the

book business through Suzanne’s Suzy Q

promotion company. Some self-publish-

ing programs set their retail price based

on page count, “but an $18.99, 240-page

Christian fiction trade paper doesn’t do

well in the bookstore,” he notes, with

books in that format traditionally selling

for $14.99 in Christian stores.Then there

are self-publishing enterprises that offer

less than the usual 40% discount for

stores. Suzanne Kuhn worked with one

author who signed with a service that gaveno discount to retailers. “The book was

full price,” says Suzanne. “Well, guess

what that meant for her sales? She had

none, and couldn’t figure out why.”

Store ChampionsMany stores that do work with self-published authors want to

take the books on consignment, like Baker Book House in Grand

Rapids, Mich. Store manager Sue Smith,

recently elected chairman of CBA, notes

that on such terms, carrying some self-

published books can be “low risk.” Smith

is very selective in the self-published titles

she accepts, and her experience is that self-

published authors can be “very unrealistic

about their sales” and quite demanding.

But when there is a good connection they

end up “being champions for your store,” she says. And as part

of a tight-knit writing community, they might send more self-

published authors the store’s way, she adds.

Pete Nikolai, director of publishing ser-

vices at Thomas Nelson’s WestBow Press

self-publishing division, advises authors

to develop a long-term strategy for work-

ing with local stores. “Get to know the

manager and staff months before your

book will be published,” he says. “Buy

your books there, and bring in friends and

family members to shop. Get on their

e-mail list.” He suggests that rather than propose basic book

signings, authors should put together talks that will educate

and entertain, and work with other area writers to organize “an

informative and entertaining program.”

“Consider forming a local authors’ association that does events

throughout the year to help support the local store and localauthors,” Nikolai says. “Actively promote your book by speak-

ing at other events and doing other publicity—mention the

store where the book is available, and keep the store informed

of the publicity. Ask the store which wholesaler it prefers so you

can make sure it is easy for the store to purchase your book.”

That’s the kind of approach Jeff Dixon, a pastor in Sanford,

Fla., has taken with his Disney-themed books, The Key to the

Kingdom and Unlocking the Kingdom, both published by Deep

River Books. “I have created events where we have done a night

of Disney history, stories, and how we learn spiritual lessons

from it, then spent some time talking about the books them-

selves,” he says. Shawn Kuhn

Suzanne Kuhn

Sue Smith

Pete Nikolai


5/32WWW . P U B L I S H E R SW E E K L Y . C OM 3

R E T A I L I N G

One challenge for smaller stores is that self-published books

make a demand on already limited shelf space and can mean

time-consuming paperwork, says longtime independent retailer

Rick Lewis, who, with his wife, Sue, owns Logos Bookstore of

Dallas. While “generally not a fan,” he carries some self-pub-

lished titles, seeing the most success with books by local pastors,counselors, and spiritual directors. “I think their books did well

because their occupations have trained them well, they tend to

be older with more life experience, and they are all readers them-

selves,” he says.

Consignment ‘Pretty Rare’Some Family Christian Stores locations might accept a local

author’s book on consignment, but currently “it’s pretty rare,”

says Clark Miller, chief marketing officer for the Christian retail

chain, with 280 stores in 36 states. “Self-

and indie publishers often don’t have the

press run sizes and ability to accept returns

and honor other terms that we require,”

he says. “In addition, there’s no way for us

to know whether these books have been

professionally edited and vetted, and that

they would be appropriate for our stores

and our customers.” However, as the pub-

lishing landscape contin-

ues to change, “we want to

offer great content no mat-

ter where it is produced,” Miller adds.

But not everyone sees the self-publish-

ing boom opening doors at Christianretail: Jeff Gerke believes stores would be

making a mistake if they carried his

Marcher Lord Press science fiction and

fantasy titles. The niche publisher of “speculative fiction” has

won two Christy Awards and four American Christian Fiction

Writers Carol Awards, with his recent release, Amish Vampires in

Space, optioned for a movie. Gerke says Christian stores have

“done such a good job of catering to their core clientele that

they’ve driven off everyone else in a breeze of potpourri and

Amish cotton.” Carrying MLP books “would be the equivalent

of a candy store starting to carry lawnmowers. The best place to

buy and sell Christian speculative novels is still online.”

For those who do want to pursue retail sales, Barber has

some closing advice: “You had better be prepared to work

really hard.” ■Writer and editor Andy Butcher has covered the Christian market for

more than a dozen years.Clark Miller

Jeff Gerke


6/32

to add staff, notes Pete Nikolai, director

of publishing services for WestBow and

the only full-time WestBow employee at

Nelson’s Nashville headquarters. Call-

ing Author Solutions “a strong partner,”

Nikolai says, “they are a big part of our

operations. They have unique expertise

and they can scale.” Through this alli-

ance, WestBow has published 4,000

titles since it began and plans to con-

tinue to publish at that pace—about

1,000 per year.

While WestBow’s marketing materi-

als cite the advantages of self-publishing

for authors—speed, freedom, control—

the goal for indie authors is still a tradi-tional publishing contract, Nikolai says.

Likening WestBow to a “farm club,” he

says, “traditional publishing still offers

major benefits, especially bookstore dis-

tribution. The book then has a chance of

making the bestseller lists, it’s in the

Ingram database, and there are review

opportunities. And e-book sales have

plateaued, so the majority of sales are

still print.”

What sets WestBow apart from other

self-publishing companies, says Nikolai,

P U B L I S H E R S W E E K LY ■ N O V E M B E R 1 8 , 2 0 1 34

Keeping Faith with AuthorsWestBow Press opens doors

B L G

Successful self-publishing

might be fairly new, but one

company can trace its roots

back more than 200 years.

In 1798, on West Bow Street in

Edinburgh, Scotland, the epon-

ymously named Thomas Nelson

was founded as a publisher of

inexpensive editions of classic

books like The Pilgrim’s Progress and Rob-

inson Crusoe. After two centuries of

changes in ownership, Nelson is now

part of HarperCollins Christian Publish-

ing, the unit of HarperCollins created

when News Corp. acquired Nelson in

2011 and combined it with its existing

Zondervan imprint.

The name of Nelson’s self-publishing

division, WestBow Press, harks back to

those long-ago origins. When Nelson

launched the division in 2009, it revived

WestBow, which had been the name of

the Thomas Nelson fiction imprint until

2005, when the One Company initiative

eliminated Nelson’s imprints. Nelsonformed a strategic partnership with

Author Solutions for the new venture,

which Nelson and ASI co-manage. ASI

provides the full range of publishing

functions, selling packages to authors

with options for production, different

levels of editing, marketing, and getting

WestBow titles into distributors’ data-

bases.

With a dedicated WestBow team of

60–70 staffers at ASI’s Bloomington,

Ind., headquarters, Nelson has not had

are the advantages it offers as a division

of HarperCollins Christian Publishing.

“We are always checking sales reports to

see if we want to consider a book for

acquisition. Several times a month, I

will also suggest authors to agents we

know.” One author who signed with

WestBow, William Sirls, was contracted

by Nelson just before his book was

released in a WestBow edition (see

“Grace and Redemption,” p. 7).

Other recent WestBow authors also

have been signed by publishers: Sharon

Garlough Brown, who published Sensible

Shoes: A Novel with WestBow in 2010,

was signed by InterVarsity Press, whichreleased its edition in February. Annie

Downs published From Head to Foot with

WestBow in 2010; she later signed with

Zondervan, which published its edition,

retitled Perfect ly Unique, in 2012. Her

second book for Zondervan, Speak Love,

with a companion devotional/journal,

Speak Love Revolution, released in August.

Those titles are for teens and young

adults; her first adult trade book, Let’s

Al l Be Brav e, will be published by

Zondervan in spring 2014.

S C O U T I N G S E L F P U B L I S H E D W O R K


7/32



What Every Self-Publisher Needs to Know Top writing tips from the pros

B B K S

Probably, the best advice I’ve ever come

across from a writer on writing is Elmore

Leonard’s suggestion, “If it sounds like writ-

ing, rewrite it.” Second best is Mark Twain’s

illustration of how to show, don’t tell, fol-

lowed by Margaret Atwood’s close third, “Do

back exercises. Pain is distracting.”

W hether you are a seasoned self-publisher or

a first-time indie author, and whether you

are writing fiction or nonfiction, chances

are you agree with Hemingway, who said,

“There is nothing to writing. All you do

is sit down at a typewriter and bleed.” Nobody said this writing

business was going to be easy. For Hemingway, the secret to

effective writing was to forget about the flowery prose of the

literati and keep your writing simple, short, and clear. When he

went to work for the Kansas City Star in 1917, he was given four

rules for effective writing, and he stuck with them his wholelife. Here they are:1. Use short sentences.

