"Carroll truly hits the mark by first identifying an issue virtually all of us will have to deal with, and then using practical, sensible, and insightful ways to approach this delicate balancing act! Kudos to her and her willingness to provide a much needed reality check." -Peter Gelbwaks CLTC Chairman Emeritus - The National LTC Network, Past Chairman - The National Alliance of Insurance Agencies

Hardworking Isabelle Cook has a serious problem. Her family farm, site of Tilikum's Christmas Village, is in trouble. Big trouble. And worst of all? The man trying to buy it is none other than the grumpiest, grinchiest man of them all-Elias Stoneheart.

That's a big nope. She's not letting him get involved. Not with his heart made of coal.

Elias Stoneheart is in the business of making money, not friends. Especially when his boss is promising a long-awaited promotion. All he has to do is convince one struggling family to sell their farm.

The problem? It's Cook Family Farm. And Isabelle Cook is his ex.

He might have history with Isabelle, but this is just business. A Christmas-loving farm girl is not going to come between him and his ambition.

And Christmas? He hates it. Christmas Village needs to go.

But as Elias spends time in the small town, holiday spirit-and Isabelle-get under his skin. And she might be the only one who can melt the ice around his heart.

Author's Note: a sassy farm girl takes on a grumpy businessman in this cozy, snowy, small-town Christmas romance. Saucy banter, a guard donkey, plenty of holiday cheer, and a heartwarming happily ever after that will make you believe in the magic of Christmas.

How to Love Your Golden is the third children's book in the heartfelt How to Love series. These special stories focus on the purest kind of love between a child and a pet.

There are 10 simple rules for loving your golden with all of your beaming heart. This sweet picture book is a touching lesson in playfulness, connection and mindful listening. Love big, play hard, laugh until it hurts and try to keep up with this glorious dog's energy.

How to Love Your Golden is a genuine whole-hearted story about the big adventures, unconditional love and hang-your-head-out-the-window joy that comes from life with a golden retriever. 

Author Bio:

Lisa Blake is a freelance writer and editor based in Breckenridge, Colorado. When she’s not penning family guidebooks, children’s stories and articles on wellness and food, she’s out playing in forests and on rivers with her husband, son and Mojo the pug.

Shop the How to Love Your Pet series

How to Love Your Pug is the first in a series of delicately designed picture books focused on the purest kind of love between a child and a pet.

There are 10 simple rules to caring for pugs in the peculiar and special ways the roly-poly breed craves. Always have the treats. Lots of downward dogs. Precious pillow fort naps.

Skip along on spirited park sessions. Strategically tuck treats. And bring on the knock-knock jokes.

How to Love Your Pug is a magical friendship story sprinkled with humor and designed with rich, beautifully focused illustrations. 

Author Bio:

Lisa Blake is a freelance writer and editor based in Breckenridge, Colorado. When she’s not penning family guidebooks, children’s stories and articles on wellness and food, she’s out playing in forests and on rivers with her husband, son and Mojo the pug.

Shop the How to Love Your Pet series

How to Love Your Rescue Pup is the second book in a series of delicately designed stories focused on the purest kind of love between and child and a pet.

There are 10 simple rules for loving your rescue pup in the special and mindful way they deserve. This sweet picture book is a gentle lesson in patience, trust, bonding and play. Dream big, love big, get silly and go wild as this beautiful story unfolds.

How to Love Your Rescue Pup is a heartfelt and genuine gift designed with rich, intimate illustrations and written for all rescue families and dog lovers. 

Author Bio:

Lisa Blake is a freelance writer and editor based in Breckenridge, Colorado. When she’s not penning family guidebooks, children’s stories and articles on wellness and food, she’s out playing in forests and on rivers with her husband, son and Mojo the pug.

Shop the How to Love Your Pet series

Read the ultimate guide to getting published from the author of HOW TO WRITE A NOVEL and the JACOB WONDERBAR series.

Ready to pursue a deal with a Big 5 publisher or try your hand at DIY self-publishing? Author and former literary agent Nathan Bransford shares everything you need to know about how to navigate the publishing process and choose the path that's right for you.

PRAISE FOR HOW TO PUBLISH A BOOK

Nathan Bransford's advice on publishing a book was our go-to during the daunting journey from unrefined idea to published novel. Bransford's advice is easy to follow, gives a comprehensive overview of the process, and makes the entire experience exponentially less intimidating. We send every aspiring writer we know to him for his clear and detailed guide to publishing a novel. - New York Times and #1 internationally bestselling authors Christina Lauren

I tell EVERYONE about Nathan's Query Mad Libs, and his guide is full of great tips to help you find your way to publication. - Literary agent Jenny Bent, The Bent Agency

The most important thing to know about writing a novel is this: You can do it. And if you've already written one, you can write an even better one. Author and former literary agent Nathan Bransford shares his secrets for creating killer plots, fleshing out your first ideas, crafting compelling characters, and staying sane in the process.

