Soul Matters by Yolonda Tonette Sanders

Posted on November 26, 2025 by admin

Title: Soul Matters

Author: Yolonda Tonette Sanders

Publisher: Yo Productions LLC

Publication Date: September 30, 2025

Pages: 360

Genre: Contemporary Christian Fiction

Formats: Hardcover, Paperback, Kindle

With a successful husband, a fulfilling teaching career, and a baby on the way, Wendy Phillips seems to have it all. She’s certain God is on her side. After all, the woman she’s become wouldn’t exist without the strength of her close-knit family or her own determination to be a model daughter, sister, and wife.

But one phone call shatters Wendy’s illusion of perfection, turning her carefully crafted life upside down. Suddenly, everything she believed about herself, her family, and her faith is called into question.

As her marriage crumbles and her faith wavers, Wendy finds herself needing more support than she ever imagined. Her journey to healing will require a sister’s unexpected strength, a mother’s surprising honesty, and a truth Wendy never saw coming.

Now only God’s grace can help her confront the pain she didn’t expect and discover the soul-deep freedom she never dreamed possible.

Soul Matters is available at Amazon and Walmart.

Book Excerpt:

Shaking and short of breath, Wendy wiped her sweaty palms on her clothing and dialed the number. “Hi, this is Wendy Phillips,” she said, trying to hold back tears. “I’m returning a call to Dr. Korva. Will she be able to see me today? I can be there in about half an hour?” She altered her traveling time, hoping to increase her chance of being seen.

“Oh,” she said solemnly when the receptionist said Dr. Korva was running behind schedule. Wendy couldn’t be seen until Monday morning. “Well, can you tell her I’m on the line? Maybe she can just tell me the results over the phone.” She crossed her fingers, praying that she would be transferred to the doctor. No such luck. Dr. Korva preferred to talk in person. “Okay, I’ll be there at nine on Monday,” she said, confirming the time of her appointment before hanging up the phone in despair.

How am I going to make it until then? She dreaded going back to the office and arranging for a substitute through Ms. Burchett. Forget it. I’ll just call in, she opted. Sure, not submitting a request for a substitute beforehand was inconsiderate and unprofessional, but she didn’t care at this point. Her main concern was finding some way to make it through the weekend without losing her mind.

– Excerpted from Soul Matters by Yolonda Tonette Sanders, Yo Productions LLC, 2025. Reprinted with permission.

About the Author:

Yolonda Tonette Sanders, Ph.D., is a storyteller at heart with a passion for both words and people. She is the co-founder of the Faith and Fellowship Book Festival and the author of numerous works, including novels, poetry, short stories, and academic publications. Her writing blends authenticity, emotional depth, and spiritual insight, often drawing from her own journey of faith and resilience.

Yolonda earned her doctorate in organizational leadership from Indiana Wesleyan University and is certified in emotional intelligence. She enjoys teaching, mentoring, consulting, and helping others discover their own voices through writing. When she’s not creating or consulting, you’ll likely find her spending time with her husband or enjoying heartfelt moments with loved ones.

Her latest book is the contemporary Christian fiction, Soul Matters.

You can visit her website at www.yoproductions.net .

Watch her YouTube channel!

Connect with her at X, Facebook, Instagram and Goodreads.

Categories: Christian Fiction | Leave a comment

The Death of the Kremlin Czar by Jorg H. Trauboth

Posted on March 6, 2025 by admin

Title: The Death of the Kremlin Czar
Author: Jorg H. Trauboth
Publication Date: August 26, 2024
Pages: 443
Genre: Thriller

Russian President and new Czar Ivan Pavlenko suddenly shows his true colors during the war in Ukraine. He wants the old Soviet Union back. The world is on the brink. The influential oligarch Alexei Sokolov wants to prevent Ivan’s megalomaniacal plans and is planning a fundamental new beginning for Russia. To achieve this, the Russian president must die. How will the US President react to the CIA’s proposal to support the oligarch, who has a romantic relationship with the Russian President’s partner, Yulia?

The poison attack is perfectly prepared, but the Boeing with the oligarch Alexei Sokolow, his lover and over 100 passengers on board is hijacked by a Ukrainian terrorist and is supposed to crash over Berlin after knocking out the crew by shooting. Former elite soldier Marc Anderson is on board with his family and takes over with Alexei. The two flight amateurs try to get control. Will the landing and the assassination succeed or will the Kremlin Czar strike back brutally after realizing the role of Yulia?

The Death of the Kremlin Czar is available at Amazon (U.S. edition) and Amazon (German edition).

Book Excerpt:

“Watch out! High-voltage line at three hundred meters!“, shouted the co-pilot.
“In sight!“ the commander replied calmly, pulling up just before the obstacle and immediately pushing the helicopter down again.

The two pilots of the Ukrainian armed forces guided the old Russian Mi-8 helicopter with their night vision devices on a zigzag course away from populated areas and Russian defense walls to the target. The destination was Luhansk. The mission: to free their own soldiers from Russian captivity. They had volunteered for the Ascension mission and trained for the flight intensively in the simulator supplied by the USA, including simulated enemy fire and evasive maneuvers. The simulator‘s current aerial photographs proved to be extremely helpful in the dimly lit night. A lot had changed in Donbass since the region was forcibly annexed by Russian President Ivan Pavlenko. Destroyed cities, abandoned villages, mined escape routes, deportations, rapes, mass graves, poverty, hunger, thirst and despair.

Ivan Pavlenko was called “Czar Ivan II“ by the co-pilot, a former history teacher. But not only by him. The Ukrainian people hated this man who had brought so much suffering to their families with his megalomania and wanted to steal their country. Even those people whose thinking was shaped by Russian culture had turned their backs on this madman in Moscow.