2. Use short first paragraphs.

3. Use vigorous English.

4. Be positive, not negative.

He also said, “There is no friend as loyal as a book,” something

for all of us self-publishers and book lovers to keep in mind.

Back to Elmore Leonard. Years ago, at Delacorte Press, I was

lucky enough to be his editor on Swag , Fifty-Two Pick-Up, and

Unknown Man #89. We became pals, partly because we were both

from Birmingham, Mich., and partly because I was such a fan of

his sharp, unpretentious prose. “I always refer to style as sound,”he said, and he was hypersensitive to the sound of language. In

2006 he talked about the craft of writing on BBC Two’s The

Culture Show. If you’re interested, you can find the short video on

YouTube. In the show he offers three tips for writers:

1. “You have to listen to your characters.”2. “Don’t worry about what your mother thinks of your language.”3. “Try to get a rhythm.” In 2007 he published his witty, short book called Elmore Leon-

ard’s 10 Rules of Writing , based on his 2001 New York Times

article, “Easy on the Adverbs, Exclamation Points and Espe-

cially Hooptedoodle.” Leonard suggests that writers:

1. Never open a book with the weather.2. Avoid prologues.3. Never use a verb other than “said” to carry dialogue.4. Never use an adverb to modify the verb “said.”5. Keep your exclamation points under control.6. Never use the words “suddenly” or “all hell broke loose.”7. Use regional dialect, patois, sparingly.8. Avoid detailed descriptions of characters.9. Same for places and things.10. Leave out the parts readers tend to skip.Another witty, wonderful advice-giver is Kurt Vonnegut. In

the preface to his short story collection Bagombo Snuff Box, he

lists eight basics of what he calls Creative Writing 101.1. Use the time of a total stranger in such a way that he or she will

not feel the time was wasted.

2. Give the reader at least one character he or she can root for.3. Every character should want something, even if it is only a glass

of water.

4. Every sentence must do one of two things—reveal character oradvance the action.

5. Start as close to the end as possible.6. Be a sadist. No matter how sweet and innocent your leading

characters, make awful things happen to them—in order thatthe reader may see what they are made of.

7. Write to please just one person. If you open a window and makelove to the world, so to speak, your story will get pneumonia.

8. Give your readers as much information as possible as soon aspossible. To heck with suspense. Readers should have suchcomplete understanding of what is going on, where and why,that they could finish the story themselves should cockroacheseat the last few pages.

It seems to us at BookWorks that if you wrote down all the

suggestions for writing well from successful writers, and tossed

them into a hat, the top 10 would look something like this:1. Write every day, even if it is only for 10 minutes.2. Use the active not the passive voice.3. Write like you talk.4. Never use clichés.5. Read what you write out loud, or, better yet, have someone

else read it to you—sound matters.

6. Go easy on the adjectives and adverbs.

7. Keep it moving.

8. Show, don’t tell.

9. Finish it.

10. Delete the boring stuff.

For more insights from writers on writing, and for guidance

on every aspect of your self-publishing adventure, please visit

us at www.bookworks.com. We’re here to help. ■

T I P S F O R S E L F P U B L I S H I N G

Betty Kelly Sargent is founder and CEO of BookWorks.



Grace and Redemption

PW Talks to William Sirls

B L G

He’s living the dream of every self-published author.

I

n 2011, William Sirls signed up

with WestBow Press, the self-

publishing arm of Thomas Nel-

son, to publish his first novel,

The Reason. After going through

the editorial and production process, he

had 100 copies printed 90 days before

the official publication date that Septem-

ber, giving away 35 to family and friends

and sending 65 to churches to ask for

reader feedback. Expecting maybe 10

responses, instead Sirls received more

than 200. WestBow publishing director

Pete Nikolai gave a galley to Thomas

Nelson’s receptionist, Marjo Meyers,

who he knew was a voracious reader of

Christian fiction. She raved about it to

Nikolai and to Allen Arnold, then Nel-

son’s fiction publisher. The rest is his-

tory: Sirls was offered a multibook con-

tract with Thomas Nelson, which pub-

lished The Reason on Sept. 4, 2012.

But before the dream came the night-

mare. As a senior v-p of a large invest-

ment firm, Sirls says, “I was one person

on Sunday as I sat in church, but another

Monday to Saturday, when I was not an

exemplary human being.” Finally, the

contradiction became too much for him,

and in 2006 Sirls turned himself in tofederal prosecutors. “I basically blew the

whistle on myself. I was hurting a lot of

good people, and it had to stop.” Tried

and convicted of money laundering and

wire fraud, in 2007 Sirls was sentenced

to federal prison.

“It’s the single greatest thing that’s

ever happened to me,” he says now.

“Most of us don’t make time for God. In

prison I was forced to slow down and

think about my faith, and I saw what was

important—forgiveness, grace, patience,

and faith.”

The Reason had its genesis

before these events. Sirls had gone

through a divorce, and his daugh-

ter had been diagnosed with type

1 diabetes. While at the hospital

where his daughter was being

treated, he saw a couple with their

cancer-stricken son. The boy smiled at

his parents, the parents smiled back,

“and there was such love there,” says

Sirls. “I knew then my problems were not

as bad as I thought.” That encounter

became the inspiration for the novel Sirls

wrote that year. “I wrote it for fun, I

didn’t think it would ever be published,”

he says. It featured characters based on

the boy and his doctor, as well as “a mag-

ical character who came along to fix

people’s problems,” says Sirls.

As his Christian faith deepened during

his 29 months in prison, Sirls rewrote the

original version of The Reason. The cen-

tral characters—the boy with cancer and

the oncologist who treated him—

remained the same, but “the magical

character became spiritual,” he says—a

carpenter, a prophetic or Jesus-like fig-

ure, who worked at the hospital where

the boy was being treated.Sirls says people had suggested he

write a memoir about his own experi-

ences, but decided fiction was a more

accessible medium for communicating

his themes of grace and redemption.

The Reason has sold 50,000 copies in its

first year, and, says Katie Bond, director

of marketing and publicity for fiction at

Thomas Nelson, “It’s a very respectable

performance for a debut—we’ve been

very pleased. It’s clear this story has

found a really supportive audience, and

we expect it to continue to sell well.”

Sirls’s contract with Nelson is for two

books, with an option for a third. His

second novel, The Sinners’ Garden, releases

in December; says Sirls, “It’s also about

how miracles can happen today.”

Sirls says working with WestBow was

“awesome.” Alan Bower, publisher and

director of channel sales for WestBow at

Author Solutions, “gave me an under-

standing of the entire publishing process

and what avenues were best to get the

book out there.”

His advice to authors planning to self-

publish? “Do your homework and choose

the right company. Set realistic goals.

Don’t discount the value of editing—it’s

huge. Start building your platform now,

before you even write the book. Read and

write a lot . Be cognizant of distribu-

tion—that’s big. Figure out how to dif-

ferentiate yourself from the thousands of

other books out there. And get your bookinto the hands of the right people.”

Sirls is clearly not hesitant about pro-

motion. Though Nelson advised him

that book tours are not cost-effective for

new authors, he embarked on one last

November through January. In addition

to signings at retailers, he spoke at

churches and libraries. “I don’t remem-

ber how many stops there were,” he says.

“I just loaded copies into the back of my

truck and tried to get them into as many

people’s hands as possible.” ■

A U T H O R P R O F I L E

© J

E F F E R Y E . C O R N S



BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY Relatively Criminal: A Memoir

Donna Abear. Moonshadow

Books. $14.95 paper (358p), ISBN

9780967710112; $4.99 e-book ASIN

B00FB1FGRU

Amazon; bn.com

An award-winning humor

columnist takes readers on a

funny and poignant roller-

coaster ride as she chronicles

her relationship with a criminal and drug

addict: her little brother, Frank.

From Death to Blessing

Laurie Agius. WestBow

Press. $19.99 paper (262p),

ISBN 9781449774172;

$3.99 e-book ISBN

9781449774165

Amazon; bn.com; WestBow Press

The author tells about his 24 years’ bat-

tle with and victory over depression, sui-cide, and homosexuality through making

Jesus Christ Lord and Savior of his life.