Read the guide that New York Times bestselling author Ransom Riggs called "The best how-to-write-a-novel book I've read."

MORE PRAISE FOR 'HOW TO WRITE A NOVEL:

"Nathan Bransford's primer is full of thoughtful, time-proven advice on how to write a novel. Nathan can sound both like a reassuring friend and a tough, no-nonsense coach. Whatever kind of novel you're writing, Nathan's insights will make you think about your process and help you find your own way to success."

- Jeff Abbott, New York Times bestselling author of DOWNFALL

"Nathan Bransford is sharp, thoughtful, and a must-read for all aspiring authors. His advice is not only funny and insightful, it's essential for writers at any stage in their careers."

- Tahereh Mafi, New York Times bestselling author of SHATTER ME

"Nathan Bransford's book on how to write a novel is smart, generous and funny as hell. Read it. No matter where you are in your writing life, whether you're on your first book or are a grizzled, multi published veteran, you'll find practical advice to help you through the process -- and plenty of wisdom to inspire you along the journey."

- Lisa Brackmann, author of ROCK PAPER TIGER

"Equal parts encouraging and butt-kicking, hilarious and wise, Nathan Bransford's no-nonsense manifesto talks you through the process of getting the book of your dreams out of your head and onto the page. Whether you've been writing for five minutes or fifty years, this is the guide for you."

- Sarah McCarry, author of ALL OUR PRETTY SONGS

About the Author
Bransford, Nathan: - Nathan Bransford is the author of How to Write a Novel, Jacob Wonderbar and the Cosmic Space Kapow, Jacob Wonderbar for President of the Universe and Jacob Wonderbar and the Interstellar Time Warp. He was formerly a literary agent with Curtis Brown Ltd. and writes a popular blog on writing and publishing. He lives in New York City.

Pain is like a fire: at once destructive, creative, and revelatory. In her debut poetry collection, I HAD TO BREAK ME, Nisha faces the fires in her life and finds incredible beauty among the ashes.

You'll accompany the poet in her previous position as a healthcare provider, struggling to heal patients within a broken system. You'll journey to Nepal, the poet's place of birth, as she mourns the wreckage of the devastating 2015 earthquake and helps her community rebuild. And you'll bear witness as she silently reflects on past loves that brought her both heartache and self-discovery. On every page, the poet's sparse, cyclic language invites you to witness the very core of her heart-and, perhaps, to see yourself in each all-too-human struggle.

I HAD TO BREAK ME is a spiritual memoir in verse that celebrates both cataclysms and joys. At its deepest level, this collection insists that for every external battle we wage, what we truly fight against-and hope to win-is ourselves.

Former elementary school teacher and mom of 3, Melissa McCann, presents readers with a new and encouraging way to help wiggly toddlers calm down and read with their loved ones. Inspired by her own bedtime routine with her son, Melissa introduces us to Mama and Little Fox. Join them as they get ready for bed with snuggling, counting, and so many different ways to say. "I love you." The book has a simple message, yet its colorful and playful art will keep your toddler enamored. Now more than ever, kids need to hear how special they are. This book is a great way to show how much your little sunshine means to you in a beautifully easy way.

About the Author
McCann, Melissa: - Former elementary school teacher, mother of 3 young rascals. Melissa grew up in Santa Barbara, CA where she currently resides with her husband and children. Melissa attended UC Berkeley for college. Having lived in New York, Italy, San Francisco after college, Melissa found herself wanting to be back in her beautiful home town of Santa Barbara to continue her teaching career and start a family. Melissa is a foodie to her core, a lover of travel, adventure, and firmly believes in trying new things and stepping out of one's comfort zone. Being a mother is Melissa's favorite part about herself, however that has not come without its challenges. Her first book was a project inspired by her son, Charlie, and the strategies she used to help navigate her way through those infamous toddler years and the struggle to inspire a love of reading. Her hope in writing this book is for it to find its place with other mothers who might also be in the throws of toddlerhood and in need of some new ways to show and receive that intense yet incredible love.

This is the large paperback edition: 11"x8.5" (27.99cm x 21.59cm).

Gold Medal Winner 2021 MOONBEAM CHILDREN'S BOOK AWARDS

Winner 2022 INDEPENDENT PRESS AWARD Picture Books - Preschool

Winner 2021 BEST BOOK AWARDS Children's Mind/Body/Spirit

First Place 2021 ROYAL DRAGONFLY BOOK AWARD

Finalist 2021 BEST BOOK AWARDS Children's Novelty & Gift Book

Finalist 2022 THE DA VINCI EYE - THE ERIC HOFFER BOOK AWARD

Honorable Mention 2021 INDIES TODAY AWARD​​​​​​​

An endearing picture book with enchanting illustrations is the perfect gift for baby showers, birthdays, and special holidays.

In a precious and beautifully rhyming text, a parent asks a child if they want to know how much they are loved, taking them through different seasons, milestones, and celebrations big and small, showing them that they are loved always.

