First Chapter Plus e-Magazine November 2023 Issue

First Chapter Plus is the e-Magazine where readers connect with Indie Authors and their work.

CONNECTING READERS TO INDIE BOOKS FIRST CHAPTER PLUS NOVEMBER 2023

GARY D. MCGUGAN – INTRODUCES CONTENTION HOW TRAVEL BOOKS CAN BRING THE REST OF THE WORLD TO YOU MEET THE AUTHOR WIP

Nano wrimo-How to benefit from just participating

Riddle: So What Would Taylor Swift Do For Christmas?

IN THIS ISSUE

03 BOOK VIDEOS

04 PODCAST OF THE MONTH

05 BAREFOOT LIBRARIAN

07 READER VIEWS BOOKS OF THE MONTH

09 MEET THE AUTHOR

12 FEATURED BOOK AND AUTHOR

14 AUTHORS AND BOOKS

19 RIDDLE: SO WHAT WOULD TAYLOR SWIFT DO FOR CHRISTMAS?

SUBSCRIPTIONS https://www.firstchapterplus.com EMAIL: admin@firstchapterplus.com https://www.firstchapterplus.com/contact www. firstchapterplus com

23 HOW TRAVEL BOOKS CAN BRING THE REST OF THE WORLD TO YOU

25 NAN0 WRIMO - HOW TO BENEFIT FROM JUST PARTICIPATING

MANAGING EDITORS Susan Violante & Sheri Hoyte CREATIVE EDITOR Janice Miller

100% GREEN First Chapter Plus e-magazine IS Environment conscious. Please consider the environment before printing.

I Have Something to Say Note from the Editor

Giving Thanks for the Good, and the Bad And so, it is time to open our hearts and mind to count our blessings. But does being grateful mean being grateful for only our blessings? Honestly, this year was a difficult one for me, and I am struggling this holiday season with so many emotions (sadness, confusion, fear, loss) as I process recent this year’s tragic events in my life and around the world. But as I became an orphan at 60 and deal with the above emotions, I am also experiencing a new level of happiness, contentment, and hope for the future while I count the days until I become a grandparent for the first-time next month. We are made by our experiences and how we react to them. That is why I am grateful for the good and the bad that has helped me appreciate even more the beautiful things and moments granted to me this year.

Managing Editor Susan Violante

This year be grateful for both and see your heart grow with appreciation, kindness, and hope.

Have wonderful Thanksgiving blessed with loved ones to share!

85 ABOUT ME Born and raised in Venezuela of Italian immigrants, Susan completed a BA in Political Science and Business Administration before moving to the US . She built a career as a Business Analyst/Accountant, while keeping herself active as a freelance writer in the US; publishing articles, poetry, children’s stories, and illustrations since 1996. She published her first book in 2009, and released her revised edition: Innocent War: Behind An Immigrant’s Past in 2011. Her picture book: Tuma: The Tribe’s Little Princess was published in early 2013 under her own label. Currently, Susan Violante is the Managing Editor/CEO/ Partner of I Have Something to Say Press and Book By Book Publicity, Author, Reviewer, Publicist and Publisher. She resides in Austin, TX with her husband Michel and her dogs, Canela and Karina,

BOOK VIDEOS The best tool in any book campaign! Just like movie trailers, book videos allow the audience to take a peek at a book and get a feeling about it.It also gives information about the author as well as, what others think about the book. All this in a very visual way in a short time frame which can be share in all social media platforms.