The Lord’s Plan: My

Journey with the Lord; A

Choice, a Child, an Answer

to Prayer, a Witness

Kimberly Dismukes. West-

Bow Press. $13.95 paper (160p), ISBN

9781449777593; $5.99 e-book ISBN

9781449777579

thelordsplan.com; Amazon; bn.com

S E L F P U B L I S H E D L I S T I N G S

Booksellers, publishers, and agents are encouraged to take a look at 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.

New Titles

from Self-PublishersT PW S

Dismukes says God has a plan for each

life, for each moment of each day that will

be lived before a life is created. God answers

our prayers. He loves us more than we can

possibly imagine. God is real and he does

reveal himself to us today.

Dolly Vardon

Anton Holden. Bous-

trophedon Press. $19.95

paper (448p), ISBN

9781490457291; $4.99

e-book ASIN B00A6ZTB22

Amazon; bn.com

“I was bought as a slave and for a slave,”

Dolly told her daughters. Her grandson

recreates her life, from her orphan child-

hood in 19th-century London to her intro-

duction to the demimonde in Paris and

finally her escape to America.

Retaliation

Amy Block Joy. CreateSpace.

$13.95 paper (208p), ISBN9781482651331; $6.99

e-book ASIN B00F6666MO

Amazon; bn.com

A first-person account about the danger

of speaking out in the workplace. A faculty

member at a major public university, Joy

refused to give in to intimidation and fear

after exposing criminal activity in her

workplace. She fought back and won.

Sunlight on My Shadow: My Secret

Teen Pregnancy in the Sixties

Judy Liautaud. City Creek


ISBN 9781883841171;

$9.99 e-book ISBN

9781883841072

Amazon

In 1966, the author was 16 and preg-

nant. Sent from her Catholic school to a

home for unwed mothers, she felt guilty

about her actions for decades, until she

sought out the daughter she once gave up.

The Boy Who Lived with Ghosts

John Mitchell. Inclusic.

$16.99 paper (438p), ISBN

9780615793207; $6.99

e-book ASIN B00CDX-

WOAG

Amazon; bn.com

A disturbing though often hilarious

memoir. This is a coming-of-age story of a

boy growing up in 1960s England. It is a

story of survival and a boy’s desperate

attempts to save his mother from the hor-ror.

George Fabyan: The Tycoon Who Broke

Ciphers, Ended Wars, Manipulated

Sound, Built a Levitation Machine, and

Organized the Modern Research Center

Richard Munson.

CreateSpace. $12.95

paper (185p), ISBN

9781490345628;

$12.95 e-book ASIN

B00FITNT0Q; BN ID



2940045307901

Amazon; bn.com

This Gilded Age tycoon laid the founda-

tion for the National Security Agency, cap-

tured foreign terrorists, designed the

acoustics for major auditoriums, and cre-ated the first diverse science center.

Stretch Marks

Liz Raptis Picco. Cre-

ateSpace. $14 paper (257p),

ISBN 9780615715933;

$9.95 e-book ASIN

B00C46OV76BN; BN ID

2940016456089

Amazon, bn.com

For Picco, the road to motherhood means

offering up her blood, her sanity, and her

heart.

Gold Buckles Don’t Lie:

The Untold Tale of Fred

Whitfield

Terri Powers. Whitfield

& Powers Publishing.

$24.99 hardcover (272p),

ISBN 9780989404709

(505) 227-7187

Fred Whitfield, long considered pro

rodeo’s only black man, was loved by most

but hated by many; he tells stories only old

men should remember.

Crossing the River Sorrow:

One Nurse’s Story

Janet Richards. WestBow


ISBN 9781449796600;

$3.99 e-book ISBN

9781449796594

Amazon; bn.com; christianbook.comThe story of one woman’s plunge from a

sheltered childhood in the 1950s into the

world of medicine and her search for answers

to some of life’s most troubling questions.

A Prophet’s Journey:

My Search for Destiny

Shirley Spencer. WestBow

Press. $18 paper (223p),

ISBN 9781449797690;

$3.99 e-book ISBN

9781449797683

Amazon; bn.com; christianbook.com;

Kobo

The story of a woman who did not know

prophets still existed, yet she became a pro-

phetic voice for God.

Ozella’s General Store:

Cook Station, Missouri

Tammy Tucker. WestBow


ISBN 9781490801537;

$3.99 e-book ISBN

9781490801544

Amazon; bn.com

The true story of a humble store owner

who used her influence and place in the

community to change lives and help others.

Heads or Tails: A Physician’s Journey

from Doctor to Patient

Joseph Varughese, M.D.

Elizabeth Varughese.

$8.99 paper (224p),

ISBN 9780615875385;

$6.99 e-book ISBN

9780615875385

Amazon; bn.com

Varughese traces his journey from a vil-

lage in India to life as a physician in Los

Angeles. In a twist of fate, he finds himself

on the other end of the stethoscope as a

bone-marrow transplant patient.

Barbarian Stew: It Seemed

Normal at the Time

Julie Williams. Kindle

Direct. $2.99 e-book ISBN

9780989928106

Amazon

An offbeat, comic collection of shorts

about the author and her brother, Knox.Life changes when their mother, Dede, gets

sober.

BODY, MIND & SPIRITDesktop Revelations, Volume 1:

Spiritual Warfare

L. Carnevale. West-

Bow Press. $19.95

paper (248p), ISBN

9781449798352;

$3.99 e-book ISBN

9781449798345

desktoprevelations.com

Carnevale tells how to learn

to fight, become unstoppable, read motives,

win every battle, never be fooled, shed

addictions, destroy fear, connect with

heaven and more.

Something Happened on

My Way to Hell

Kimberly Davidson.

WestBow Press. $19.95

paper (240p), ISBN

9781449778538; $3.99

e-book ASIN B00B0A11OI

Amazon; olivebranchoutreach.com

Davidson says we all love something too

much. In this 12-week study program, she

guides readers to learn how filling the spir-

itual emptiness in their lives can help them

break free from everyday addictions.

Leaving the Abbey: Reflections on

a Several-Year, Parallel Journey of

a Christian Parish and

a Group of Wonderful

Women (Plus Monks)

Kathryn H-F. WestBow


ISBN 9781449787943;

$3.95 e-book ISBN 9781449787967

WestBow Press

A parish and a retreat group of recover-

ing alcoholic women face losing a beloved

“home.” Their journeys intertwine toward

joyful acceptance of God’s will.

Standing on the Promises: Discover

the Power of Unshakable Faith

Christina M. Whitaker.


paper (192p), ISBN9781449766832; $3.99

e-book ISBN 9781449766849

Amazon

Through the author’s journey of coura-

geous hope and unshakable faith after a

series of near-death experiences, she offers

guidance on how to conquer your fears and

understand your destiny.

BUSINESS &ECONOMICS

Elements of Leaders of Character:




Attributes,

Practices,

and Principles

Wayne Hogue. WestBow

Press. $35.95

hardcover (274p),ISBN 9781490803425; $3.99 e-book

ISBN 9781490803449

leadersofcharacter.com

Hogue details the attributes, practices,

and principles that define leaders of char-

acter.

The Adventure Con-

sultant: Tales from the

Entrepreneurial Trail

Todd Houston Smith.

Advantage Media Group.


9781599324418; $9.99 e-book ISBN

9781599324418

Amazon

A venture development consultant

shares the great successes and crushing

defeats of his life on the often-potholed

international entrepreneurial trail in the

complex and turbulent Internet Age.

FICTIONThe Dance of the Spirits

Catherine Aerie. Aurora.

$13.80 paper (226p),

ISBN 9780989690928;

$3.98 e-book ISBN

9780989690911

Amazon

At the height of the Korean War, an

American Army lieutenant and a young

Chinese surgeon volunteering with the

other side cross paths. Though their love is

forbidden, their passion and pursuit of lib-erty cannot be quenched.

The Waking Dreamer

J.E. Alexander. Mechanical Owl

Media. $12.99 paper (343p), ISBN

9780615876511; $5.99 e-book ISBN

9780615848112

Amazon

As he approaches adult-

hood, Emmett is unaware of

the dark forces searching for

him or the mysterious senti-

nels who protect him in this urban fantasy

adventure of Druids, Bards, and Old Ones,

with enough hipster snark to tickle your

meta bone.

A Prayer for the DevilDale Allan.

Emerald Book Co. $23.95

hardcover (320p),

ISBN 9781937110345;

$4.99 e-book ISBN

9781937110345

Amazon; bn.com; Ingram

Mystery, politics, and religion collide as

a priest struggles to find the people respon-

sible for his brother’s murder.