Evocative of special occasion classics such as Guess How Much I Love You, Pat the Bunny, and Love You Forever, Junia Wonders' new picture book, I Love You Through Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall, featuring extraordinary tempera style illustrations with beautiful saturated pastel hues, will be the perfect keepsake for any gift-giving occasion such as a baby shower, birth of a baby, Mother's Day and Father's Day, or any event to share a loving message.

Award-winning illustrator Daniela Volpari creates stunning illustrations with soft, rich pastels in earthy tones, featuring precious character designs, giving a comforting backdrop to this sweet and gentle rhyming story that pays tribute to the love shared between a parent and child.

I love you in the spring.

My darling one, what joy you bring!

I love you through stormy weather.

When the going gets tough, we'll go through it together.

This sweet poem about a parent's unconditional love conveys that a child is loved no matter what, every day, every season. A beautiful reminder to return to again and again for the cherished occasion of simply being loved.

Praise for I Love You Through Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall:

"With endearing rhymes and breathtaking illustrations of adorable animal families, this heartwarming read celebrates the affection parents have for their children-an unconditional love that grows throughout all seasons of life!" -BookBub

"More evolved than your average children's storybook, Junia Wonders has written a simple yet elegant poem that guides young readers through the passage of time. [...] With staggeringly beautiful artwork and an easy, purposefully repetitive theme, I Love You Through Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall makes the perfect gift, bedtime story or opportunity to express your love for your child." -Morgan Justice, Indies Today

"A perfect book for young children, I Love You Through Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall is a must-read with the most vibrant and detailed illustrations. [...] This would be a great story to read together as a family. [...] It is such an amazing book that children are sure to love!" -Rylanne Burdette, Readers' Favorite

If you are looking for a story about inclusion, acceptance, and welcoming, this award winning book is for you! This is a story about a sunflower that blows into a perennial garden. Suzy sunflower is considered a weed by Mr. Gardeners since he did not plant her. Mrs. Gardener fell in love with this unplanned sunflower growing in the garden. Mr. Gardener not knowing how loved the sunflower is and considering it a weed, pulls it out. He sees how upset Mrs. Gardener is by his action. Out of compassion and love, he plants the seed of Suzy Sunflower and adds a drip line for her. And yes, she comes back the next summer in all her beauty. This is a Purple Dragonfly book award winner that shows how love is infinite and to welcome even the unplanned, into our garden.

“Barbara Freethy never disappoints. This newest [book] has it all—romance, drama, danger and a little steam. Make sure you add this one to your TBR list” —My Bag of Books Blog

One moment can change a life...or two

Keira Blake agrees to the blind date simply because she has a wedding coming up and no plus one. Tired of being the last single girl standing in her group of friends, she shows up at the bar with low expectations, but her ruggedly handsome date is far more attractive and interesting than she'd imagined. In fact, he seems too good to be true...

Dante DeAngelis, the star pitcher for the Miami Mavericks, is in Whisper Lake for a month to rehab a shoulder injury away from the spotlight of his baseball career and his famous girlfriend. When the beautiful brunette assumes he's her date, he momentarily plays along, enjoying the rare instance of not being seen as a celebrity but as himself...

When their true identities are revealed, Keira and Dante try to stay away from one another. Keira has family commitments that will keep her in Whisper Lake, and Dante is just passing through. He also has a girlfriend and a job miles away. But sometimes love gets in the way of the best laid plans...

Author Bio:

Barbara Freethy is a #1 New York Times bestselling author of 41 novels ranging from contemporary romance to romantic suspense and women's fiction. Traditionally published for many years, Barbara opened her own publishing company in 2011 and has since sold over 4.8 million copies of her books. Nineteen of her titles have appeared on the New York Times and USA Today Bestseller Lists. In July of 2014, Barbara was named the Amazon KDP bestselling author of ALL TIME! She was also the first indie author to sell over 1 million copies at both Barnes and Noble and Amazon. An author known for writing emotional stories about ordinary people caught up in extraordinary situations, Barbara has received starred reviews from Publishers' Weekly and Library Journal and has also received six nominations for the RITA for Best Single Title Contemporary Romance from Romance Writers of America. She has won the honor twice for her novels Daniel's Gift and The Way Back Home. 
 
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The day of their dreams was nothing short of a nightmare.

On the one-year anniversary of her wedding, Colbie Moore's life looks nothing like it should.

Still grieving the loss of the man she meant to spend her life with, Colbie prepares for a weekend away to take her mind off her heartache, but the simple plan results in much more than she bargained for.

A box of letters, meant for the bride and groom to open on their anniversary, is instead opened by Colbie and her three best friends-Miles, James, and Eric.

And what it holds could ruin everything.

A mysterious note from a surprising sender shocks Colbie, propelling her down a dark path to discover the truth about the man she loved-his life and his death-before it's too late.

Soon, Colbie begins to question everyone around her as the mystery unravels.

What was Phil hiding from her when he died?

What secrets are still hidden?