The co-pilot turned to Iris, the commander of the special forces, and signaled “30 minutes.“

Iris had been given his nickname because – like the German anti-aircraft missile of the same name – he was known for always hitting the bull‘s eye. Everything Iris tackled led to success. On a street in Kiev, the child-pushing, medium-sized, friendly man at his wife‘s side would not have been noticed. No one could have guessed that the man flirting with his young daughter was a rare mixture of analyst, combat soldier and leader with a stellar military career ahead of him.

Iris looked at his men. The two teams sat opposite each other and remained completely relaxed despite the loud engine noise in the old transport helicopter with its fake Russian registration.

Perhaps it was a kind of meditative calm before the dangerous mission. Or perhaps it was the awareness that they could be hit by a Russian missile at any time during this night-time low-level flight into the Luhansk Oblast without being able to do anything about it. There weren‘t even any parachutes on board, because every kilogram counted for the return flight, during which the aged and rattling Mi-8 would be fully occupied.

The commander of the special forces fixed his gaze on the German opposite, who returned the look and nodded. Iris had received authorization for this rescue mission with a foreign team member from the highest authority. He had only agreed to it because the German Marc Anderson was considered a legend in the West despite being only thirty-five years old. Together with the US Navy SEALs, he had evacuated an American aircrew from the depths of Afghanistan and later served as a private security officer.

The US president‘s family was rescued from the hands of Iranian terrorists on a luxury yacht by the security agent and his team. He and his team were personally honored by the US President. The Iranian terrorists took revenge and brutally murdered Marc‘s wife in front of their house in Hamburg.

About the Author

Jörg H. Trauboth, born in 1943 near Berlin, logged over two thousand flight hours as a Weapon Systems Officer Instructor in the Luftwaffe, flying PHANTOM F-4F / RF-4E and TORNADO fighter jets, and over 3000 hours in light aircraft. At the age of fifty, he left the service with the rank of Colonel in the General Staff. He received training as a Special Risk Consultant from the English Control Risk Group and served as Managing Director Germany, dealing with extortion and kidnapping cases in South America and Eastern Europe. Shortly thereafter, he founded his own consulting firm, quickly establishing an outstanding international reputation. Trauboth protected his clients with a 24-hour task force during product extortions, product recalls, kidnappings, and image crises. He was the first President of the European Crisis Management Academy in Vienna and President of the American Yankee Association.

He is known as a respected expert in the media on security-related topics. He volunteers as an emergency counselor and is a member of the Crisis Intervention Team (KIT Bonn) of the German Foreign Office. He is a private pilot, married, with two sons and three grandchildren.

In 2002, Trauboth wrote the now out of print standard work “Crisis Management for Company Threats”.

In 2016 the follow-up work was published with Jörg H. Trauboth as editor in collaboration with five authors: “Crisis Management in Companies and Public Institutions”.

Terror expert J. H. Trauboth presented his debut novel in 2015 with the Germany thriller “Three Brothers”. (Available in English). In 2019 “Operation Jerusalem” followed and in 2020 “Omega”. The trilogy is about the former elite soldier Marc Anderson and his team. With these three self-contained thrillers, Trauboth is rated by many readers as the “German Tom Clancy.” The trilogy is available as a printed edition, eBook and audio book.

His first detective novel, “Jakobs Weg” (German), followed in 2021. The highly explosive topic of “sexual abuse of children” is processed sensitively in a scenario on the Way of Saint James and at the end offers contact options for those seeking help.

In 2022, the novella “Bonjour Saint-Ex” was published (German) in which the passionate pilot Jörg H. Trauboth turns the last flight of the legend Antoine de Saint Exupéry into an exciting literary event.

Readers wanted a sequel to the Marc Anderson series. In 2023, ZarenTod – Das Ende der Präsidenten was published, a highly topical political thriller. The Russian president and new tsar, Ivan Pavlenko, suddenly shows his true face during the war in Ukraine. He wants the old Soviet Union back. The world is on the brink. The influential oligarch, Alexei Sokolov, wants to prevent Ivan’s megalomaniac plans and is planning a fundamental new beginning for Russia. To achieve this, the Russian president must be removed. But the plan goes awry. Ex-elite soldier Marc Anderson intervenes. Will Czar Ivan die? What will become of Europe? The book 8/ 2024 in English „The Death of the Kremlin Czar” is the fourth political thriller in the Marc Anderson series.

Website & Social Media:

Website ➜ https://trauboth-autor.de/english/

Twitter ➜ https://twitter.com/JorgTrauboth

Categories: Thriller | Tags: anxiety, depression, healing, health, mental health | Leave a comment

Nurse Dorothea Presents Why Coping Skills Work and What Are Some That Can Be Done Anytime and Anywhere by Michael Dow

Posted on February 8, 2025 by admin

Title: Nurse Dorothea Presents Why Coping Skills Work and What Are Some That Can Be Done Anytime and Anywhere
Author: Michael Dow
Publication Date: August 18, 2024
Pages: 308
Genre: YA/Nonfiction

We are starting the process of removing stigma about mental health issues. Let’s share ideas of the journey to well-being and seek to understand others as they are instead of how we wish them to be. By learning to know ourselves and trying different coping skills that are specific to the situation that we find ourselves in, we can achieve balance and peace. As we deepen our self-awareness and harness tailored coping mechanisms for diverse situations, we pave the path to equilibrium and serenity. Let’s foster an environment conducive to both individual and collective growth within our society. By doing this, we unlock potentials previously unattainable, empowering us to fully cultivate our knowledge, skills, and abilities. With gratitude in our heart, peace in our mind, and confidence in our capabilities, we can face the future with bravery, courage, and determination to help make the best lives for ourselves and others that we possibly can. If society wants something we have never had, we’re going to have to do something that has never been done.

