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God’s Country Club by Gail Storey
In the novel God’s Country Club (Persea Books, NY), the sequel to The Lord’s Motel, Colleen Sweeney stores most of her belongings, along with her checkered past, in a mini-warehouse. Her heart set on Gabriel Benedict, she moves in with him, into his Houston condo complex, God’s Country Club. Gabriel is a freshly divorced emergency room doctor with a young son. Can Colleen leave her past behind and start a future with her Mr. Right? Can Gabriel accept her as she is, still on the run from her kinky relationship with Web, responsible for her...
read moreThe Lord’s Motel: A Novel by Gail Storey
In the novel The Lord’s Motel (Persea Books, NY), Colleen Sweeney is in love with the wrong man, but who hasn’t fallen in love with the wrong person, at least once? Web Desiderio is the social director on a cruise ship. Desperate to work out the connection between love and eroticism, Colleen indulges Web in his sexual peccadilloes, heading straight for disaster. She works as a librarian for Service-to-the-Unserved, and lives in the Lord’s Motel, an apartment building so named by its ascetic, vegan manager. Colleen gets great advice and...
read moreI Promise Not to Suffer: A Fool for Love Hikes the Pacific Crest Trail by Gail Storey
Gail Storey was definitely not a hiker or camper. But when her husband, Porter, leaves his job as a hospice doctor to hike the 2,663-mile Pacific Crest Trail from Mexico to Canada, she refuses to let him go alone—even though the prospect of leaving their comfortable Houston home, hiking twenty miles a day while popping anti-depressants and hormones, and sleeping outside for six months terrifies her. Carrying Porter’s homemade ultralight equipment, they sizzle in the Mojave Desert, nearly drown fording a swollen river, kick steps up icy...
read moreCross Currents by John Shors
Thailand’s pristine Ko Phi Phi island attracts tourists from around the world. There, struggling to make ends meet, small-resort owners Lek and Sarai are happy to give an American named Patch room and board in exchange for his help. But when Patch’s brother, Ryan, arrives, accompanied by his girlfriend, Brooke, Lek learns that Patch is running from the law, and his presence puts Lek’s family at risk. Meanwhile, Brooke begins to doubt her love for Ryan while her feelings for Patch blossom. In a landscape where nature’s...
read moreThe Wishing Trees by John Shors
Almost a year after the death of his wife, former high-tech executive Ian finds a letter that will change his life. It contains Kate’s final wish-a plea for him to take their ten-year-old daughter, Mattie, on a trip across Asia, through the countries they had always planned to visit. Eager to honor the woman they loved, Ian and Mattie embark on an epic journey, leaving notes to Kate in “wishing trees” along the way, and encountering miracles large and small. And as they begin to find their way back to each other, they...
read moreDragon House by John Shors
Dragon House tells the tale of Iris and Noah—two Americans who, as a way of healing their own painful pasts, open a center to house and educate Vietnamese street children. In the slums of a city that has known little but war for generations, Iris and Noah befriend children who dream of nothing more than of going to school, having a home, and being loved. Learning from the poorest of the poor, the most silent of the unheard, Iris and Noah find themselves reborn. Resounding with powerful themes of suffering, sacrifice, friendship, and love,...
read moreBeside a Burning Sea by John Shors
One moment, the World War II hospital ship Benevolence is patrolling the South Pacific on a mission of mercy—to save wounded American soldiers. The next, Benevolence is split in two by a torpedo, killing almost everyone on board. A small band of survivors, including an injured Japanese soldier and a young American nurse whom he saves from drowning, makes it to the deserted shore of a nearby island. Akira has suffered five years of bloodshed and horror fighting for the Japanese empire. Now, surrounded by enemies he is supposed to hate, he...
read moreBeneath a Marble Sky by John Shors
Journey to dazzling seventeenth-century Hindustan, where the reigning emperor, consumed with grief over the tragic death of his beloved wife, commissioned the building of a grand mausoleum as a testament to the marvel of their love. This monument would soon become known as the Taj Mahal—a sight famous around the world for its beauty and the emotions it symbolizes. Princess Jahanara, the courageous daughter of the emperor and his wife, recounts their mesmerizing tale, while sharing her own parallel story of forbidden love with the celebrated...