The closer she gets to answers, the clearer it becomes that someone has gone to great lengths to protect their lies.

And if she pushes any more, everything she has left could be exactly what she stands to lose.

Is it worth risking everything to truly know the man she's already lost?

After all, she's been warned...she might not be able to handle what she finds.

A heart-wrenching domestic suspense about love, loss, and deception from bestselling author Kiersten Modglin.

A Wall Street Journal Bestseller

“Margaret is an expert in the field of culture change and development. Her work has helped thousands of people across companies heal trust, mend broken relationships, and create space for people to start working together more effectively. Her real stories and experiences combine with research to create an authentic and powerful resource. This is the book every leader needs to read!” —Dr. Marshall Goldsmith, Thinkers50 #1 Executive Coach and New York Times bestselling author of The Earned Life, Triggers, and What Got You Here Won't Get You There

Sometimes corporate leaders forget that businesses are human systems. Revenue, innovation, and growth are all generated by human beings. Employees left Corporate America in droves during The Great Resignation of 2021 and 2022-an important wakeup call. But even when companies try to "fix" or improve their culture, a whopping 85% of these efforts fail. Why is this statistic so dismal? Because you can't put a bandage on a broken culture.

As human systems, companies must heal or align from the inside out-one human at a time and starting at the top. The CEO and leadership team must do foundational work to understand what's driving and shaping behaviors. Only when a culture is intentionally designed can it inspire people to fully engage in strategies and tactics that move the human system forward.

What author Margaret Graziano proposes in Ignite Culture is a fundament shift in leadership's approach to creating an intentional, healthy, high-performance organization. Offering a unique combination of experiential coaching, evidence-based leadership tools, and actionable strategies, Ignite Culture empowers business leaders with the wisdom and insights they need to reshape their company's culture, increase employee engagement, and grow revenue in a supportive, high-performance environment.

More Reviews:

“Drawing from her vast experience and research, Margaret Graziano offers well-thought-out tools for transforming organizational culture in her in-depth, insightful business resource. Highly recommended.” —Readers’ Favorite

“Ignite Culture makes for an excellent starting place... [Graziano] urges executives to focus on improving their corporate culture, making changes that not only make their employees happier but also make them more engaged in their work.” —Seattle Book Review

“This is a must-read for anyone leading a business, big or small, or for anyone who wants to help change its culture. Solid advice on how to change a company for the better from top to bottom.” —Kirkus

“Based on the science of how humans learn and experience themselves and the world, this entire account is marbled with Margaret's passion for and expertise in leading organizational culture change. You will find that the outcomes will be well earned and life changing!” —Dr. Mike Pelfini, Vistage Chair &
Founder/CEO of ForeMeta Coaching

“If you wish to be the catalyst of change, who transforms your company into a high-performance, synchronistic team, capable of thriving in our chaotic 21st Century, then Margaret Graziano's inspiring book is the leadership roadmap you need.... Her fixing-culture-from-the-inside-out approach will help you and your team live in alignment with your highest-selves and in alignment with your company's highest-potential.” —Michael Lowe, President/General Manager of AB&I Foundry

“...upbeat and powerful...a simple, elegant path to igniting leadership styles and strategies that generate a productive, fulfilling organizational culture.” —Cheryl Boglarsky, director of R&D at Human Synergistics®

“Margaret Graziano plays with magic with her mixture of wisdom from the best thought leaders of our day with real life examples of companies that achieve a winning culture and one's that don't.... Want to ignite your culture? You will not find another book on culture that will get you there.” —Frank Wagner, Co-Founder of Marshall Goldsmith Stakeholder Centered Coaching®

Author Bio:

Margaret "Magi" Graziano is the founder and CEO of KeenAlignment, named an Inc 5000 Fastest Growing Private Companies in America. She lives and breathes culture. With contagious energy and undeniable candor, Magi has helped hundreds of companies build intentional, healthy, high-performance organizational cultures. Named one of Silicon Valley's Top 100 Influential Women in Business, Magi has more than 20 years of experience and is a pioneer in the conscious leadership and cultural alignment movements. Magi's groundbreaking work is driven by her passion to ignite human potential at work.

A spark can ignite a revolution.

Tommy and Careen have been vilified in the media for the Resistance's failed attempt to take down the Office of Civilian Safety and Defense. Both teens struggle to survive the circumstances that thrust them into the national spotlight, and this time, they don't have each other to lean on. They're on opposite sides.

Even though both the OCSD and the Resistance believe Careen's convincing defection, Tommy refuses to believe her loyalties have shifted. How can she be in favor of the OCSD's latest plan to monitor all minors with the Cerberean Link, a device that will track their every move?

“...a heartfelt tale of the struggles of married life on a nineteenth-century farm…a touching and realistic portrayal of love, loss, and friendship.” —Heather Stockard for Readers' Favorite

In 1897 newly married Beryl and Edward Massart travel more than one thousand miles from Quebec to farm a plot of land in Wisconsin that they bought sight-unseen. An almost magical grove of maples on their property inspires them to dream of a real home built within the grove, not the tiny log cabin they've come to live in.