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PODCAST The OF THE MONTH

TOPICS OF CONVERSATION

About Cruel Lessons and his new Lessons in Peril series

Research - going to jail for research

Creating a suspenseful whodunit wrapped around the social issue

of drug abuse

How a small town and school system handle the drug issue in schools

Sharing Truths with Entertainment

What's next for Randy Overbeck-

and more

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST

Dr. Randy Overbeck a retired educator with over four decades of experience, is an award-winning author known for crafting suspenseful, heroic, and mysterious tales set in school environments. His books have received numerous awards and national recognition. His Haunted Shores Mysteries series has achieved bestseller status on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Dr. Overbeck is also the host of the podcast "Great Stories about Great Storytellers," where he uncovers the unique backgrounds of famous authors, directors, and poets. He frequently speaks to audiences nationwide, offering multimedia presentations on various topics.You can learn more about Randy Overbeck and his work at authorrandyoverbeck.com

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Let’s Ban Scholastic Book Fairs Like me, many school librarians have had a love/hate relationship with Scholastic Books. Scholastic does publish some worthy titles, but you must cull through many low-quality books to find them. And their book fairs include a lot of non-book junk items. Even with these and other issues, Scholastic has monopolized the school book fair market for decades. Other large book companies have tried and failed to compete with them. There has been a steady drip of incidents where Scholastic has not been a good player. But the most recent was their egregious policy of separating their diverse books into a separate add-on collection. Ironically, the collection's name is “Share Every Story/Create Every Voice,” but if you wanted to “share every story,” you had to specifically request that the collection be included in your book fair. Although, at the time of the writing of this article, Scholastic has retracted this policy, they have been vague as to precisely what will be their policy going forward. There were 60 titles in their diverse collection, and even at first glance, it is blatantly apparent that most of the books on the list have characters of color, LBGTQ+ characters, or were written by a person of color. I decided to read a sampling of the picture books on the list since my expertise is i n that genre. Unsurprisingly, not only did I find nothing objectionable, but many of the books got star reviews from reputable review sources. However, I dug deeper and found that parent reviews on Amazon were rife with criticisms labeling books as pornography or grooming children to become LBGTQ+. To reflect the true absurdity of this list, I will give you one example. Federico and the Wolf is an adorable rhyming modernized retelling of Little Red Riding Hood. In this version, Federico brings ingredients to make Pico de Gallo with his grandfather. Cleverly, they get rid of the wolf by feeding him the hottest pepper from their recipe. The book is sprinkled with a smattering of Spanish words and includes a recipe for Pico de Gallo. The only objection I found to it was on Amazon from a parent from Mexico who thought the wolf illustrations were a bit too scary for her young child. So seriously, can we not even expose children to other cultures at all? THE BAREFOOT LIBRARIAN

Librarians, check out other options - Barefoot Books book fairs or ask your local independent bookstores. (Indie bookstores seize this golden opportunity!)

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Alma and How She Got Her Name W ritten by Juana Martinez-Neal

Alma is a little girl with a very long name. Her father tells her stories about all the different relatives she is named after. Alma realizes she loves books like her grandmother, likes to draw like her grandfather, dreams of traveling like her great- grandmother, and stands up for what is right like her other grandmother. This book was also from the Scholastic “Share Every Story/Create Every Voice.” I could find no negative reviews, even on Amazon; it presumably got on the list because it includes characters of color.

This Book is Banned Raj Haldar (Author) Julia Patton (Illustrator)

A hilarious introduction for kids to the concept of banning books. From the first page, when the reader is admonished for deciding to read a book that is banned, the author shows you how absurd banning can become. Hippos are jealous of giraffes, so giraffes are banned. Some people think avocados are gross, so they are banned. By the end of the book, giraffes, hippos, dinosaurs, avocados, beds, monsters, robots, birthdays, unicorns, horses, and nice and bad wolves were banned. The author concludes, “We don’t want our books to disappear. Just keep reading and sharing books – and remember, even if a book isn’t for you, it could be perfect for someone else.”

Eve Panzer reviews books for Reader Views Kids as well as her own business, Barefoot Librarian. Monthly she publishes the Barefoot Librarian Newsletter.She sells children’s books published by Barefoot Books and Usborne Books & More at book fairs, educational conferences, community events, and online.

She earned her Masters in Library and Information Science from the University of Texas in Austin and worked as a school librarian before retiring to start her own business.