Nurse Dorothea Presents Why Coping Skills Work and What Are Some That Can Be Done Anytime and Anywhere is available at Lulu.

Book Excerpt:

“Hi everyone, my name is Nurse Dorothea. Thank you for coming to the after-school club on mental health. I hope to provide you with some tools to manage your emotions and navigate life’s challenges.Mental health is complicated because there are so many things that can affect it. This class was created to show that it is ok to talk about your mental health with others as well as to give you ideas to improve your mental health.

“We will be recording this session. People in the future will get to experience the same things you will today. Sometimes, I will speak to people watching this showor reading the future book about the class. This is an interactive class and I want you all to ask questions as you have them. We will stop sometimes and discuss things with each other. If you are watching the show or reading the book, then I want YOUall to also discuss the questions and topics with those in the room. This book is an experience, and you will only get the full experience by talking with others. Please take breaks from the show as you need to since this will be a long discussion.”

– Excerpted from Nurse Dorothea Presents Why Coping Skills Work and What are Some That Can Be Done Anytime and Anywhere by Michael Dow, Dow Creative Enterprises, 2024. Reprinted with permission.

About the Author

Michael Stephen Dow is married to Perla in Arizona and has 3 kids. Michael was on a path to attend medical school and then the events of September 11, 2001 occurred. Michael became angry at the terrorists and decided to join the US Air Force. He went through Officer Training School and then graduated specialized Navigator training to become an Electronic Warfare Officer. Michael deployed 6 times for the Global War on Terror between 2005 and 2009 with the EC-130H Compass Call mission. Michael medically retired in 2010 and then became an US Army contractor serving Wounded Warriors and ensuring they received all of their entitled benefits for 8 years. Michael always had a love for science and the human body so he then used his GI bill to go through nursing school and graduated in August 2020. Michael now works as a Registered Nurse at an inpatient psychiatric hospital. Michael’s education is as follows: B.A. in Psychology from Auburn University in 1999, B.S. in Biology from the University of Alabama at Birmingham in 2001, M.S. in Management from Troy University in 2010, Masters in Health Administration from the University of Phoenix in 2017, and M.S. from the University of Arizona in 2020 through its 15 month accelerated Masters Entry to the Profession of Nursing program. Michael is the Founder and Manager of Dow Creative Enterprises, LLC. His books have garnered the Silver Nautilus Book award in 2020 (Nurse Florence, Help I’m Bleeding) and an Award-Winning Finalist in the Religion category for the 2021 International Book Awards (A Prayer to Our Father in the Heavens: Possibly the Greatest Jewish Prayer of All Time). Michael believes we will need the best of science and religion to successfully navigate ourselves, our civilization, through the future obstacles we will face. More information can be found at www.DowCreativeEnterprises.com and www.NurseFlorence.org. Nurse Florence® is a federally registered trademark by Dow Creative Enterprises. The Nurse Florence® series seeks to promote science and health among children and to help increase the health literacy levels of our society. With teamwork, inclusion, faith and perseverance, we can bravely face our problems and help each other reach our better selves as well as our best collective good.

Website & Social Media:

Website ➜ www.nursedorothea.com

Facebook ➜ https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100095060389625

Categories: Non-Fiction, Young Adult | Tags: health, mental health, Michael Dow, nurse, Nurse Dorothea, nursing, self-care | Leave a comment

A Heart’s Journey to Forgiveness by Terese Luikens

Posted on December 6, 2024 by admin

A Heart’s Journey to Forgiveness Terese Luikens Publication Date: November 3, 2022 Pages: 282 Genre: Memoir For Terese Luikens, a picture-perfect childhood it was not. Frequent cross country moves, an emotionally absent mother and an alcoholic father who ends his life by suicide when Terese is just thirteen years old. The sixth of seven children, Terese grew up in an unstable and chaotic household–invisible to her mom yet cherished by her father. This heartfelt memoir documents the chain reaction of a tumultuous family history. From her stormy childhood to the far-reaching effects of her father’s suicide, Terese shares her inspiring journey to escape the shame of her past, find healing and live, learn to trust, and discover faith in a real and personal God. A Heart’s Journey to Forgiveness is available at Amazon. Book Excerpt In my mind, these warm childhood memories include only my dad, never my mom. One photo from that era, snapped by an older sibling using Mom’s Instamatic camera, seems to capture our family dynamic. We are in the living room of the house that had the front-porch swing. I might be around four years old. My hair is cut short, pixie style, and I am wearing a long-sleeved, cotton-ribbed bathrobe. Dad, kneeling, wears a suit coat and a bowler hat. His hands are clasped behind my back and mine are hooked around his neck. Smiling, cheek-to-cheek, we face the camera. Dad and I are in the center of the photo while Mom is in the lower left hand corner. She is sitting in a chair, and wears a plaid skirt and a turtleneck sweater. Her passive face is turned toward the camera. That snapshot captures my life: Dad at the center and Mom on the perimeter. About the Author

Terese Luikens has been married for forty-four years to the same man, although she is on her third wedding ring, having lost one and worn out another. She lives in Sandpoint, Idaho, enjoys being mother to three grown sons and grandmother to her much-loved grandchildren. She is the author of A Heart’s Journey to Forgiveness, a Memoir of her inspiring journey of emotional healing from her father’s suicide. She facilitates retreats and workshops focusing on forgiveness, and publishes her own blog, Why Bother? You can visit her website at www.tereseluikens.com.