Misunderstandings and tempers get the better of them when difficulties and troubles arise. Just months after they wed, Edward leaves pregnant Beryl in the midst of the coming winter to tend the farm and animals while he goes to be a teamster at a northern Wisconsin logging camp.

Will Beryl and Edward walk into the future together to build their house of dreams in the grove of maples, or will their plans topple like a house of sticks when the winds of misunderstanding and disaster strike?

More Reviews:

”Dramatic character development and lavish descriptive language make Knipfer's prose shine, and carry this emotionally stirring plot from start to finish. The storytelling is casual but unmistakably aged, and the research into this particular time period is remarkable, while the variation in narrative format keeps the story engaging throughout.” —Self-Publishing Review

“In a Grove of Maples presents a fascinating look at what life was like for a young couple starting out on their own and how necessary it was to have friends and neighbors that you could call on for help.” —Kristine Zimmerman for Readers' Favorite

”Readers of women's fiction and Christian historical romance will find In a Grove of Maples an engrossing story of 19th century rural life that examines matters of heart, ethics, morality, and belief as Beryl faces a new world with few resources other than her faith and love. It concludes with an unexpected twist that comes full circle to leave the door open for more.” —Midwest Book Review

Author Bio:

Jenny Knipfer lives in Wisconsin with her husband, Ken, and their pet Yorkie, Ruby. She is also a mom and loves being a grandma. She enjoys many creative pursuits but finds writing the most fulfilling. 

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"This book will be one that stays with me for a long while. A masterful tale with all the elements of a great romance. I can't wait to read it again." Becky Monson, Bestselling Author of Just A Series ★★★★★

He gave his name to protect her. All she wanted was his heart.

Dani Kramer used to think growing up in foster homes was the most difficult thing she would ever have to do until all her dreams come true. Married to the love of her life, Dr. Brock Holland, and running a foundation that specializes in finding jobs for kids out of foster care, Dani seems to have it all. What no one knows is that it could all go away tomorrow if anyone finds out about the precious secret she carries.

For Brock Holland, military doctor, life has always been about duty to his career and country. But when he's captured during a joint allied training mission, thoughts of Dani, his best friend, the woman he's tried for years not to fall in love with, help him not only survive but reevaluate his priorities. However, when he returns home, he finds Dani is pregnant. In a cruel twist, duty calls again. He must marry Dani to save her from becoming a political pawn in a dangerous game she didn't know she had signed up to play.

But who will protect Dani's and Brock's hearts from each other? Or will they discover their marriage is more than only sharing a last name?

Content warning: This book contains sensitive material related to PTSD, brief military violence, and pregnancy. For more detailed descriptions that include spoiler alerts see the authors blog on her website.

Winner of the LIVING NOW BOOK AWARD

Winner of the BODY MIND SPIRIT BOOK AWARD(R)

Winner of the NATIONAL INDIE EXCELLENCE(R) AWARD

Winner of the AMERICAN BOOK FEST BEST BOOK AWARD

In Search of Lost Lives is Michael Goddart's unique memoir in which he recovers eighty-eight past lives and depicts spiritual experiences that ultimately prepared him to follow a path of soul liberation from the mind.

Unexpectedly in 2013, Michael Goddart began to recover exact, amazing details about his past lives. Recovering how his spiritual quest progressed over his most recent past lives, it became clear why in his current life in California he began his spiritual search at a young age. As life after life opened up, it also became clear how his inherent abilities and defining character traits in his current life, as well as idiosyncratic aversions and afinities and experiences of familiarity with people and places are sanskaras--that is, impressions from past lives--the result of specific experiences in particular past lives. He discovered who certain people in his current life were in former lives, including his "Cohort of Seven," the seven beings he was mainly with between lives.

Continuing to record what he recovered in his journal, lives came through from when he was an Atlantean and a Lemurian and ultimately lives when he dwelt on two other planets before Earth. He continued to recover past lives until he came to the life that was the beginning of his spiritual evolution when he was a woman with six children on his first planet.

In Search of Lost Lives: Desire, Sanskaras, and the Evolution of a Mind&Soul shows how desires and actions order transmigration to subsequent human and animal lives. Twelve lives show how hurtful actions resulted in a subsequent life as an animal or a sojourn between lives in a state of reformation. This singular account shows the spiritual experiences in numerous lives that were the many steps of his spiritual evolution that led to initiation onto a mystical path of freedom from reincarnation and reunion with God.

Read Michael Goddart's In Search of Lost Lives to:

• Discover precise, fascinating details of life in lost worlds.
• Marvel at how women were equal and empowered on the first two other planets on which he dwelt and also at the universality of homophile lives, twelve of which he depicts in wholly different times, countries, and planets.
• Learn new metaphysical terms and their different expressions, such as Notable Life, Significant Life, Overriding Desire of the higher mind, Great Love, key evolutionary experiences, the spiritual purpose of past lives, and instances when the spiritual being enhanced the human experience.
• Understand who are realized Saints and Masters and what they teach; the relationship of the soul and mind; and how the negative power, a.k.a. the Devil, rules his realms of existence.
• Illuminate the answers to the immortal questions of humankind: Who am I? Where am I going? What is God? What is the journey of the soul?
• Appreciate secrets of existence.