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BOOK OF THE MONTH

Never Lost Author Holly Brandon Independently Published (2023) ISBN 9781737784234

Reviewed by Sheri Hoyte for Reader Views (11/2023)

85 achievement in the Chastity Series. But I recommend starting with “Life in the Chastity Zone” and “Nothing’s As It Seems” to fully savor Chase’s journey, the endearing family dynamics, and her idiosyncratic charm. Holly Brandon delivers a finale with grace and flair that not only meets but exceeds expectations, providing a satisfying and memorable conclusion to the Chastity Series, sure to delight fans of romance, drama, comedy, and supernatural mystery. A spellbinding finale that masterfully weaves romance, comedy, and supernatural mystery ‘ Never Lost’ is the unforgettable conclusion you’ve been waiting for, bringing Holly Brandon’s cherished Chastity series to its epic close. Readers experience the emotions of stepping back in time—Brandon’s depiction of the past is like stepping into a sepia-toned photograph, where the richness of days gone by springs to life. This adds layers to the narrative, presenting a captivating contrast with Chase’s present-day issues. Diary entries and mysterious encounters with a stranger hinting at a past life weave enigmatic charm throughout the story, raising the fascinating possibility that we’re not only shaped by our present but also by echoes of our past. ‘ Never Lost’ not only stands strong on its own merits but also serves as a crowning

To Read complete review visit readerviews.com

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BOOK OF THE MONTH

ASD Publishing (2023) ISBN 9780996102940 Author Gregory G. Allen Two Bulldozer Buddies

Reviewed by Diana Coyle for Reader Views (10/2023)

encha nted

85 Ron and Del, who are two bulldozing buddies, live in a garage in Alaska and do everything together in the children’s book, ‘ Two Bulldozer Buddies’ by Tatyana Kuprienko. Ron is a big, and very strong bulldozer, while Del is a small, but very quick one. They are the perfect team together, not only being best friends to each other but in past jobs where they have helped each other. They have moved rocks, logs, mud, and dirt to get jobs done all around where they live in Alaska. I enjoyed reading “Two Bulldozer Buddies” by Tatyana Kuprienko and I honestly feel that a series could easily be written around Ron and Del. They are fun, loving characters that children can easily fall in love with, no matter if the reader is a boy or a girl. This story is written for ages 2-8 years, and I feel that is an appropriate age range for children to enjoy this story. As an adult reviewer, I easily fell in love with both Ron and Del. I also want to credit the illustrator, Kseniia Kudriavtseva. She created fun pictures that children can enjoy looking at while they are reading the book or having the book read to them. As she drew the pictures of the fire spreading across the forest, she did it in a non-threatening way that I feel won’t scare the children who are very young in the age bracket this book was created for. Overall, this was a fun book to read, and I feel it will be a great hit with younger children.

To Read complete review visit readerviews.com

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Meet the Author Gary D. McGugan Welcome back Gary! It’s always a pleasure to have you with us at Reader Views. Can you walk us through the inspiration behind Contention the seventh book in your series of international intrigue? Thank you for having me back, Sheri! It’s always a pleasure to share some thoughts with you, and I’d love to chat about Contention. Readers of other books in my series might recall that Howard has had the itch to separate from Fidelia on a couple occasions, so they were probably not surprised when he announced his intentions. But few probably expected he’d want to start his new corporate espionage business in Aruba. I became inspired to use Aruba in one of my stories after I spent a few months there in 2022. Aruba is a wonderful Caribbean Island just off the coast of Venezuela. People there speculate about the CIA spying on the rogue country from Aruba, and as I walked about the island for my daily exercise, my imagination already started creating scenes and scenarios that might work their way into Contention ! How did the emotional impact of releasing your seventh novel in the series compare to when you published your first book? Does it ever get old? O pening a box of the first-delivered copies of Contention felt every bit as satisfying as Three Weeks Less a Day. The joy of seeing months of thinking, planning, writing, editing, and re-editing printed in a beautiful paperback package never grows old for me ! Let’s talk about your characters first. Does Fidelia Morales’s unyielding fortitude reflect her true persona, or is it merely a public facade? How does this resilience help her assert her place as a woman in a male-dominated criminal underworld? Fidelia Morales learned to play roles from her earliest childhood in the poor sections of Puerto Rico and mastered new personas as she progressed through law school, a frustrating stint as an attorney, became a high-priced prostitute and then the global leader of an escort business. When she seized the opportunity to become the kingpin of an organized crime outfit, she adapted her persona again to behave like the crime lord who had influenced her most. Despite her enormous wealth and influence, Fidelia’s ruthless manner becomes both her strongest asset in dealing with macho criminals and greatest handicap to achieving happiness and satisfaction in life.