Categories: Memoir | Tags: A Heart's Journey to Forgiveness, Terese Luikens | Leave a comment

Nurse Florence for Beginning Readers Coloring Book: Why Is Chicken Healthy to Eat? by Michael Dow

Posted on September 23, 2024 by admin

Title: Nurse Florence for Beginning Readers Coloring Book: Why is Chicken Healthy to Eat?
Author: Michael Dow
Publication Date: May 6, 2024
Pages: 43
Genre: Children/Coloring Book

Jean, Condi, and Sonia see Nurse Florence in the cafeteria and ask if they can sit with her so they can learn something new. The nurse is eating chicken, and the girls ask her why it is healthy to eat. Nurse Florence discusses the types of nutrients inside like vitamins, minerals, and protein. The nurse mentions that research shows eating chicken with lots of vegetables is very healthy for you. The girls are amazed at how the body works and how chicken can help them have a healthy lifestyle. They can’t wait to see Nurse Florence again and keep learning new things about the body.

You can purchase your copy at Lulu.

Book Excerpt:

This is a health book series meant to help kids take their first steps in their journey of healthy living. A friendly nurse, Nurse Florence, guides three girls named Jean, Condi, and Sonia as they ask questions about their body and how to live healthier. The title character, Nurse Florence, is in honor of Florence Nightingale, the pioneer of modern nursing. We hope a new generation of kids get interested in nursing and other health careers.

– Excerpted from Nurse Florence for Beginning Readers Coloring Book by Michael Dow, Michael Dow, 2024. Reprinted with permission.

About the Author

Michael Dow author Michael Stephen Dow is married to Perla in Arizona and has 3 kids. Michael was on a path to attend medical school and then the events of September 11, 2001 occurred. Michael became angry at the terrorists and decided to join the US Air Force. He went through Officer Training School and then graduated specialized Navigator training to become an Electronic Warfare Officer. Michael deployed 6 times for the Global War on Terror between 2005 and 2009 with the EC-130H Compass Call mission. Michael medically retired in 2010 and then became an US Army contractor serving Wounded Warriors and ensuring they received all of their entitled benefits for 8 years. Michael always had a love for science and the human body so he then used his GI bill to go through nursing school and graduated in August 2020. Michael now works as a Registered Nurse at an inpatient psychiatric hospital. Michael’s education is as follows: B.A. in Psychology from Auburn University in 1999, B.S. in Biology from the University of Alabama at Birmingham in 2001, M.S. in Management from Troy University in 2010, Masters in Health Administration from the University of Phoenix in 2017, and M.S. from the University of Arizona in 2020 through its 15 month accelerated Masters Entry to the Profession of Nursing program. Michael is the Founder and Manager of Dow Creative Enterprises, LLC. His books have garnered the Silver Nautilus Book award in 2020 (Nurse Florence, Help I’m Bleeding) and an Award-Winning Finalist in the Religion category for the 2021 International Book Awards (A Prayer to Our Father in the Heavens: Possibly the Greatest Jewish Prayer of All Time). Michael believes we will need the best of science and religion to successfully navigate ourselves, our civilization, through the future obstacles we will face. More information can be found at www.DowCreativeEnterprises.com and www.NurseFlorence.org. Nurse Florence® is a federally registered trademark by Dow Creative Enterprises. The Nurse Florence® series seeks to promote science and health among children and to help increase the health literacy levels of our society. With teamwork, inclusion, faith and perseverance, we can bravely face our problems and help each other reach our better selves as well as our best collective good.

Author Links

Website | Facebook

Categories: Children's | Leave a comment

IS TRUTH STRANGER THAN FICTION? YOU DECIDE…by JB Miller

Posted on July 31, 2024 by admin

Title: Is Truth Stranger Than Fiction? You Decide…

Author: JB Miller

Publication Date: April 3, 2024

Pages: 145

Genre: Mystery

In Is Truth Stranger than Fiction . . . You Decide, J.B. Miller takes readers on a captivating journey through the world of storytelling. The three stories in volume one explore the fascinating intersection of fact and fiction.

With her trademark wit, Miller poses thought-provoking questions about the nature of reality, the power of imagination, and the enduring appeal of a well-told tale.

Each story is a mystery for the reader to decide. Is it truth or is it fiction?

Hint: There is truth in every story.

Challenge: If you can figure out how the stories connect you can be acknowledged in volume two for being spot on.

Email miller.jody@icloud.com to enter your answers and your name. By doing so, and if you are correct, you agree to have your name mentioned in volume 2.

Whether you’re a fan of literature, film, or simply mysteries of human experience, this book is sure to enlighten and entertain. A must-read for anyone who has ever wondered where the boundaries of truth and fiction truly lie.

Buy Links:

Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/yfj5yk5j

Book’s Website: http://www.truth-or-fiction.com

Book Excerpt:
1.Fired

Bill had no clue he was about to be fired.

He was sure that his job as an Institutional Salesman at a leading Investment Bank was secure. After all, he alone was responsible for the largest investment funds the bank dealt with and had spent the last ten plus years cultivating those relationships.

Bill thought nothing of jumping on a red eye from New York to San Francisco, just so he could arrive in time to take the head of a Hedge Fund out to breakfast, and then fly back the same day to do dinner with Global Investments, the bank’s largest client.

A go-getter and dedicated employee described Bill perfectly.

Bill loved his job and knew that sacrifice was required for success.

He willingly signed up fifteen years ago (after getting his undergrad from Columbia and MBA from Wharton), with the hope that he would run his Father’s global fund someday.

At 42, Bill took on the look of most investment professionals; slightly overweight, thinning hair, a few wrinkles. He was not as good as he once was, but overall, he could still turn a head now and then.

He used to get up at 3 a.m., workout at the New York Athletic Club in midtown and be at his desk by 5. But over the past few years, what with all the extra responsibilities that come with being a top biller, a father of growing children and making sure he paid adequate attention to his wife, the exercise slipped away.

That’s when the weight sneaked in. But hey, he got an extra hour of sleep instead, so he accepted the tradeoff.