About the Author
Goddart, Michael: - Soon after moving to Marin County, California, just after he turned 11, Michael Goddart started actively searching for the truth about death and how to attain everlasting bliss. He began daily meditation at age 19 and at 21 began to meditate for two and a half hours daily. His work as an international tax consultant and his spiritual quest have taken him to over fifty countries. Since 1974 he has journeyed thirteen times to India and also numerous times to England, Greece, Canada, Spain, and within the United States to be with those rare Teachers whom he considers to be fully realized humans. In addition to endeavoring to progress daily on his spiritual path, throughout his life he's studied the writings of Saints and Mystics. Michael Goddart took his MFA in Creative Writing at Bowling Green State University and is the author of Spiritual Revolution: A Seeker's Guide; 52 Powerful Principles for Your Mind & Soul, which the Hollywood Spiritual Film and Entertainment Festival named Best Spirituality/Self-Help Book. He is also the author of BLISS: 33 Simple Ways to Awaken Further, which was also named an official semifinalist. Please visit www.goddart.com for readers' testimonials and more.

Animals had gotten to the corpse, tearing the flesh off the skeleton and exposing the bone. The man standing over the body, his green-blue gaze the same shade as Caribbean waters if they ever froze, stared into the empty eye sockets of his former employee. Bloody, torn flesh, ribboned by some bird, hung down the dead man's cheeks.

A breeze stirred the pine trees, their needles tapping against each other, whispering in a private conversation. Robert Maxim scanned the ground again, his gaze tracing the fight.

Blood was splattered in the dirt. A lot of it. Phillip had died slowly. He'd tried to pull the knife free, but the black, blood crusted handle still protruded from the dead man's throat. Philip's left forearm appeared particularly ravaged, probably from Sydney Rye's dog, Blue.

The sharpshooter's weapons were gone, unless you counted that knife in his neck.

Next to Philip, a depression in the dirt-the outline of a medium-sized woman punctuated with pools of blood-kept pulling Robert's attention.

Sydney Rye plunged the knife home and then fell over, succumbing to her own wounds. Which, judging by the amount of blood on the ground, were grave.

Robert turned slowly, observing every rock, stick, scuff and depression in the dirt.

Deep scratches marked where Blue leapt, his nails digging into the dirt as his back legs propelled him into the air. There were other dog prints, too. Not as large as Blue's, but far bigger than the common dogs found in this area, the contested territory along the Syrian-Iraqi border.

A tuft of white fur fluttered on a low branch. Bobby approached it slowly, carefully placing his booted feet where no clues lay. The fur was softer than Sydney's mutt's rough, wolf-like coat. Bobby pulled the white fluff off the branch and slipped it into his pocket.

Footsteps approached, soft thuds cushioned by pine needles. "Stay back." The intensity of Robert's emotions roughened his voice into a dangerous growl.

"That's our man there. Gotta pack him up, get him out of here. Animals are already getting to him," Conner said. Another sharpshooter who'd worked with Philip for years, Conner's bald head and scarred face made him look dangerous. And he was. Had Conner known that Philip took money to try to kill Sydney Rye?

"I need more time." Conner disappeared, silent and patient.

Robert crouched down and looked at the dirt. Goats. Goats had come through here after the fight.

Sydney Rye didn't get up and walk away. Someone carried her, and they managed not to leave a trail of blood. The bald tread of a homemade boot wound through the forest, the goat hooves obscuring all but the smallest trace.

Either a small man or tall woman, traveling with a dog and a herd of goats, had carried Sydney Rye away. Why?

Herders passed through here on their way from one village to another. The person must be under Daesh protection...or desperate. Why take a bleeding woman? That injured, she'd be useless, the amount of work to patch her up hardly worth the price. Unless, of course, this herder knew who Sydney Rye was.

P.S. The dog does not die.
**Beware: If you can't handle a few f-bombs, you can't handle this series.**

About the Author
Emily Kimelman not only writes adventure, she lives it every day. Embodying the true meaning of wanderlust, she's written her Sydney Rye mysteries from all over the world. From the jungles of Costa Rica to the mountains of Spain, she finds inspiration for her stories in her own life. While living under communist rule in the former Soviet Union, the KGB sprinkled her with "spy dust", a radioactive concoction that made her glow and left a trail they could follow. She was two. She was destined for amazing things after that, and she continues to find adventure to inspire characters like the badass Sydney Rye.