The Executioner’s Heir:

A Novel of Eighteenth-

Century France

Susanne Alleyn. Spyderwort


ISBN 9781492306795;

$3.99 e-book ISBN 9781301131044

Amazon

In 1760s Paris, young Charles Sanson,

forced by birth into an odious job as the

public executioner, must reconcile his duty

with his conscience.

Hat Dance: An Emilia

Cruz Novel

Carmen Amato. KDP/

Createspace. $12.99

paper (286p), ISBN

9781492791775; $3.99

e-book ISBN 9780985325633

Amazon

In the second Emilia Cruz novel, Aca-

pulco’s first and only female police detec-

tive risks a dance with the devil to catch anarsonist and find a missing girl.

All the Shadows of the Rainbow

Inanna Arthen. By Light Unseen

Media. $14 paper (299p), ISBN

9781935303152; $4.99 e-book ISBN

9781935303176

bylightunseenmedia.com/

atsotr.htm; Amazon

Newly made vampire

Diana Chilton works with a

secretive coven using magic

to catalyze social change in the 1960s.

A Fine Piece of Chocolate: Righteous

Sistas Crossing Over to the Wild Side

Jacqueline R. Banks.

WestBow Press. $13.99paper (154p), ISBN

9781449791094

(866) 928-1240

The stories of three righ-

teous women who leave the protective

boundaries of their faith to find love, each

with her flavor of smooth chocolate.

The Lawyer’s Relic and A

Grandfather’s Dilemma

Julian Bauer. WestBow


ISBN 9781490802725;

$3.99 e-book ISBN

9781490802732

Amazon; bn.com

Two contemporary novellas pose ques-

tions of faith and integrity and present the

benefits of trust and virtue.

The Scholar’s Challenge

Julian Bauer. WestBow


ISBN 9781449788285;

$3.95 e-book ISBN

9781449788278

Amazon

A fact-filled novel of dissension in the

early church and how two men wrote the

books that unified its tenets across coun-

tries and cultures.

Murderers and Nerdy

Girls Work Late

Lisa Boero. Nerdy GirlPress. $12.99 paper (350p),

ISBN 9780615762524;

$5.99 e-book ISBN

9780988990005

Amazon

A murder mystery involving a face-blind

detective who uses the unique attention to

detail she developed dealing with her con-

dition to solve the case.

Ghost of the Gods

Kevin Bohacz. Kevin Bohacz. $14.95




paper (389p), ISBN 9780979181535

kbohacz.com

The sequel to the tech-

nothriller Immortality about

the nea r-ext inc t ion o f

huma n i ty , wh i c h p i t shumanity against machine,

science against humanity,

and humanity against religion.

Lark, in Her Element: A

Soul Set Free

Angela Brackeen. WestBow


ISBN 9781490803814;

$3.99 e-book ISBN

97814908038

Amazon; Kobo

To Lark’s dismay, her innocent longings

have brought unsettling changes to her life.

She must choose to either escape or survive

by humbly accepting the changes.

The List: First in the

Wallis Jones Series

Martha Carr. MRC Pub-

lishing. $19 paper (450p),

ISBN 9781620304303;

$5.99 e-book ISBN

9781301857234; ASIN

B00FKV93I4

marthacarr.com

A political thriller centered around a

young family caught between the two big-

gest, seediest, most powerful factions in the

country.

The Anatomy of Blindness

David Cook. AuthorHouse. $23.95 paper

(342p), ISBN 9781481732819; $3.99

e-book ISBN 9781481732796; ASINB00E4G7QP8

Amazon; Author House;

bn.com

Dr. Gary Spinde l i s

seduced into a mystery cult

to discover love, ecstasy, and

the ultimate cost of eternity.

Hack: A Shepherd Novel

Kieran Crowley. Omicron Press. $14.99

paper (336p), ISBN 9780615906690;

$4.99 e-book ISBN 9780615869650;

ASIN B00FEJ3PK4; BN

ID 2940148446484

Amazon; bn.com; iBooks;

Kobo

It’s a dog-eat-dog world

at the infamous tabloid NewYork Mail , where new pet

columnist F.X. Shepherd is mistakenly put

on the trail of a serial killer whose sense of

humor involves hacking celebrities to death.

The Strategist

William H. Cunningham.

Creative Content Corp.

$4.99 e-book (459p), ISBN

9780989769501

Amazon

In the aftermath of the global financial

crisis, a former top Wall Street strategist

fired in the wake of Lehman Brothers’ bank-

ruptcy uncovers a conspiracy to manipulate

U.S. employment data to influence the

economy and the presidential election.

Pyotr Ilyich

Adin Dalton. Adin Dalton. $5.99 e-book

(670p), ASIN B00DAHFRQ2

Amazon

The death of Pyotr Ilyich

Tchaikovsky, the great

19th-century Russian com-

poser, remains a mystery to

this day. This thoroughly

researched novel tells his personal story.

When Smiles Fade

Paige Dearth. CreateSpace.

$16.25 paper (470p),

ISBN 9781475096927;

$4.99 e-book ASIN

B00B8XPVL6Amazon; bn.com

How far will a child go to protect herself

and the people she loves? For Emma Mur-

phy, it meant becoming a serial killer.

Already There

Diane Dierks. Aha! Pub-

lishing. $12 paper (316p),

ISBN 9780974525419;

$8 e-book ASIN

B00ERV0TNG

Amazon

A single mother whose only

son was killed by a pedophile

comes to think that her plan for revenge

may be divinely inspired. She and the sher-

iff must wrestle with knowing what is

right when justice goes terribly wrong.

The Great Anti-American Novel

Daniel Donatelli. H.H.B. Publish-

ing. $17.76 paper (432p), ISBN

9781937648152; $8.61 e-book ISBN

9781937648169

tgaan.com

An Orwellian memoir

about two adopted siblings

fighting for survival during a

second American civil war

caused by government cor-

ruption and a global economic collapse.

Creatures of Grace

P. Kristen Enos. CreateSpace. $8.99 paper

(174p), ISBN 9781484933572; $5.99

e-book ISBN 9781630029616

Amazon

Connected fantasy short

stories that explore different

aspects of women’s lives from

a feminist angle, from abuse,

religious devotion, and sexual

orientation to gender iden-

tity.

Orbit Beach

Jane Etarie. Murder Island Press. $12.99

paper (212p), ISBN 9780988051515;

$2.99 e-book ISBN 9780988051508;

ASIN B007Z59FZ4

janeetarie.com; Amazon; bn.com

A lost car. A lost boy-

friend. A garbage job. A gar-bage roommate. The narrator

needs hidden wisdom to

make everything better—no

matter what, to conceive,

believe, achieve.

Hidden Doors, Secret Rooms

Jamie Eubanks. CreateSpace. $12.99

paper (340p), ISBN 9781482356182;

$2.99 e-book ASIN B00BSE43PK

Amazon

A ground-breaking and unsanctioned




surgical proce-

dure results in a

cure for a dying woman’s

Hodgkin’s lymphoma... but

not without negative ramifi-

cations.

Border Field Blues

Corey Lynn Fayman.

Corey Lynn Fayman.

$11.99 paper (316p),

ISBN 9781477600023;

$3.99 e-book ISBN

9780989452618; ASIN

B00FOVLL8K

coreylynnfayman.com; Amazon; bn.com

Sex, politics, environmentalism, and

classic rock guitars collide in this mystery

set in the backcountry along the San

Diego–Tijuana border. The second book in

the Rolly Waters series.

Other People

George Fithen.


paper (172p), ISBN

9781449782306;

$3.95 e-book ISBN

9781449782290; ASIN B00BD17OQ8

Amazon; bn.com

The willingness of one young woman to

share her faith helps a small group of

friends cope with tragedy.

Epic Sloth: Tales of the

Long Crawl

Philip Gaber. Philip Gaber.


9780615726489

(704) 649-2419

This new collection of introspective andedgy literary caricatures has the feel of a

neo-psychedelic itinerant busker involved

in a passionate and fiery partimen with

himself. These are psychology tales with a

theme of unavoidable destiny.

The Muse of Violence

Bruce Hartman. Swal-

low Tail Press. $12.95

paper (257p), ISBN

9780988918115; $3.99

e-book ASIN B00GCI6Z30

Amazon

A writers’ group in New York begins to

shed members as it acts out a sequel to

Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were

None.

Obitchuary

Stephanie Hayes. Stephanie

Hayes. $12.95 paper (280p),

ISBN 9780615884929;

99¢ e-book ISBN

9780989846134; ASIN

B00FH869U0

Amazon; bn.com

Penny Perkins just killed her date with

a bottle of Misty Mangoberry Merlot.