Bill’s wife quit her job as an Attorney when the first of their three children was born and did a superb job raising them.

Now she volunteered at the kids’ school, headed up the annual fundraiser and played tennis four days a week at the indoor tennis club on the westside waterfront.

Bill didn’t mind that his wife wasn’t working anymore; he liked being the sole provider for a family he could be proud of.

All three kids got accepted into Doty Day School, the top private school on the Upper Eastside, which caused his chest to puff out a bit more at neighborhood parties. The founder named the school after some relative of his who came over on the Mayflower.

Luckily for Bill, he was a Mayflower descendent too. That, combined with a very successful job in a top industry made his kids a shoe in.

All in, tuition only put him back $180k a year, which included a substantial donation to the annual fund. His bonus more than covered it, even though this year projected to be a little less.

Rumor on the street was that machines (something called AI) were fast replacing sales traders and institutional salespeople at large banks, which, he admitted, made him a little nervous.

But Bill knew he brought value to his employer and pushed the worry out of his mind.

At 9 years old, his oldest boy was a natural pitcher. Bill knew it because he hired a private pitching coach who said so and who worked out with his son three afternoons a week to shape his skills.

The coach promised that a top ten college scholarship would be in the future, even if he had to pull some strings (wink), so Bill willingly forked over $300 a session.

His first-grade daughter could sing like a lark. She took private lessons from the top voice coach to the Broadway stars. Seeing his daughter’s name in lights was as much his dream as it was hers.

The youngest boy hadn’t developed a particular talent or passion yet (he was only five), so Bill and his wife opted for educational augmentation to ensure some sort of advantage over the rest of the pack.

Raising a family was expensive, but in Bill’s mind, definitely worth it.

Like everyone else in sales on Wall Street, he lived on a pithy monthly base and used credit cards to cover the rest of it. When the bonus came, a big sigh of relief followed.

It happened on a Friday.

Bonus numbers were due the following Monday and Bill was edgy with anticipation as to what his number would be when it came out of the firm’s big black box of subjectivity.

If he made his traditional third of revenues, he would bring in low to mid seven figures if he impressed the head of the division enough – something he tried to do whenever he could.

The bonus covered his mortgage, kid’s tuition, private lessons, vacations, and the down payment on the summer cottage in the Hamptons he and his wife had their eyes on. He knew it would all work out like always and he could breathe for another year.

Bill’s phone rang at 4:35 p.m., shortly after the market closed. He was getting ready to head out for a weekend in the Hamptons.

“Hi Bill, it’s Susan in HR. Can you stop by for a minute before you leave?”

That’s weird, he thought. Why would Susan want to see me?

He remembered that he pinged Susan about coverage for glasses for his youngest. That could be it.

Bill made his way up the elevator to HR and waited outside Susan’s office as she finished up a call.

He watched her through the glass and noticed that she appeared particularly somber. She must be dealing with a problem, he thought. It went with the territory. Bill brushed it off and settled in to wait his turn.

“Hey Cal,” Bill called as the Head of Capital Markets walked by.

Cal nodded briefly, as though preoccupied with something else, and moved on. Cal was usually so jovial.

“Bill, come on in.”

Bill didn’t hear the door open but was glad he didn’t have to wait a long time to be seen.

“Hi Susan, how goes it? Were you able to find out if the Vision Plan covers glasses? My little guy must have gotten his grandfather’s eyes, which sucks for him.”

“Have a seat, Bill,” Susan replied. “We need to talk.”

An overwhelming sense of dread sent shockwaves through Bill’s ears to the edge of his Cole Hahn loafers.

Have a seat could only mean one thing.

Bill’s phone vibrated. He glanced at the text.

I hope your bonus is big because I’m pregnant!

– Excerpted from Is Truth Stranger Than Fiction by JB Miller, JB Miller, 2024. Reprinted with permission.

About the Author

JB Miller is a best-selling author of many books of fiction and non-fiction. Miller has a background in television, is a TEDx speaker, top podcast host and writer of numerous articles and blogs. She resides in Oregon and California.

The MISOGI Method

From Drift to Shift

Hired!

No Time for Love

The Perfect Gift

The BIG Little Book of Happiness

The BIG Little Book of Work Happiness

Psyche (coming soon)

Nike (coming soon)

Victory (coming soon)

Praise for J. B. Miller’s work

“Miller is a master storyteller, weaving together complex characters and compelling plot lines with ease.” – NY Book Reviewer

“Miller’s writing is intelligent, engaging, and always thought-provoking.” – Online Book Review

J.B. Miller is an accomplished author, TEDx speaker, thought leader, podcast host, and founder of Reel Media Agency. Contact her at: miller.jody@icloud.com

Visit JB Miller on the web:

Website: www.truth-or-fiction.com and www.jodybmiller.com

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/JBMillerAuthor

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JodyBMillerAuthor

Categories: Mystery | Leave a comment

BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY by Mike Martin

Posted on July 11, 2024 by admin

Title: Better Safe Than Sorry
Author: Mike Martin
Pages: 251
Genre: Mystery
Winston Windflower is (sort of) enjoying his retirement from the RCMP in Grand Bank, Newfoundland, happily spending time with his young family, but feeling a little restless. Corporal Eddie Tizzard is running the Marystown detachment and struggling with the demands of the role while his own family grows. When a new kind of drug threatens the community, a body (the wrong body) is found dead in a hearse, and then another drug-connected mysterious death occurs, Tizzard knows he’s dealing with a deadly menace in their quiet, close-knit community.

Windflower finds himself inexorably (and not unhappily) drawn back into the action, first in an unofficial role to help snare the dealers and then back to active duty in a community that desperately needs his steady hand and good judgement.