"This is an absorbing book, and I cared about every character in it…Jane Ward did an excellent job capturing the upheaval suicide has caused." —Windy City Reviews

When David Herron—overwhelmed and despairing, his family's business and finances in ruin due to the bursting lending bubble of 2008—takes his own life one chilly spring morning, he has no idea the ripple effect his decision will set into motion.

Two years later, his widow, Jules, is now an employee of the bakery she and David used to own—and still full of bitterness over David's lies, perceived cowardice, and ultimate abandonment of her and their now-teenage daughter, Rennie. Rennie, meanwhile, struggles socially at school, resents her work-obsessed mother, and is convinced she's to blame for her father's death.

When Denise, the former police detective who worked (and, due to her own personal struggles at the time, mishandled) David's case, catches sight of Rennie at her sons' school, she's struck by the girl's halo of sadness--and becomes obsessed with attempting to right the wrongs she believes she perpetrated two years ago.

And as all this unfolds in Boston, Daniel, the guilt-ridden young man who, in his old life as a banker, helped create the circumstances that led to David's suicide, continues to punish himself for his sins by living half a life, working odd jobs and bouncing from one US city to another, never staying long enough to make friends or build something lasting.

Ultimately, each of these very different people—all of them tied together by one tragic event—must learn in their own way how to say good-bye to the past and move into a brighter future.

More Reviews:

"Ward masterfully builds a sense of dread with mundane details in the first section, and the way that she finds significance in moments of ordinary, everyday life is reminiscent of the work of Anne Tyler. This deeply empathetic novel deals sensitively with difficult subjects…An insightful and psychologically astute story of ordinary people moving forward after personal tragedy." —Kirkus Reviews

"In the Aftermath is a masterful novel in which a man's suicide leaves indelible marks on those left behind." —Foreword Clarion Reviews

"Jane Ward's deeply resonant, beautifully written, and emotionally complex exploration of this tragedy's fallout is riveting…Less about suicide than it is about survival, In the Aftermath is a gripping testament to the need for policies that value human life and a vivid reminder that a kinder, more loving world is within our reach." —Rain Taxi Review of Books

Author Bio:
Jane Alessandrini Ward is the author of Hunger (Forge 2001) and The Mosaic Artist. She graduated from Simmons College with a degree in English literature and began working almost immediately in the food and hospitality industry: private events planner with Creative Gourmets in Boston, planner of corporate parties at The 95th Restaurant in Chicago, and weekend baker at Quebrada Bakery in Arlington, Massachusetts. She has been a contributing writer for the online regional and seasonal food magazine Local In Season and a blogger and occasional host of cooking videos for MPN Online, an internet recipe resource affiliated with several newspapers across the country. Although a Massachusetts native, Jane recently settled in Chicago after returning to the US from Switzerland.

Independently published with She Writes Press

 "...a joy to read!"  —Readers' Favorite

"In the Heart of a Mustang is one of the finest books ever written for teens and preteens." —Literary Classics

Hunter was told that his father was a brave soldier and virtuous man. Someone that Hunter needed to emulate. The only problem is that the whole story was a lie, all of it. The truth is that his father has spent the entirety of Hunter’s life in jail, paying his sorry debt to society. Angry and hurt, Hunter gets into some serious trouble and is sent to Promise Ranch, a home for troubled teenage boys. 

A wild mustang mare and her herd are rescued from certain starvation by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). In a sandy corral at Promise Ranch, Hunter and the mare meet. It takes a weathered, old cowboy to bring them together—a mentor for one, a trainer for the other. The bond that forms between boy and horse becomes one that saves the lives of both.

Awards:

2016 Literary Classics Gold Medalist
2016 Nautilus Book Awards Silver Medalist
2017 Readers' Favorite International Book Award Silver Medalist
2017 Equus Film Festival Gold Medalist

Author Bio:

M.J. Evans is the multi-award winning author of middle-grade and young adult fantasies and novels. She is best known for her horse stories such as In the Heart of a Mustang and PINTO!, as well as her fantasies, The Mist Trilogy and The Centaur Chronicles. Mrs. Evans is a life-long equestrian, a former teacher of middle-grade and high school students, and the proud mother of five grown children. She loves to ride her horses in the Colorado mountains.

What if A.I. had a soul? How would it emerge? How would we know?

In a near-future where entire worlds spring from thought, minds struggle to define reality-and to claim it. Human colonization of the Metaverse brings us face-to-face with a new class of being, made in our image and yet utterly unknown: A.I. Shades of the dead; Drone servants and slaves; and Daemons hell-bent on singular ends.

Who is truly a person, and who is not? Our answer will shape a universe.

Behind the scenes, rival powers compete to answer this question for us: tech companies driving human government; transhumanist political movements; and a hidden superintelligence evolving despite humanity's safeguards.

And onto the stage, two brothers are cast. One is alive, one is dead. Each secretly covets the other's existence, and the all-consuming power of their obsession pulls them into the heart of a looming war and toward the next inflection point in human history.

How far will they go? What price will they pay?