That’s especially inconvenient because she’s

the local newspaper’s obituary writer. As

she investigates, the mystery of her dead

date’s life deepens.

These Barren Hills

David J. Heslop.

CreateSpace. $14.95

paper (338p),

ISBN 9781490313023;

$4.95 e-book ASIN B00DGIN7IU

Amazon; bn.com

The rise and fall of the small rural town

of Red Cloud, Ariz.; the brutality of corpo-

rate greed; and the deadly consequences for

those who get in the way. A companion

novel to Red Cloud Pistachios.

Scary, Man

Jeffrey Hickey. Bignboo

Productions / CreateSpace.


9781484819265; $8.99

e-book ASIN B00FMX-

PTSSAmazon; bn.com

Amid small towns, small minds, gossip,

rumors, and paranoia, a professional story-

teller and teacher, his wife, and their

daughter embrace a new normal in 21st-

century America.

Restoring the Castle:

Restoring Faith

Romances, Book One

Joni M. Hill. WestBow


ISBN 9781490806099; $3.99 e-book

ISBN 9781490806082

Amazon; WestBow Press

At Kilmegan Castle in Scotland, bound-

less love grows in unexpected ways—

whether for a childhood friend or for God.

Cloudy Witness:

Blessedly Assured

Janette Jones. WestBow


ISBN 9781449752064;

$3.99 e-book ISBN 9781449752071

Amazon; WestBow Press

As three couples and one rumormonger

go about their daily journey, two unsus-

pecting souls encounter a figure clad in

white and end up with life-changing expe-

riences. This work of Christian fiction

brings the written Word to life.

The Last Journey of Jack

Lewis: The Conversa-

tion of C.S. Lewis with

Friedrich Nietzsche and

Sigmund Freud

Chang-Wuk Kang. West-


9781449791117; $3.95 e-book ISBN

978449791100

Amazon

Kang imagines a conversation among

Lewis, Nietzsche, and Freud when they

meet in the other world. As a result, a mys-

terious event takes place.

Oh Sh!t...:

The Awakening, Book 1

Michael Kaye. Michael Kaye

Books. $12.99 paper (480p),

ISBN 9780615877426;$4.99 e-book ISBN

9780615877426

Amazon

John and his family are awakened to fact

that they and the rest of society are facing

the implosion of the U.S. economy.

Terminal Rage

A.M. Khalifa. Citation Books. $14.99

paper (402p), ISBN 9781940387000;

$3.99 e-book ISBN 9781940387017;

Amazon; bn.com




A former FBI hostage nego-

tiator with a dark past faces off

with an enigmatic man deter-

mined to right old wrongs

through extreme measures.

Beyond the Shadow of the

Brownstone

Valerie Lawrence.

Carpenter’s Son Publishing.

$14.95 paper (284p),

ISBN 9780989372299;

$9.99 e-book ASIN B00DPZ00NE

Amazon; stl-distribution.com

The psychological pain of abortion,

betrayal, and accidental death shatter gen-

erations of a family, yet hope and new pur-

pose endure, as does the family’s brown-

stone.

The Alexandrite

Rick Lenz. Chromodroid


ISBN 9780984844241

(818) 780-1509

A Hollywood actor is fired

from a play in 1996, having no inkling his

next job will be starring opposite Marilyn

Monroe in 1956.

Odysseus: Bound

Stephen H. Logsdon. Book-

Baby. $2.99 e-book (312p),

ISBN 9781483504087;

ASIN B00EBE8X4G

Amazon

In search of intelligent life, the survey

ship Odysseus is lured by an artifact into a

life-or-death fight.

What She SawSheila Lowe. CreateSpace.


9781492309161; $3.99

e-book ASIN B00E3P0C6K

Amazon

A story of psychological suspense that

follows a young woman through the terri-

fying labyrinth of amnesia, where no one is

who or what they appear to be.

The Gray Ship

Russell F. Moran. Coddington Press.


9780989554602; $2.99

e-book ASIN B00ENIM9PE

Amazon

A novel of time travel,

romance, and a nuclear warship in the CivilWar. The captain is a 36-year-old African-

American woman.

Ponzi and Picasso: Finance,

Fraud and Fine Art

Rochelle Ohrstrom. Seismic

Behest. $15.95 paper (368p),

ISBN 9780989155571

Amazon; bn.com

When the multibillion-dollar global art

market collides in an avalanche of complic-

ity among oligarchs, Chinese mafia, and

hedge funds, an artist’s life is risked and

morals tested.

The Mayonnaise Murders

Keith A. Owens. Detroit

Ink Publishing. $12.99

paper (346p), ISBN

9780615784250; 99¢

e-book ISBN 9781626756441

Amazon

A detective from a planet where mayon-

naise is an essential ingredient in an illegal

drug tracks a dealer to a Colorado town.

Linnetsburg: Birth upon

the River Lune

M.L.M. Palima. CreateSpace.

$14.99 paper (420p),

ISBN 9781492706090;

$3.99 e-book ISBN 9780989949408;

ASIN B00F7YDSX0

Amazon; bn.com

Amid world war and electromagneticpulse weapons, history repeats itself as the

American-led community and militia of

Linnetsburg rise in the English city of

Linnetsford-upon-Lune.

Simple Simon

William Poe. CreateSpace.


9781477624999; $2.99

e-book ASIN B00F2R8CYC;

BN ID 2940148389842

Amazon; bn.com

From rural Arkansas to life

in a cultlike religious group,

Simon struggles to understand his sexual-

ity, cope with addiction, and find his place

in the community, and learns the power of

forgiveness and acceptance.

Uptown

J.T. Riggen.

Dog Ear Publishing.


9781457519567; $6.99

e-book ISBN 9781457520648

Amazon; bn.com

A crime thriller told from multiple

points of view is set against the backdrop

of a luxurious, state-of-the-art casino that

attracts both high rollers and the lowest of

criminals.

Searching: A Quest for

Truth, Love and Salvation

Janice Ross. WestBow


ISBN 9781490800806;

$3.99 e-book ISBN 9781490800813

Amazon; bn.com; WestBow Press

A story of love and faith, and mystery

and suspense, and a tapestry of characters

who find God meets every need in ways

only he could have orchestrated.

Jack Slater, Pooka Sloan,

Planet Earth

Paul Rovina. Chrysalis

Books. $2.99 e-book (187p)

ISBN 9781939736000

Amazon

An alcoholic, epileptic gunsmith-cum-

adventure novelist navigates Key West’s

criminal underworld. With a gangsters-’n’-guns plot, preoccupation with offbeat tech-

nology and unexplained phenomena, the

novel recalls steampunk gems like Nick

Harkaway’s Angelmaker .

Family Pieces

Misa Rush. ThINK Write

Publications. $10.10

paper (266p), ISBN

9780615391588; 99¢

e-book ISBN 9780983310105

Amazon; bn.com; Kobo




Stunned by the unexpected

death of her mother, Karen

Woods’s life turns upside down as she

searches for a missing piece of a necklace

that represents a beloved family tradition.

Across the Mekong River

Elaine Russell. CreateSpace.

$12.95 paper (262p),

ISBN 9781466338104;

$2.99 e-book ISBN

9781623450533

Amazon; bn.com

Russell charts the journey of a Hmong

family, fleeing war and persecution in Laos

to a refugee camp in Thailand and a diffi-

cult new life in the U.S.

The Christmas Bracelet

Sherry Schumann.


paper (240p), ISBN

9781449784256; $3.95

e-book ISBN 9781449784263

WestBow Press; Amazon; bn.com

Grief-stricken Kathryn Sullivan with-

draws from Christmas traditions until her

precocious neighbor, seven-year-old Abi-

gail, drags Christmas boxes from storage,

exposing a forgotten charm bracelet.

Death Never Sleeps

E.J. Simon. iUniverse.

$21.95 paper (386p),

ISBN 9781475986204;

$3.99 e-book ISBN

9781475986228

Amazon; bn.com

A psychological and technological

drama wrapped inside a classic crime

thriller. Two brothers—one a bookie, one acorporate CEO—get closer after one is

murdered.

The Peaceful Affair

Moshe Sipper. CreateSpace.


9781492306214; $4.99

e-book ASIN B00EXILZZE

Amazon

Renowned detective Noro Myx is called

in by the president to search for missing

war treaties whose disappearance could

wreak worldwide havoc. Myx plunges into

a gallant effort to save the world from the

horrors of nuclear peace.