Our favorite Mountie, Sgt. Windflower and his fellow courageous cops in small-town Grand Bank, Newfoundland are back to fight a new threat in this compelling page-turner. Award-winning author, Mike Martin once again brings us a stirring story, blending down-home Newfoundland charm with the warmth of family life.

You can pick up your copy at Amazon.

Book Excerpt:

Some say that April is the cruelest month, but Winston Windflower was pretty convinced that it was March. At least in Grand Bank, Newfoundland. They’d had a relatively mild winter up to this point but now they were getting slammed. Not once but twice. By winter storms that started the day before St. Patrick’s Day and were just ending now on March 19. The locals called the second storm “Sheila’s Brush” as a nickname given to a storm that seemed to occur right after Paddy’s Day. It came from an old Irish legend that claimed Sheila was the wife or sister or mother of St. Patrick and that this dumping of snow is a result of her sweeping away the old season of winter.

Supposedly, that was to prepare everyone for Spring, which the calendar said was about to begin in a week or so. But judging by the current weather and Windflower’s years of experience in Grand Bank, that new season was quite a way off. As he surveyed the banks of snow and checked the weather on his phone, there was more of the white stuff coming. He didn’t mind really. He actually liked the snow and living in this small town on the easternmost tip of Canada.

Until recently Windflower had been an RCMP Officer, a Mountie, but now was the Community Safety Officer for Grand Bank and a number of other surrounding communities. When the local RCMP detachment closed because of budgetary concerns, they needed someone to look after their local policing. The Mounties would look after the big stuff from nearby Marystown, about 40 minutes away, while they hoped Windflower would serve as a deterrent to local criminals who wanted to take advantage of the situation.

So far, so good on the crime front, thought Windflower who had actually spent most of his time doing outreach and crime prevention. In Marystown, however, things were not going so well.

About the Author

Mike Martin was born in St. John’s, NL on the east coast of Canada and now lives and works in Ottawa, Ontario. He is a long-time freelance writer and his articles and essays have appeared in newspapers, magazines and online across Canada as well as in the United States and New Zealand.

He is the award-winning author of the best-selling Sgt. Windflower Mystery series, set in beautiful Grand Bank. There are now 14 books in this light mystery series with the publication of Better Safe Than Sorry.

Mike is Past Chair of the Board of Crime Writers of Canada, a national organization promoting Canadian crime and mystery writers and a member of the Newfoundland Writers’ Guild and Capital Crime Writers.

His latest book is the mystery, Better Late Than Never.

Author Links

Website | Facebook | X (Twitter)

Categories: Mystery | Tags: Better Safe Than Sorry, Mike Martin | Leave a comment

THE FIRST GIRL by Jennifer Chase

Posted on June 28, 2024 by admin

Title: The First Girl
Author: Jennifer Chase
Pages: 354
Genre: Crime Fiction/Thriller
The cold night breeze slams the barn door shut with a sickening crash. The girl curled in the corner wakes with a start. Her gold butterfly necklace catches the pale moonlight as she clutches it tight, thinking of her family. Will she ever escape? Or is this the last face she’ll ever see?

Detective Katie Scott stares in horror at what she and her service dog Cisco have discovered: seven shallow graves, the bodies of young women each wrapped carefully in a blanket and buried in makeshift coffins. Miles of abandoned farmland stretch out from the treeline behind her. Has Katie uncovered the horrifying graveyard of a monster who has been stealing Pine Valley’s daughters for years?

Katie quickly identifies one of the victims as Abigail Andrews, a beautiful young woman who disappeared fifteen years ago. Katie is heartbroken that she’ll have to tell Abigail’s mother her darling girl is gone.

When Katie is ambushed working late at the scene, fired upon by an unknown assailant, she knows she must be close to finding the killer. But the shooter vanishes into thin air. And when a new young woman is taken, dark haired and dark eyed like the others, Katie realizes her time is running out. Can she stay alive long enough to track down this twisted murderer before another young life is stolen too soon?

“Fast paced, characters intelligent and had each others back. The plot was a bit harrowing, but from what plot entailed I was confident one of the main protagonists, Katie had the situation under control. At least the best of her capabilities as the situation warranted. This ebook was fresh, tasteful and powerful. It was a boon to read about a female with military experience who maintained a level head and who put her knowledge to practice.” ~Amazon

“AMAZING characters (including Cisco of coarse) & suspense in a twisty plot that sucks you in & never lets you go. Highly RECOMMEND the entire series for some great reading.” ~NetGalley

“AMAZING characters (including Cisco of coarse) & suspense in a twisty plot that sucks you in & never lets you go. Highly RECOMMEND the entire series for some great reading.” ~Goodreads

The First Girl is available at Amazon & Other Retailers.

Book Excerpt:

The soft breeze blew through the open bedroom window, ruffling the sheer curtain. The evening was still warm from the sizzling day and was now gently cooling into the July night. The crickets played a harmony of music that filtered around the farm and across the acreage.

Lara Fontaine suddenly awoke, a loud sound interrupting her sleep. She sat up in bed and looked around the small bedroom but wasn’t sure what she had heard. In the other twin bed, her best friend Desi was still asleep and breathing evenly. What had disturbed Lara? Her first thought was to wake her friend because it was Desi’s house and she might have some idea what the sound had been, but she decided against it. She swung her legs over the side of the bed, where they dangled, not quite reaching the floor. Still contemplating if she should go investigate, she stared at the closed bedroom door. Even though she was twelve, almost thirteen, she had developed a curious mind and wanted to know the answers to so many things. Everything she saw in her world made her more inquisitive.

Lara stood up, feeling the wood floor against the soles of her feet—it too was warm, like the evening air. Wearing only a white cotton nightgown, she decided to explore. Glancing back at Desi, who was still sound asleep, she went to the door and slowly turned the knob. To her relief, the door hinges were well-oiled and didn’t emit any sound.