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Is Suzanne Simpson’s control over her massive corporate empire purely a defensive strategy against external threats like Fidelia, or does she harbor her own ambitions that make her a wild card? 85 Good question! It’s hard to imagine Fidelia breaking a life-long pattern of personal adaptation toward increased power and influence, but one never knows. Might there be a future life-altering event that shapes her outlook so dramatically that she shifts direction?

And then there is Howard Knight. He wants to break free once and for all from Fidelia’s control. Talk about the psychological struggles Howard Knight faces as he thinks about leaving Fidelia and her empire. Howard faces continuous turmoil with Fidelia. Their relationship is a long one but far more complicated than most. At the heart of Howard’s unease is the organized crime outfit she runs. While Fidelia was drawn increasingly toward the opioid of power, wealth and influence, Howard grew increasingly uncomfortable with violence, human trafficking, and treatment of people like useful prey for money and power. As he thinks about leaving, Howard must constantly balance his desire for freedom with a reality that Fidelia ultimately could end his life in an instant. “Contention” implies conflict or struggle. Who faces the most significant moral or ethical dilemmas in the story? Perhaps surprisingly, I think CEO Suzanne Simpson has to face the most significant moral or ethical dilemma. Both Howard and Fidelia are focused exclusively on their personal interests, without any consideration for the values most of us embrace. How does the tension between free will and determinism influence character choices and plot development? “Determinism”. Wow! We’re digging deep here today! As a novelist who loves adding twists and turns to his stories as often as possible, I think you’d find me in the camp that believes all actionsesult of free will rather than some preordained direction or external cause. More specifically, a writer’s imagination should create and drive tension, testing every character’s free will to the greatest extent plausible.

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Corporate espionage significantly influences the plot in Contention. What drew you to explore this aspect of the business world? While I was putting the finishing touches on A Slippery Shadow in Aruba in 2022, a longtime friend in Los Angeles invited me to a virtual meeting with someone actively involved in corporate espionage. My friend thought the subject could complement other illegal activities of The Organization. From listening to his guest and reading a couple books, I learned a lot about how corporate espionage might work and gained insight into some of the methods people use. I think people will find the information I share interesting. Given the illegal yet often-glamorized nature of corporate espionage, what message are you hoping to communicate regarding its ethics and repercussions? It’s never a good idea to break the law. W hat role does the setting—specifically the Caribbean in this installment—play in the storytelling? Many people equate Caribbean islands with cruises, all-inclusive resorts, or weekend getaways. As I’ve shared with you before, I’m not a fan of Canadian winters. So I live a few months in some warmer climate, often in the Caribbean. I rent apartments or small houses in neighborhoods where I interact with people who live there year-round. Increasingly, I’m encountering more people like me, people who forsake our native climates to do the things we do in a pleasant environment. Some of those things—such as writing—are legal. Other day- to-day activities are not. Most Caribbean islands are truly international, with characters living there from all parts of the globe. Contention shows a few different ways those with money and power might do their business in the Caribbean, whether it’s legal or not.

85 ABOUT GARY: Gary D. McGugan loves to tell stories and is the author of “Three Weeks Less a Day,” “ The Multima Scheme,” “Unrelenting Peril,” “Pernicious Pursuit,” and award-winning novels “A Web of Deceit” and “A Slippery Shadow.” After a forty-year career at senior levels of multinational corporations, Gary’s writing uses artful suspense to entertain and inform. His launch of a new writing career—at an age most people retire— reveals an ongoing zest for new challenges and a lifelong pursuit of knowledge. Home is near Toronto, but Gary thinks of himself as a true citizen of the world. His passion for travel and his broad experience are evident in every chapter.