Crossroads Blues

Israfel Sivad. PsychotronicArts. $15.50 paper (444p),

ISBN 9781478328704;

$2.99 e-book ASIN

B00AOV9J5W

Amazon; bn.com

Andrew, Charlie, and Michelle have

known each other since high school. But on

Sept. 11, 2001, as the Twin Towers col-

lapse, everything changes.

The Question

R. Breuer Stearns.

CreateSpace. $10.99

paper (270p),

ISBN 9781482084467;

$3.99 e-book

ISBN 97816300039462

Amazon; bn.com

If you could have the answer to only one

question, what would you ask? This novel

is the fiction that you wish, believe, or may

know is true.

The Canterbury Tales in

Neverland: A Post-apoca-

lyptic Mystery of Literary

Survival

Carl Stevens. Cre-

ateSpace. $19.95 paper (340p), ISBN

9781479355945; $3.99 e-book ASIN

B009NGPF9I

Amazon; bn.com

For those who plead that the classics

have meaning today, Stevens offers a post-

apocalyptic mystery wherein the detec-tive’s need for hard facts clashes with a

culture’s need to reinvent itself on the ever-

shifting sands of storytelling.

The Charging Bull of Terry County

Carl Stevens. CreateSpace. $14.95

paper (226p), ISBN

9781490461748;

$2.99 e-book ASIN

B00DPJNNE8

Amazon; bn.com

A postmodern fiction on

truth in the stories we tell about our wars,

our families, and ourselves: Gettysburg,

Hiroshima, 9/11, and the Treegarden family.

The Time Traveler’s Fool:

A Psychological Mystery ofLiterary Survival

Carl Stevens. CreateSpace.


9781480269897; $2.99 e-book ASIN

B00AAW9YG4

Amazon; bn.com

A dialogue on the metaphysics of read-

ing is a test of wills between a psychiatrist

and his patient who claims to travel

through time.

Jewel of the East

Nicholas L. Waddy. CreateSpace/

BookBaby. $12.99 paper (316p),

ISBN 9781484998816; $2.99

e-book ISBN 9781626759541

jewelnovel.blogspot.com

Set in 18th-century India, this novel

revolves around a beautiful young noble-

woman, a ruthless British colonel, and a

handsome, idealistic Indian mercenary.

The Last Hours of Their

Lives

Joseph A. Wellman. Book-

Locker. $14.95 paper (182p),

ISBN 9781626466388;

$4.99 e-book ISBN 9781626465695

Amazon; bn.com; Booklocker.com

A 53-year-old woman with just 40 hours

of flying takes over the controls of an air-

liner when the captain and first officer

become medically incapacitated.

Death’s Twisted Tales J.J. White. EBGB Publish-

ing. $9.95 paper (168p),

ISBN 9780615861616;

$1.95 e-book ASIN

B00EKY7776

Amazon; bn.com

Award-winning author J.J. White has

the Grim Reaper introduce 28 twisted tales

for the reader’s enjoyment.

Rage in Paris

Kirby Williams. CreateSpace. $14.99




paper (246p), ISBN

9781490314945;

$9.99 e-book ISBN

9780615876412

Amazon

A black jazzman flees Jim Crow, joinsthe French army during WWI and later

turns private eye. He tracks a runaway

American heiress during Paris’s 1934

political crisis.

The Girl in the Photo

Wally Wood. CreateSpace.


9781491230237; $2.99

e-book ASIN B00EBCE306

Amazon

Two middle-aged children first find a

memoir their dead father was writing

about a time in his life he never discussed

with them. They then find a letter that

says, in effect, “I love you, I miss you, I’m

going to have a baby.”

Broken Strings

Nancy Means Wright.

Nancy Means Wright

/ GMTA Publishing.


9780615743554; 99¢ e-book ISBN 978-

0615743552

Amazon; nancymeanswright.com

When puppeteer Fay finds a friend dead

from poisoned yew and a half-sister strung

up like a marionette, she vows to cut down

the killer.

HISTORY MGM: Saving the Best

for Last; Dore Schary and

the Death of MGMCharles Ziarko. Cre-

ateSpace. $40 paper (416p),

ISBN 9781491036075; $40 e-book

ASIN B00FPW1PGQ

Amazon

A former assistant director examines the

end of Hollywood’s Golden Age (1935–

1956) via the detailed financial profiles of the

Schary years (1948–1956) and MGM’s stars.

HOUSE & HOME

Maid to Translate: English to Spanish

Housekeeping Trans-

lations

Maria Flores Shaw.

Clean Casa. $35 hard-

cover (300p), ISBN

9780988423503maidtotranslate.com; boutique stores

An illustrated guide to bridging the

communication barrier between employers

and their Spanish-speaking housekeepers

(or vice versa). Contains checklists and over

1,000 translated phrases.

JUVENILE FICTIONHear

Jacqueline Abelson. Cre-

ateSpace. $14.99 paper

(272p), ISBN 9781475273090; 99¢

e-book ASIN B0084V2WVC

(626) 792-8627; Amazon; bn.com

Charlotte Goode, a talented 17-year-old,

faces a life-changing surgery that will leave

her deaf and end her days as a musician.

Ages 12–18.

The Phoenix Rising—

Destiny Calls

Phenice Arielle. Cre-

ateSpace. $12.99

paper (510p), ISBN

9781490354002; 99¢ e-book ASIN

B00CW664XW

Amazon

When a nightmare-plagued N.Y.U. stu-

dent wins a coveted trip to South Africa,

she embarks on a fight for her life that may

unlock the answers to her dreams. Ages

12–18.

The Prodigals,Book Two:

Giants in the Land

Clark Burbidge. WinePress

Publishing. $14.99 hard-

cover (248p), ISBN 9781606152416;

$9.99 e-book ISBN 9781414125206

(360) 802-9758

Three young prodigals must find them-

selves, overcome their own doubts, and

stand against the greatest evil ever to

threaten the land of giants. Ages 10–14.

Daughter of Camelot:

Empire of Shadows, Book 1

Glynis Cooney. Mabon Pub-

lishing. $12.99 paper (418p),

ISBN 9780989135009; $4.99

e-book ISBN 9780989135009Amazon; bn.com

At the turbulent end of the Arthurian

era, 14-year-old Dierdre aspires to the glo-

rious adventures open only to men and

secretly trains as a knight. But a ruthless

plot will test her ambitions. Ages 10–14.

Mistaken Identity

L.L. Eadie. CreateSpace/

Cricket Cottage Publishing.


9781491213704; $4.99

e-book ASIN B00ES5432O

Amazon; Cricket Cottage Publishing

Teen popstar Tuesday Greenwood wants

to change her bubblegum image. Zelda—

her antifan—reinvents Tuesday. But Tues-

day’s conservative mother and agent stand

in their way. Ages 11–16.

Trouble

Jean Jacobs Fort.

AuthorHouse. $14.49

paper (24p), ISBN

9781463405977; $3.99

e-book ISBN 9781481737517

bookwhirl.com

Follow the lit tle calves Trouble and

Rosie and their friend Jake the crow as they

find themselves in some chaotic mishaps on

Mr. Fort’s Shady Acres farm. Ages 3–6.

The Infinite Song:

An Allegorical

Tale for Our TimesAndrea Freeman.

Halcyon Wind

Press. $19.95 paper

(48p), ISBN 978-0989089708

(415) 250-8095; Amazon

An allegorical creation tale written in

rhyming verse, accompanied by hand-

painted illustrations. Ages 3–6.

The Starlight Chronicles: Slumbering

C.S. Johnson. WestBow Press. $17.95

paper (206p), ISBN 9781449779122;




$3.99

e-book ISBN

9781449779115

Amazon

The first book in a YA

series that centers on the life of HamiltonDinger, a 16-year-old whose seemingly

perfect life becomes an interdimensional

war zone as it crosses paths with the super-

natural. Ages 11–16.

Outview: The Inner Move-

ment #1

Brandt Legg. The Sager

Group. $14.99 paper (352p),

ISBN 9780988178533;

$7.99 e-book ISBN 9780988178540

Amazon

A coming-of-age thriller of mystics and

magic. While fighting to stay alive,

16-year-old Nate discovers that everything

he believed about his life is a lie. Ages

11–16.

Pete Pelican’s: Troubled

Double Shoe Tying Lesson!

M.B. Massey. Macaroni Press.


9780615722030

Amazon

This illustrated book encourages posi-

tive self-image and choosing the right

friends. Ages 3–6.