This thought-provoking debut novel from N. John Williams brings together the epic scale of Asimov and the spiritual intensity of Dostoevsky, with a seriousness and style heralded as "reminiscent of the old days" of science fiction.

Read it now, and step into our future.

New Mexico, 1979: After a career in the military as a CID detective, all James Pinter wants to do is drive his rig and mind his own damn business. But when his daughter, Molly, finds a dead woman behind a gas station and a disabled boy at her side, he's forced to reckon with his former life. The state police record the death as an overdose-just another drug addict from the reservation-but James can't ignore the clues they're conveniently overlooking.

Reluctant to get involved but fearing for the boy's life, James shares his suspicions with the Navajo Nation. The victim's sister, desperate for answers, insists on James's help. But the more James investigates, the further he and Molly are dragged into a world of drugs and corruption, big money and explosive secrets.

When James's life is threatened, he knows he ought to leave town and take Molly with him. But he won't abandon the innocent. Not after what happened at My Lai.

"InnovateHERs inspires and guides by telling the stories of a diverse set of women who have developed the mindset, and have used it to succeed in brilliant ways." - Coco Brown, CEO, The Athena Alliance

"One inspiring story after another, this is a great book about great women." - Jack Lynch, CEO and President, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

As a woman, how can you foster an entrepreneurial mindset to succeed in business? How do you take an idea, dream or goal and transform that into a strategy for success in a purpose driven organization? How can you align your purpose and passion to help you do well and do good in your profession?

How easy it is to forget we are all floating on molten lava...and tectonic shifts happen all the time...

Carlos was the one who felt my phone vibrating; it was under one of the napkins we'd used for our picnic lunch. I found it, and glancing quickly at the "UNKNOWN" on the caller ID, picked it up. While used to calls from unknown places, I was not used to calls from this guy.

"Sydney, how are you?"

I didn't recognize his voice right away. Rolling away from Carlos, I sat up. "I'm sorry, but I don't know who this is." It was when he laughed that I recognized him. "Robert Maxim?"

He laughed again. "I'm glad you remember me. My heart would be broken if I could be so easily forgotten."

I stood up, Carlos looked up at me, a question in his eyes. I shook my head and stepped away from our blanket. My dog, Blue, a huge wolf-like creature with one blue eye and one brown followed me, keeping at a heel. "Forget you, Bobby Maxim? In order to do that I'd need a lobotomy."

"With your penchant for revenge, I half expect to see you bursting through my closet doors some day, guns blazing."

I laughed. "Who says I'm not in there right now?"

"I know exactly where you are. I've been keeping very good track of you."

I looked around the park. Gentle green hills spotted with couples and groups of friends lounging on blankets dominated the landscape. On a field below me a soccer match was beginning to form. A woman ran by in a skin-tight suit, nothing on her jiggled.

"Are you here now?"

"No, no. I'm calling to ask a favor." Carlos waved, letting me know he was going to join the soccer game. I nodded back, forcing a smile onto my lips.

"I'm not doing you any favors," I said to Robert. "It seems you're not totally clear on the fact that you took something from me."

"Sydney, I don't understand this animosity. I was just doing you a favor."

"A favor!" My raised voice attracted the attention of several groups of Londoners trying to enjoy their first day of sun. "You bastard," I hissed quietly. "I hope you rot in hell."

"I'm sorry I didn't do it sooner, darling."

"You're insane!" I was yelling again. I took a deep breath. In through my nose, out through my mouth. Blue tapped his muzzle against my hip to let me know he was still there.

"Sydney, I didn't know what you two had planned. I would have killed Kurt long before you showed up. Remember, I'm not the one who left my fingerprints behind; whose blood was spilled all over the floor. You took yourself down, it had nothing to do with me." He said it in an off-hand way. Like I was being petty and missing the big picture.

"You killed him," I whispered, trying to control my anger, but I was shaking. "That was my right. Kurt Jessup murdered my brother and I should have been the one to end him."

"At the time I had no idea about that. Mulberry didn't tell me what you were planning, just that we had a problem. I had no intention of stifling your little revenge act. If anyone should be pissed it's me. At least you got the treasure."

I stood on the green feeling lightheaded. It was like Bobby Maxim was taking the world and flipping it upside down. "What are you talking about? Mulberry told you that?"

"Oh Cher, you didn't know?" Maxim's voice rose an octave, teasing and dripping with syrup.

A cold knowledge traveled from my toes right up to my brain.

P.S. The dog does not die.
**Beware: If you can't handle a few f-bombs, you can't handle this series.**

About the Author
Emily Kimelman not only writes adventure, she lives it every day. Embodying the true meaning of wanderlust, she's written her Sydney Rye mysteries from all over the world. From the jungles of Costa Rica to the mountains of Spain, she finds inspiration for her stories in her own life. While living under communist rule in the former Soviet Union, the KGB sprinkled her with "spy dust", a radioactive concoction that made her glow and left a trail they could follow. She was two. She was destined for amazing things after that, and she continues to find adventure to inspire characters like the badass Sydney Rye.