A breeze hit her as she stepped into the hallway, which seemed strange. It was as if someone had left a door or a window open. She didn’t slow her pace as she moved forward. For the first time since she woke, she heard a noise, as if a chair was sliding across the floor. It was high-pitched and had an eerie quality about it.

As if being pulled by an unknown force, Lara crept toward the sound. She headed down the hallway, passing closed doors, to the kitchen. The farmhouse plank floors creaked beneath her slight weight. She stopped and listened. Leaning her body toward the sound, stretching on her tiptoes, she assumed she would hear more, but it remained quiet. As Lara let out a breath, her previous curiosity had now diminished, she decided she would return to the bedroom and try to go back to sleep.

But suddenly a strong arm grabbed her around the waist and clamped a hand over her mouth. She instantly struggled, but the man’s strength easily overpowered her as he carried Lara to the back door. She could smell stale cigarette smoke on him and some kind of whiskey. The more she struggled against him, the more she weakened. Her whimpers were the only thing she could express.

The outside air hit her. She kept struggling, hearing her attacker’s rattled breathing next to her ear. Realizing they were heading toward the large barn, she tried to put her legs out in front of her to stop their progress, but it was no use.

“Stop fighting,” hissed the man directly into Lara’s ear. “It’ll be over soon.”

Those words resonated in her mind.

What did he mean?

The crickets abruptly stopped.

Silence.

Holding Lara with one arm, the man pulled open the barn door. The hinges made a terrible squeak, interrupting the quiet.

“Stop!” Lara managed to say. “Please, don’t…” Her arm felt as if it would break.

They moved deeper into the barn.

Lara could smell the hay and the alfalfa. But there was a low murmuring sound that she didn’t recognize. She was forcibly put into an old metal chair and immediately her hands and ankles were secured, and a piece of duct tape covered her mouth.

It was difficult for Lara to focus through her tears, but she forced herself to look around. There were wooden crates filled with metal items, tools, and miscellaneous parts from various pieces of farm equipment. Then she saw her.

In a corner, there was a dark-haired young woman. She too was tied to a high-backed chair, unable to free herself. Her arms, legs, torso, and neck were secured. Her eyes were wide in terror, swollen from crying, and blood ran down her arms and neck from struggling against the restraints.

Lara locked eyes with the woman. So many emotions gripped her. Panic. Desperation. Fear.

The man moved around the area, he was dressed in jeans and a white, stained T-shirt. He appeared to be conflicted, confused, and even a bit panic-stricken as he ran his hands through his hair. Moving back and forth, he went from one box to a table, and then back to another box until he decided what he wanted. He carefully plucked out a long instrument that appeared to be some type of sharp, thin knife and stared at it with curiosity and wonder as if seeing it for the first time.

To Lara’s horror, he turned and approached the woman. With his back to Lara, he attacked the woman with vicious intent. She heard muffled screams as the woman writhed in her seat.

Lara could barely breathe. She thought she would pass out, but her unrelenting terror kept her awake as she shook violently in her chair, watching the horrifying ordeal until it finally came to an end.

The man turned slowly, his shirt soaked in crimson. He looked at Lara as if he wondered why she was there. Still with the bloody tool in his hand, he slowly moved toward her. The weapon was still drenched with the woman’s blood.

“No…” Lara tried to say.

He stood in front of her like a monster, reaching out.

Lara took a short breath. It was the last thing she remembered before passing out.

– Excerpted from The First Girl by Jennifer Chase, Bookouture, 2023. Reprinted with permission.

About the Author

Jennifer Chase is a multi award-winning and USA Today Best Selling crime fiction author, as well as a consulting criminologist. Jennifer holds a bachelor degree in police forensics and a master’s degree in criminology & criminal justice. These academic pursuits developed out of her curiosity about the criminal mind as well as from her own experience with a violent psychopath, providing Jennifer with deep personal investment in every story she tells. In addition, she holds certifications in serial crime and criminal profiling. Her latest book is The First Girl.

Website & Social Media:

Website -> https://authorjenniferchase.com/

Twitter -> https://twitter.com/jchasenovelist

Facebook -> https://www.facebook.com/AuthorJenniferChase

Instagram -> https://www.instagram.com/jenchaseauthor/

Goodreads:->www.goodreads.com/author/show/2780337.Jennifer_Chase

Categories: Crime, Crime Fiction, Thriller | Leave a comment

THE GOLDEN MANUSCRIPTS by Evy Journey

Posted on June 24, 2024 by admin

Title: The Golden Manuscripts: A Novel
Author: Evy Journey
Pages: 360
Genre: Historical Fiction/Women’s Fiction/Mystery
A young woman of Asian/American parentage has lived in seven different countries and is anxious to find a place she could call home. An unusual sale of rare medieval manuscripts sends her and Nathan—an art journalist who moonlights as a doctor—on a quest into the dark world of stolen art. For Clarissa, these ancient manuscripts elicit cherished memories of children’s picture books her mother read to her, nourishing a passion for art. When their earnest search for clues whisper of old thieves and lead to the unexpected, they raise more questions about an esoteric sometimes unscrupulous art world that defy easy answers. Will this quest reward Clarissa with the sense of home she longs for? This cross-genre literary tale of self-discovery, art mystery, travel, and love is based on the actual theft by an American soldier of illuminated manuscripts during World War II.

Buy Links:
Amazon | B&N | Apple Books Book Excerpt:

November 2000

Rare Manuscripts

I sometimes wish I was your girl next door. The pretty one who listens to you and sympathizes. Doesn’t ask questions you can’t or don’t want to answer. Comes when you need to talk.