So Much Potential

Margaret J. McMaster. Man-

sbridge Dunn Publishers.


9780981052571; $5.99

e-book ASIN B00EW73SJW

Amazon; chapters.caAndy Towell’s dream of becoming a

commercial fisherman is jeopardized when

a co-worker goes missing. Ages 12–18 (Hi-

Lo).

Teenage Dirtbag

Rebecca Montemurro. Cre-

ateSpace and Smashwords.


9781490908861; $6.99

e-book ASIN B00DAD39JS; BN ID

2940044595422

Amazon; bn.com; iTunes

Dirtbag Kyle defies McKinley High’s

social stratosphere when he embarks on an

unexpected romance with popular Bettina

in Spain. Peer pressure and self-awareness

soon collide. Ages 12–18.

The Stormglass Protocol

Tim Pratt and Andy

Deemer. Stormglass Ven-

tures. $7.99 paper (278p),

ISBN 9780989933605;

$4.99 e-book ASIN B00FE-

ZLTPG

Amazon; bn.com

Fourteen-year-old Jake had ignored the

letters marked “Highly Confidential” for

too long, so they sent him a message he

couldn’t miss: “Don’t even think about

screaming, new kid. Very bad things will

happen if you scream.” Pratt is a Hugo

Award winner. Ages 10–14.

High: The Way of an Eagle

Charlene Quiram. Keytree


ISBN 9780989514507;

$2.99 e-book

ISBN 9780989514514

Amazon

Verona must use her eagle vision and her

friends’ supernatural powers to stop a

demon-infested serial killer—even if the

killer is her hot boyfriend. Ages 11–16.

What Really Matters!

Ralph A. Redding. Book-

whirl. $12.90 paper (24p),

ISBN 9781618562500;

$2.99 e-book ISBN

9781618562524bookwhirl.com; Amazon; bn.com

Zeke the zebra sees his reflection and gal-

lops off on an adventure to learn about the

color of his skin—and diversity. Ages 3–6.

Winter: The Manhattan Exiles, Volume 1

Sarah Remy. Madison Place Press.

$11.99 paper (302p),

ISBN 9780615830216;

$2.99 e-book ISBN

9780615875149

Amazon; bn.com; Indigo

When Winter discovers a changeling in

the subway, he realizes he’s been given a

chance to rescue his family from exile on

modern-day Manhattan. Ages 11–16.

External Forces: The Lawsof Motion, Volume 1

Deborah Rix. Dime Store

Books. $12.99 paper (268p),

ISBN 9780992020804;

$2.99 e-book ISBN 9780992020811

Amazon; bn.com

Since the Genetic Integrity Act was

passed, the Department of Evolution has

guided the creation of each generation, and

deviations from the divine plan are not per-

mitted. But a lot can happen to a girl

between her first kiss and her first kill.

Ages 11–16.

Dear Master Dragon

Alva Sachs. Three

Wishes Publishing Co.

$12.95 paper (32p),

ISBN 9780979638039

Amazon

Danny Dragon decides to write a letter

to the Master Dragon for help. Will the

Master Dragon write back, or will Danny

have to solve his problems by himself?

Danny discovers what it is like to be a real

dragon. Ages 3–6.

Almost Demon: Chamber

One of the Sigil Cycle

AJ Salem. Salem Books.


9781629660035; $9.99

e-book ISBN 9781629660031

Amazon; bn.com

Gemma Pope is a high school senior andcar crash survivor turned reluctant demon

summoner. As disasters multiply, she must

figure out whom to trust in order to save

her town. Ages 12–18.

Billy the Baaadly

Behaving Bully Goat

Staci J. Schwartz. Com-

teQ Publishing. $12.95

paper (32p), ISBN

9781935232605

stacischwartz.com; Comte-




Qpublishing.com; Amazon

In this rhyming story, a bullying billy

goat learns how to treat others with kind-

ness and respect. Ages 3–6.

The Adventures of Mr.Ant

Lloyd Shores. West-

Bow Press. $13.95

paper (28p), ISBN

9781449797478; $3.95 e-book ISBN

9781449797485

WestBow Press; Books-A-Million; Ama-

zon; bn.com

Mr. Ant, not willing to settle for a nor-

mal ant life, starts an adventure. He makes

friends, overcomes problems, and makes

interesting discoveries. Ages 3–6.

The Piano Tuner’s

Daughter: My Best

Friend

Ingrid Silvian. Xlibris.


9781483661810; $3.99 e-book ISBN

9781483661834

Amazon; bn.com; Xlibris

A story of the friendship of two young

girls—one Jewish, one Christian—who

live in 1930s Nazi Germany and how the

war changes their lives. Ages 8–12.

iPooKee

Brook Tesla. iPoo-

Kee Publishing Corp.

$14.99 paper (328p),

ISBN 9780989693509;

$2.99 e-book ISBN

9780989693516

Amazon; bn.com; Indigo

A teenager embarks on a time-warpingodyssey to reverse an unspeakable tragedy

that appeared to usher in the decline of a

world power. Ages 10–14.

Element Princess:

The Commence

Jenaia Williams. Xlibris.

$19.99 paper (300p),

ISBN 9781483652719;

$3.99 e-book ISBN

9781483652733

Amazon

In a small town near present-day Tokyo,

Element Princesses, young women possess-

ing godly abilities, must fight the Demon

Lord, who wants to destroy the human race

and rule the dimension. Ages 10–14.

JUVENILENONFICTIONSir Francis Drake

Pat Croce. Pirate & Mari-

time Research Society.

$15.95 hardcover (56p),

ISBN 9780989753302

thepiratemuseum.com;

Amazon

Follow Drake’s amazing journey from

humble sailor to fame and fortune, from

mere mate to beloved admiral, from a boy

with a dream to a knight kneeling before

Queen Elizabeth I. Ages 8–12.

NATUREWedded to the Land:

Stories from a Simple Life

on an Organic Fruit Farm

Joan Donaldson. WestBow


ISBN 9781449785505; $3.99 e-book

ISBN 9781449785499


Agrarian stories that portray the chal-

lenges of drought, raising organic fruit,

living off the grid, plus the joys reaped

from the land and friends. The author and

her husband have been organic farmers for

40 years.

The Story of Chester:

The Monarch Caterpillar / Larvae

Susie Vanderlip. Intuitive Wisdom

Publications. $24.95 paper (26p), ISBN9780974462400; $9.99 e-book ISBN

97809744624

iBooks; storyofchester.com

A brilliantly col-

ored, fully narrated

photo s to rybook

packaged with a live-

action video of Ches-

ter the monarch cat-

erpillar on his mission to become a beauti-

ful butterfly.

NONCLASSIFI ABLEWhat My Dog Has

Taught Me About Men

(After All, He’s Male,Too!)

Barbara Jude Frerichs.

Stonesong Press. $14.95 hardcover (64p),

ISBN 9780989497008

Ingram

A beautifully illustrated and light-

hearted book about women, their dogs, and

their men.

NONFICTIONThe Sky Behind Me: A

Memoir of Flying and Life

Byron Edgington. Bib-

lio Publishing. $17.95

paper (301p), ISBN

9781622490370; $9.99

e-book ASIN B00AMRO5GQ

Amazon; Lightning Source; Ingram; Biblio

More than an aviation memoir, this is

a story of a lost dr eam, war, a struggle

for redemption, and a new and better

dream by a retired commercial helicopter

pilot.

Canaan Stoppers

Godwin Emofo. WestBow


ISBN 9781449784737;

$3.95 e-book ISBN

9781449784744


This book warns against the sins and

influences that can keep individuals from

their God-given inheritance.

Moments of Grace and

Spiritual Warfare in the

Lord of the Rings

Anne Marie Gazzolo.


paper (224p), ISBN

9781449769680; $3.99 e-book ISBN

9781449769673

West Bow Press

All you need to know about life you can

learn from those in Middle-earth.




Focus on Your Best

Health: Smart Guide to the

Health Care You Deserve

Glenda F. Newell, M.D., and

Brenda B. Spriggs, M.D.

CUSH Communications.$18.44 paper (272p), ISBN

9780979179297; $9.99

e-book ISBN 9781483505817

focusonyourbesthealth.com

This guide by two physicians demysti-

fies the language of medicine, teaches

health care consumers how to navigate the

medical maze, and gives them the absolute

permission to take charge of their wellness

and health care.