Read Full Interview

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FEATURED BOOK & AUTHOR

by Elizabeth Upton The Shaman and the Mafia

Synopsis Marietta Collins, a former nun, becomes enmeshed in the tragedy of a brutal murder. Marietta, now the head of a youth drug rehab center, is dedicated to ridding the community of the growing criminal element. The victim of the suspected mafia hit was her friend Joseph Gleason W, a drug informant. During the course of the investigation, she meets the victim's brother, FBI assistant director Raymond Gleason. There's an instant attraction between the two. He becomes her first lover, and their romance blossoms into a deep love for each other......this is an action-packed mystery and love story that also examines the conflicted emotions of the characters as they try to make sense of their lives through the web of crime, darkness, and light. Fiction - Thriller/Romantic Suspensel Publisher: Self-Published Amazon (2021) Tradeback - 324 pages

ISBN: 9798469027942

$13.99

VIEW ON AMAZON

"Beautifully blending the trappings of a love story and a thriller, The Shaman and the Mafia uses the best of both genres to tell a story unlike any other, which will stay with readers long after the final page has been turned. ~5-Star Editorial Review by Reader's Favorite

" Author Elizabeth Upton has created a cast of colorful characters, each of whom has had life breathed into them by her stunning prose, and it's a treat to turn each page and find the direction in which the events of the narrative will push them next.” ~ K.C. Finn, reviewer for Readers' Favorite

Elizabeth Upton is an American Author and an influential writer of best-selling fiction and nonfiction spiritual books. Elizabeth is happily married and enjoys writing books for her reader fans around the world. When the Author is not writing, she works out with a personal trainer to stay fit and healthy; she loves long walks on the beach with her husband and dog. Her favorite colors are blue, green, and gold. She enjoys reading good books by some of her favorite authors like Geraldine Brooks, Hanh, Jerry Archer, Joseph Murphy, and Michael Connelly. Elizabeth and her husband reside in Santa Barbara, California.

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FEATURED BOOK & AUTHOR

The

by Elizabeth Upton Ghost Writer

Synopsis

After the sudden death of Jenna's best friend Padma, Jenna discovers her unfinished story and vows to complete it in her honor. Set in medieval times, Jenna struggles with it until Padma steps in and helps her from beyond the grave. Jenna becomes a ghostwriter, guided by a ghost. When Jenna travels to Scotland’s Dunnottar Castle for research, she meets Sir Thomas deKeith, the handsome clan chief who captures her attention and her heart.

Publisher: Bowker Identifier Services (2022)

Fiction - Historical Tradeback - 561 pages ISBN: 9781732017559 $15.99 VIEW ON AMAZON

" This is a refreshing, gently compelling story rich in adventure and fantasy as well as real-life triumph over grief and loss. It is welcome respite for any reader weary of 21st century strife.” ~Amazon review - M.R. Wilson

"It would appeal to fans of historical romance who like a dash of paranormal thrown in." ~Judge, 10th Annual Writer's Digest Self-Published E-book Awards

I consider myself fortunate in that I was raised in a family that valued learning. By the time I entered kindergarten, I knew how to read, print, and write in cursive. Bedtime stories were a mainstay, and trips to the local library were as regular as those to the grocery store. I had no way of knowing then, but they were instrumental in my becoming a writer. I'm all grown up now, writing historical fiction stories that I hope will find their way into the hands of an eager reader, ready to embark on an adventure that I've imagined, crafted, and tucked between the covers.

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CHAPTER

FIRST CHAPTER PLUS COLUMNIST

Wandering Soul

By Dawn Colclasure ISBN 978-1518884115 View in Amazon

encha nted

For some people, home is the wide open road, where they feel the call to travel or explore the road not taken. For these wandering souls, their life is about journeying from one place to another and seeing the world for all of its beauty. Wandering Soul is a collection of poems capturing that vagabond spirit and the experience of travel. The poems in this book are meant for anyone who answers the call of the road, or who yearns to explore unknown territory.