read moreAbove the Din of War: Afghans Speak About Their Lives, Their Country, and Their Future – and Why America Should Listen by Peter Eichstaedt
What will happen when international forces finally vacate Afghanistan? The answer to that question is unknown, but if there is any hope for Afghanistan, veteran journalist Peter Eichstaedt asserts, it is with its people. After spending 2004 in Afghanistan working for the nonprofit Institute for War and Peace Reporting and helping build Afghanistan’s first independent news agency, Eichstaedt returned to Kabul in 2010. As he worked with Afghan journalists to document their history and collective struggles, he realized that although Kabul itself...
read moreTemple of a Thousand Faces by John Shors
In his international bestseller Beneath a Marble Sky, John Shors wrote about the ancient passion, beauty, and brilliance that inspired the building of the Taj Mahal. Now with Temple of a Thousand Faces, he brings to life the legendary temple of Angkor Wat, an unrivaled marvel of ornately carved towers and stone statues. There, in a story set nearly a thousand years ago, an empire is lost, a royal love is tested, and heroism is reborn. When his land is taken by force, Prince Jayavar of the Khmer people narrowly escapes death at the hands of...
read moreContemplative Hiking Along the Colorado Front Range by Margaret Emerson
More than just a hiking guide, Contemplative Hiking Along the Colorado Front Range is for those who want to experience a new appreciation of the land. Learn how to read nature’s omens for deeper insights, cultivate your inner wisdom, and develop a keener awareness of the nuances of flora and fauna in every season along the Front Range. About the Author Margaret Emerson is a freelance writer, graphic designer, and holds a master’s degree in Ecopsychology. She’s the author of Contemplative Hiking Along the Colorado...
read moreGreen Rider, Thinking Horse by Karen Douglass
From barn rat to novice to competent horse handler, Douglass depicts her journey as a devoted supporter and owner of her favorite breed, and her favorite horse, a little bay gelding named Casco. “An inspirational window on the world of human-horse relationships! Douglass shares her lifelong interest in horses and offers a shining example that at any age, you can make your dreams come true. The imaginary horse of her youth leads the author to the world of harness racing and she shares much about the giving and therapeutic nature of...
read moreHoly Socks and Dirtier Demons by j.a. kazimer
Orphaned after a freak manger explosion, the Messiah and his guardian angel arrive on the doorstep of Jace Miller, a disgruntled former soldier and playboy who reluctantly agrees to protect the Son of God from the forces of evil brewing beneath the city. When the Baby Jesus is kidnapped, Jace enlists a private investigating succubus to aid in his hero quest. Faced with Hindu demons, exploding monsters, a terse warning from God, and an ever-growing desire for the deadly succubus, Jace learns just how mysterious the Almighty can be as he...
read moreTwo-Gun Lil by Karen Douglass
In these poems Douglass reclaims a fractured childhood and explores the stories that glue together, or split apart, her New England family. About the Author Karen Douglass has an MA in English literature from Georgia Southern College and an MFA in Creative Writing from Vermont College. She has served on the faculty of Georgia Southern and LSU-Shreveport, where she taught literature and composition. Formerly a mental health nurse, she now writes full time, serves on the Broomfield Cultural Council, is a...
read moreThomas Redpool Goes to Hell by Todd Newton
Thomas’s story is not one of redemption. Though he’d argue otherwise, Thomas deserves to find himself in Hell. Even so, an eternity of running errands for his demonic employer is too bleak a prospect. Thomas slays his master and takes his place to become Lord of Hell – Sinner’s Division, at the Department of the Armageddon. Preying upon his inexperience, one of the other Lords sics a heavenly agent on Thomas and usurps his newfound authority. With Satan depressed and useless, Thomas is on his own to defeat this...
read moreAt the Hot Gates: An Account of the Battle of Thermopylae by Donald Samson
It’s the year 480 BC and the greatest army ever gathered in the ancient world is on the march to conquer all of Greece. An irresistible force, they are destroying whatever dares to stand in their path. One man steps forward to stop them, followed by 300 companions. His chances are next to nil; yet he goes. This man is Leonidas. And his companions are Spartans. They go to stop the Persian advance and meet their destiny at the narrows known as The Hot Gates…. About the Author Donald Samson grew up in the mega-urban...
read moreEffie Perine by Buzzy Jackson
Effie comes to San Francisco on the hunt for work and her long-lost father, so when she’s offered a job at a detective agency she figures it’s a two-birds-one-stone situation. But when her strange new boss invites her into a world of hardboiled mystery, the line between real life and film noir fantasy becomes as foggy as a San Francisco summer — and Effie’s future happiness is at stake. A novel of mystery and love as well as a coming-of-age story, Effie Perine crosses the genres of fantasy, mystery, and metafiction. Effie Perine tells the...