The Improbable Return

of Coco Chanel: As Wit-

nessed by Her Assistant,

Richard Parker

Richard Parker. EBook Bak-

ery. $14.95 paper (132p),

ISBN 9781938517150; $6.95 e-book

ISBN 9781938517136

ebookbakery.com

In Parker’s recollections of his time as

the young assistant to the aging fashion

icon, he chronicles the untold challenges in

opening a new showroom for Chanel Per-

fumes in New York, the corporate infight-

ing between two alpha male executives,

and how Coco Chanel’s return to haute

couture was saved from disaster.

The Fourth Demand: The

Story of a Father and Son

Journey

Andy Solomon. BookBaby.

$8.99 e-book (400p), ISBN

9781483502854; ASINB00E3XCBJS

Amazon; bn.com; Sony; iBooks; Kobo

The tale of an over-9,000-mile shared

motorcycle tour of America that marks the

end of 20 years together as single dad and

only child.

Finding X: One Family’s

Solution to Obsessive

Compulsive Disorder

Joni St. John and Ray

St. John. Vermilion

Press. $14.95 paper (331), ISBN

9781467567626; $7.95 e-book ASIN

B00EBWRCH2

Vermilionpress.com

The St. Johns detail their family’s deal-

ings with obsessive compulsive disorderand strive to make this disorder more

understandable.

PERFORMINGActor Muscle: Craft.

Grit. Wit.; A Professional

Guide to the Business of

Acting

Beverly Leech. Actor Mus-

cle/Voltaire Media. $19.95

paper (252p), ISBN 9780615705309;

$9.99 e-book ISBN 9780989345019

Amazon

Updated with 2013 rates and services,

this book is written for every actor to begin,

maintain, and sustain a professional life.

PHILOSOPHY The Delude: A Philosophical Journey

Yoji K. Gondor. Cre-

ateSpace. $19.95

paper (128p), ISBN

9781481015370; $9.99

e-book ASIN B00CYM-

M6MC

Amazon; select bookstores

A delude is an individual that is over-

whelmed by various incoherent and false

assertions. This book examines old ideas in

a modern context. It is a philosophical

study that reflects on epistemic conditions

in which knowledge is accumulated.

POETRY

The Beginning of MeEric Christopher Jack-

son. CreateSpace. $9.99

paper (102p), ISBN

9781490572048; $4.99

e-book ASIN B00EIKV9K8

Amazon

Jackson says, “Without the abil ity to

write, my life would become too silent.

Without an avenue to express my emo-

tions, my questions, each day would

become void. Without an audience to hear

me, my words would become prisoners

inside of me. This is my poetry.”

Misty Mirrors

Gilbert Soroquère. Lulu.

com. $12 paper (90p), ISBN

9781105178238Amazon

A collection of poetic texts reflecting

thoughts and deep sentiments about every-

day life. Includes perspectives of the

author’s life in Paris, Madagascar, Tahiti,

and San Francisco.

PSYCHOLOGY Shrinkwrapped: My First

Fifty Years on the Couch

I. Michael Grossman. RDR

Books and EBook Bakery.


9781571431288; $4.95

e-book ISBN 9780984015535

ebookbakery.com; Amazon; bn.com

Perhaps the world’s longest coming-of-

age quest, this is the often humorous and

true story of a boy-to-man’s search for emo-

tional maturity. Grossman’s quest parallels

psychoanalysis from the early Freudians to

a curious bunch of New Age clinicians.

RELIGIONReaching Out and

Bringing In: Ministry to

and with Persons with

Disabilities

David W. Anderson. West-


9781449790950; $3.99 e-book ISBN

9781490805559


This book is intended to help pastors and

church leaders develop an inclusive world-view for ministering to and with individu-

als and families affected by disability.

Life-Changing Verses,

Volume 1

Carlton Lee Arnold.


paper (154p), ISBN

9781449779221; $3.99

e-book ISBN 9781449779214

(770) 886-8667

The objective of this book is to enable




Christians to personally apply specific

Bible verses to their personal lives. Selected

Bible verses are explained, real life applica-

tion is given, and readers are challenged to

apply them to their lives.


Volume 2

Carlton Lee Arnold.


paper (186p), ISBN

9781449789466; $3.99

e-book ISBN 9781449789459

(770) 886-8667








Volume 3

Carlton Lee Arnold.


paper (182p), ISBN

9781449798628; $3.99

e-book ISBN 9781449798611

(770) 886-8667







Life-Changing Verses

About Men: Encourage-

ment for Christian Men to

Apply God’s Word with

ConvictionCarlton Lee Arnold. West-


9781490806624; $3.99 e-book ISBN

9781490806617

(770) 886-8667

This book identifies a Bible passage,

provides a description of that passage, and

makes a real-life personal application for a

Christian man. Each of the 52 chapters is

intended to challenge the way a Christian

man lives his life in the world today.

The Religious Right Is

Wrong: The Ethics of

Religion and the Gay

Community

F. Lee Barham, M.D. Brid-

geview Press and CreateSpace. $18.99paper (290p), ISBN 9781478116936;

$7.99 e-book ISBN 9780615862095

Amazon; bn.com

The author advances a straightforward

argument against the historical, biased,

and misunderstood biblical documents

that unfairly harm members of the nonhet-

erosexual religious community in its search

for equality.

Revive! The Oracles of

God: The Three Constants

of the Christian faith

Ozakieoniso Charlie.


hardcover (160p), ISBN

9781449790127; $5.99 e-book ISBN

9781449790110

WestBow Press

This book is the author’s holy cry to

bring believers back to the three con-

stants of Christianity: the Word of God,

Prayer, and Service. He believes that

when all three are embraced as a lifestyle,

there will be a threefold r elease of the

power of God.

Understanding the Bible:

Head and Heart, Part

One: The Old Testament

Bob Dowell. WestBow


ISBN 9781449775797; $9.99 e-book

ISBN 9781449777890

Amazon; bn.comThis book guides the reader through the

Bible, with interpretive prose summaries

to inform the head and interpretive poetic

summaries to incite the heart.

Healing Hereafter: Find-

ing Rational and Refresh-

ing Answers for Why

We’re Here and Where

We’re Headed

Jason Dykstra, M.D.

Samizdat Creative.


9781938633195; $7.99

e-book ISBN 9781938633201

Amazon; bn.com

Dykstra explores wide-ranging questions

about the afterlife, heaven, hell, and God’splan for humanity in this accessible Biblical

investigation. All proceeds benefit charity.

The Royalty Principle:

A Guide to Reigning in

the Kingdom of Heaven

Lady Dylyce. WestBow


ISBN 9781449785598;

$5.99 e-book ISBN 9781449785604

WestBow Press

A two-part book that includes the

author’s testimony (filled with “close

encounters of the God kind”), and a

10-week discipleship study.

A Glimpse of Glory: My

Journey to Heaven and

Back

Rick East. WestBow Press.


9781490803784; $3.99

e-book ISBN 9781490803777

Amazon

A mysterious illness caused the author to

lapse into respiratory failure the afternoon

of December 25, 2012. He discovered his

spirit was in Heaven, being coached by the

Holy Spirit, and he saw the City of Heaven,

New Jerusalem.

Exploring Faith and Rea-

son: The Reconciliation of

Christianity and Biologi-

cal EvolutionBruce Glass. DBG Publish-

ing. $13.25 paper (296p),

ISBN 9780578110479; $5.95 e-book

ASIN B00B5UHG7Y

Amazon

The author presents a faith-affirming

examination of the intersection of Christi-

anity and the unbiased findings of science.

The Fisherman’s Wife: The Gospel

According to St. Peter’s Spouse

Kathleen Glavich. WestBow Press.




$19.95 paper (252p),

ISBN 9781449790585;

$6.99 e-book ISBN

9781449790578

WestBow Press

The story of Peter’s long-suffering wife in first-cen-

tury Capernaum. The sto-

ries of Peter and Jesus and

others are told through her eyes.

Footsteps Toward

Grace

Jodi Hammann. West-

Bow Press. $11.95

paper (108p), ISBN

9781490804606;

$3.99 e-book ISBN

9781490804613

WestBow Press

This book is a collection of stories from

the author’s life—the ups, the downs, the

tears, and the laughter. She went for 39

years without the Lord, and these stories

are her footsteps toward grace.

Throwing Grapes and

Moving Mountains:

A Devotional Journey

for the Hungry Heart

Jan Hegelein. West-

Bow Press. $19.95

paper (266p), ISBN

9781449775902; $3.99 e-book ISBN

9781449775926

(866) 928-1240; WestBow Press

This collection of biblical reflections

aims to swiftly draw the reader into in

PW Select November 2013

Documents

Transcript of PW Select November 2013