85 Dawn Colclasure is a writer who lives in Oregon. She reviews books for Reader Views. She is also a freelance writer. She is the author of several books. Her work has appeared in magazines, newspapers, websites and anthologies. Her websites are www.dawnbooks.com and Her Twitter: @dawncolclasure.

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AUTHORS

& BOOKS

Synopsis: Isabella and Elizabeth had completely different childhoods and teen lives. They both were extremely intelligent and received full scholarships to attend Oxford University. They both majored in Political Science. Bella's minor was in Art and Liz's was in Criminal Justice. They were roommates who became best friends with the same yearnings. They wanted love, passion, travel, and intrigue. They surrounded themselves with wealthy people such as Ambassadors, Earls, Dukes, Directors of the CIA, FBI and Interpol. They both worked in the government offices during their college years and met many millionaires and billionaires. When they graduated, they never expected their lives to end up in the espionage world. They learned very quickly who they could trust, so they thought! What started out as their plan to travel the world for a year or two, ended up being an experience of a lifetime. ISBN: 9798568445807 Fiction - Thriller/Murder Publisher: Atmosphere Press (2022) Once In The Lifetime Spies by Donna Burch

$21.95 Paperback

VIEW ON AMAZON

Donna J. Burch is a published author of 24 books. She is an acrylic artist, teacher, gardener, community volunteer and retired bank officer. She has also created a positive life group on Facebook (META) for women called "BUCKET LIST OR NOT," that posts all positive sayings, photos, recipes, goals, events, get togethers, coffee groups, playing cards, dinners, games, luncheons, exercises and just plain having fun with new and old friends. This is a safe place for women to meet and go to feel awesome and get support from each other. For more information about Donna and her books visit her at /www.facebook.com/donna.burch

FICTION-CHILDREN/ADVENTURE

$5.95

We promote Authors’ books through our monthly e-magazine directed to Librarians, booksellers, Media, and readers...and the best part, our listings will fit all budge ts. Learn more Don't Wait for an Opportunity First Chapter Plus is committed to making sure your title gets the best chance to be discovered.

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Author: Joanne Grodzinski ASIN: B09XWVW9XM AUDIO-BOOK/64 MINUTES

In this dream-like tale, Fred is visiting his grandfather when time suddenly stops. Setting out to discover why, Fred meets Maestro Orpheus and his magical lyre. Together they begin a musical adventure along The Corridor of Time, on their way to wind The World Clock. Drawing on a broad range of classical music, by composers from Bach and Haydn to Chopin and Strauss, Maestro Orpheus and The World Clock explores the intimate relationship between time, memory and music in a way that is intended to delight and fill with wonder.

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AUTHORS

& BOOKS

Fiction - Romantic Suspense Publisher: Independently Published (2019) Sketches of Life by A. Gavazzoni

Tradeback - 521 pages ISBN: 978-1708164669

Synopsis: In the middle of WWII, France surrendered to Germany, and young Lily, half French and half American, her life now turned upside down. A careless girl, full of hopes and dreams, Lily must leave France and go to her father's homeland, taking her mother with her... France, the United States, Spain, Austria, and Argentina present the backdrops for an epic tale of people trying to adapt to a world in turmoil, filled with surprise secrets.

$15.99 VIEW ON AMAZON

A. Gavazzoni is a Brazillian Multi-Award-Winning Novelist of five published literary works within two novel series titled, 'Hidden Motives' and 'Where The Road Goes.' Born and raised in Brazil, she is of full Italian lineage. By day she is a Brazillian lawyer, former professor of law, and also writes legal books. She speaks four languages: English, French, Portuguese, and Spanish. When she is not practicing law or writing her next novel, she enjoys many interests as a very active person and is an avid reader. Visit her blog for updates and new releases at agavazzoni.com.