read moreA Bad Woman Feeling Good: Blues and the Women Who Sing Them by Buzzy Jackson
Buzzy Jackson combines biography, an appreciation of music, and a sweeping view of American history to illuminate the pivotal role of blues women in a powerful musical tradition. An exciting lineage of women singers—originating with Ma Rainey and her protégée Bessie Smith—shaped the blues, launching it as a powerful, expressive vehicle of emotional liberation. Along with their successors Billie Holiday, Etta James, Aretha Franklin, Tina Turner, and Janis Joplin, they injected a dose of reality into the often trivial world of popular song,...
read moreFools Poll by Richard Wall
Kirkus Reviews writes: “Hector’s politics are all over the map. . . Luckily, partisan orthodoxy doesn’t matter; all of Nashville resonates with his earnest, ebullient campaigning, his pox-on-both-houses populism, his refreshing outsider-hood as a disabled nobody and his promise to consult a (nonbinding) Internet referendum before every legislative vote. Drawn into Hector’s orbit are a motley assortment of supporters and hangers-on, including a morally tarnished clergyman eager to get his mitts on Lola’s money and a good-hearted...
read moreLove is the New Currency by Linda Commito
Description Love Is the New Currency is rich with inspiring stories of people who are shifting their thoughts and actions to create a world where compassion and collaboration are esteemed, and the currency of love has a greater, more enduring value than metal or paper. About the Author Love is the New Currency is a compilation of inspiring stories of ordinary people who have performed extraordinary acts of love and kindness. Linda contextualizes the stories in her book within a framework of a global mindshift, in which the currency of...
read moreIn the Herbary: Herbal Poetry, Recipes, & Tips by Teresa Louis
Description Teresa Louis, author of In the Herbary, has been growing and using herbs medicinally ever since she was a teenager when she read in a historical fiction novel that sage tea soothes sore throats. Louis has since read many books about the history of herbs, as well as their medicinal properties, and has even taken classes to become a certified herbalist. In her poetry book, In the Herbary, Louis shares her love of herbs while she takes the reader on a walk through her herb garden. Free-verse poems describe each herb’s history and...
read moreThe Dragon, the Blade and the Thread: Book Three of the Star Trilogy by Donald Samson
Description Frustrated by the king’s expectation to follow in his footsteps, Prince Corin prefers sewing to sword fighting. To make matters worse, he is annoyed that his cousin Elinor has the eagerness and talent for skills at arms which he lacks. Then, by a stroke of luck, she uncovers a plot to overthrow the crown. The cousins are befriended and guided by a clever marketplace magician. The queen, however, suspicious that he is a master of the black arts and the cause of their Luck Dragon’s baffling illness, forbids the cousins from having...
read moreThe Dragon of Two Hearts: Book Two of the Star Trilogy by Donald Samson
The curse of the wild dragon, Scorch, lies heavy upon the land of Gladur Nock. Scorch holds the kingdom hostage to his ravenous and bloody demands. The Knight Michael hears of the dragon’s bane and realizes that the Luck Dragon Star had trained him for this moment. Full of foreboding he rides to their aid. However, before the knight can reach Gladur Nock he is ambushed and imprisoned in the dungeons of the very king he wanted to help. He becomes part of a forced training of arms. The best warriors among them are sent to fight the...
read moreThe Dragon Boy: Book One of the Star Trilogy by Donald Samson
Description Orphaned twice by the time he was nine, he was living on the streets and did not even know his own name. He was not allowed to step foot inside the one place he was determined to find work. To complete the disaster of his young life, the object of his affections was Star, in immense, emerald-green dragon. But good fortune finally smiled upon him: Star was a Luck Dragon. Suddenly, he was admitted as a barn boy into the elite Dragon Compound. He was given three warm meals a day, meaningful work, and even a name. And best of all,...
read moreKissed by a Fox: And Other Stories of Friendship in Nature by Priscilla Stuckey
“Dissatisfaction with nature flows throughout Western civilization, as deep as its blood, as abiding as its bones. Convinced to the marrow that something is deeply wrong with nature, . . . the Western world tries to remake it into something better.” For Priscilla Stuckey, this is a fundamental and heartbreaking misconception: that nature can be fixed, exploited, or simply ignored. Modern societies try to bend nature to human will instead of engaging in give-and-take with a living, breathing land community. Using her personal experiences as...
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