She’s sweet, gracious, respectful, and sincere. An open book. Everybody’s ideal American girl.

At other times, I wish I was the beautiful girl with creamy skin, come-hither eyes, and curvy lines every guy drools over. The one you can’t have, unless you’re a hunk of an athlete, or the most popular hunk around. Or you have a hunk of money.

But I’m afraid the image I project is that of a brain with meager social skills. The one you believe can outsmart you in so many ways that you keep out of her way—you know the type. Or at least you think you do. Just as you think you know the other two.

I want to believe I’m smart, though I know I can be dumb. I’m not an expert on anything. So, please wait to pass judgement until you get to know us better—all three of us.

Who am I then?

I’m not quite sure yet. I’m the one who’s still searching for where she belongs.

I’m not a typical American girl. Dad is Asian and Mom is white. I was born into two different cultures, neither of which dug their roots into me. But you’ll see my heritage imprinted all over me—on beige skin with an olive undertone; big grey eyes, double-lidded but not deep-set; a small nose with a pronounced narrow bridge; thick, dark straight hair like Dad’s that glints with bronze under the sun, courtesy of Mom’s genes.

I have a family: Mom, Dad, Brother. Sadly, we’re no longer one unit. Mom and Dad are about ten thousand miles apart. And my brother and I are somewhere in between.

I have no one I call friend. Except myself, of course. That part of me who perceives my actions for what they are. My inner voice. My constant companion and occasional nemesis. Moving often and developing friendships lasting three years at most, I’ve learned to turn inward.

And then there’s Arthur, my beautiful brother. Though we were raised apart, we’ve become close. Like me, he was born in the US. But he grew up in my father’s home city where his friends call him Tisoy, a diminutive for Mestizo that sometimes hints at admiration, sometimes at mockery. Locals use the label for anyone with an obvious mix of Asian and Caucasian features. We share a few features, but he’s inherited a little more from Mom. Arthur has brown wavy hair and green eyes that invite remarks from new acquaintances.

Little Arthur, not so little anymore. Taller than me now, in fact, by two inches. We’ve always gotten along quite well. Except the few times we were together when we were children and he’d keep trailing me, like a puppy, mimicking what I did until I got annoyed. I’d scowl at him, run away so fast he couldn’t catch up. Then I’d close my bedroom door on him. Sometimes I wondered if he annoyed me on purpose so that later he could hug me and say, “I love you” to soften me up. It always worked.

I love Arthur not only because we have some genes in common. He has genuinely lovable qualities—and I’m sure people can’t always say that of their siblings. He’s caring and loyal, and I trust him to be there through thick and thin. I also believe he’s better put together than I am, he whom my parents were too busy to raise.

I am certain of only one thing about myself: I occupy time and space like everyone. My tiny space no one else can claim on this planet, in this new century. But I still do not have a place where I would choose to spend and end my days. I’m a citizen of a country, though. The country where I was born. And yet I can’t call that country home. I don’t know it much. But worse than that, I do not have much of a history there.

Before today, I trudged around the globe for two decades. Cursed and blessed by having been born to a father who was a career diplomat sent on assignments to different countries, I’ve lived in different cities since I was born, usually for three to four years at a time.

Those years of inhabiting different cities in Europe and Asia whizzed by. You could say I hardly noticed them because it was the way of life I was born into. But each of those cities must have left some lasting mark on me that goes into the sum of who I am. And yet, I’m still struggling to form a clear idea of the person that is Me. This Me can’t be whole until I single out a place to call home.

Everyone has a home they’ve set roots in. We may not be aware of it, but a significant part of who we think we are—who others think we are—depends on where we’ve lived. The place we call home. A place I don’t have. Not yet. But I will.

I was three when I left this city. Having recently come back as an adult, I can’t tell whether, or for how long, I’m going to stay. You may wonder why, having lived in different places, I would choose to seek a home in this city—this country as alien to me as any other town or city I’ve passed through.

By the end of my last school year at the Sorbonne, I was convinced that if I were to find a home, my birthplace might be my best choice. I was born here. In a country where I can claim citizenship. Where the primary language is English. My choice avoids language problems and pesky legal residency issues. Practical and logical reasons, I think.

– Excerpted from The Golden Manuscripts by Evy Journey, Evy Journey, 2023. Reprinted with permission.

About the Author

Evy Journey writes. Stories and blog posts. Novels that tend to cross genres. She’s also a wannabe artist, and a flâneuse. Evy studied psychology (M.A., University of Hawaii; Ph.D. University of Illinois). So her fiction spins tales about nuanced characters dealing with contemporary life issues and problems. She believes in love and its many faces. Her one ungranted wish: To live in Paris where art is everywhere and people have honed aimless roaming to an art form. She has visited and stayed a few months at a time. Author Links Website | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads

Categories: Historical Fiction | Tags: Evy Journey, The Golden Manuscripts | Leave a comment

IS TRUTH STRANGER THAN FICTION? YOU DECIDE…by JB Miller

Posted on June 5, 2024 by admin

Title: IS TRUTH STRANGER THAN FICTION? YOU DECIDE…
Author: JB Miller
Pages: 145
Genre: Mystery

With her trademark wit, Miller poses thought-provoking questions about the nature of reality, the power of imagination, and the enduring appeal of a well-told tale.

Each story is a mystery for the reader to decide. Is it truth or is it fiction?

Hint: There is truth in every story.

Challenge: If you can figure out how the stories connect you can be acknowledged in volume two for being spot on.

Email miller.jody@icloud.com to enter your answers and your name. By doing so, and if you are correct, you agree to have your name mentioned in volume 2.

Buy Links:

Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/yfj5yk5j

Book’s Website: http://www.truth-or-fiction.com

Book Excerpt:

1.Fired