MURDER AMONG THE TOMBSTONES by Kim Carter

Fiction - Mystery/Historical Publisher: Raven South Publishing (2016)

Tradeback - 268 pages ISBN: 978-1737506171

Fiction - Romantic Suspense

Synopsis: When Atlanta homicide detectives are called in to investigate the murder of a nineteen-year-old girl found dumped in historic Oakland Cemetery, they immediately begin working the case. But with no leads to follow and their case log growing larger by the day, the murder quickly grows cold. Desperate to keep the investigation of her deceased sister going, Ginger Baines hires two novice sleuths to solve the case. Widowed, well into their seventies, and new to the world of private investigating, Clara Samples and Iris Hadley aren't your average private eyes.

Tradeback - 521 pages ISBN: 978-1708164669

$13.99

VIEW ON AMAZON

Kim Carter is an award-winning author and critically acclaimed writer of gripping suspense, chilling thrillers, and haunting historical mysteries. Ms. Carter is widely known for her vibrant characters in her Clara and Iris Mystery series,Book one of this series, Murder Among The Tombstones, was chosen Finalist for the 2018 Killer Nashville Silver Falchion Award and a recipient of the 2017 TCK Publishers' Readers' Choice Award.

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AUTHORS

& BOOKS

Outpourings by CK Sobey NonFiction - Inspirational - Poetic Prose Publisher: Inner Harvesting (2021) Tradeback - 92 pages

Synopsis: Outpourings, the second book of Musings, is blended with many Haiku reflections, Japanese-style poetry traditionally in lines of five, seven, and five syllables evoking images of the natural world. I stayed with the rhythm, but I took liberty with what flowed from my pen as it was not always traditional, not always about the natural world.

ISBN: 9781737506171

CK newest book; Outpourings, Volume ll

Musings, Woolgathering, & Ghosts.will be ready to order on October 25, 2023! CK's writing has been featured in The Reflationary, Publishers Weekly, Readers Views/inside Scoop, and The Midwest Review, 101 Words.

Read more about her at: www.InnerHarvesting.com.

VIEW ON AMAZON

$19.99

unity

FICTION-WOMEN-HISTORICAL

Beyond the Song Bookbaby (2021) Author: Carol Selick Tradeback / 284 Pages ISBN: 9781098383695

THIS SPACE IS RESERVED FOR YOU

$17.99

VIEW ON AMAZON

An autobiographical novel based on the author's coming- of-age in the late 60s and early 70s. A singer-songwriter like her alter ego, Carol Marks, Carol begins each chapter with original lyrics. She rebels from her strict suburban upbringing, and her journey takes her to demonstrations in Washington, cross country adventures and finally, New York City where she meets a famous songwriter and an understanding therapist who help her to realize her potential.

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Grand Prize Winners!

2022 LITERARY AWARD FICTION

www. readerviews com/literaryawards

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Marisa Billions

Alex Thornbury

Elizabeth Conte

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2022 LITERARY AWARD NON-FICTION Grand Prize Winners!

www. readerviews com/literaryawards

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Gary S. Berger

Michael DiRuggiero

Ron Malhotra

Emily Tsitrian

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Riddle: So, what would Taylor Swift do for Christmas?

By Carolyn Howard-Johnson

I used to think Taylor Swift's "Last year I gave you my heart" the most unlikely Christmas song of all time. Kind of a downer, you know? This year I changed my mind when I started thinking about how she markets, her interest in doing good, her focus, her assertiveness. That lead to how I might have misinterpreted the message of her lyrics and try to reframe my interpretation for her themes like this: "Everyone makes mistakes." "With the right attitude we can tackle anything we encounter." Don't expect immediate results from efforts to recover from disappointments—large or small ones." It's too late to fix the world, but never too late for a little mending (in her case a year after the fact!"

So, why the change of mind? Well, it's November and my holiday shopping is usually almost done by now, so I started to stress about my 2023 booboos ...and long before. What would Taylor do?

I was surprised that often I had been neglecting my own advice, but I came up with some new ideas to ease my anxiety, too. So I am sharing a few of both.

1. First on the list may come as a surprise. Sit down, log in on your calendar, and set an early-bird date for the day after December 25 to bargain shop for gifts for this year and ever after. Consider making your contact list into a veritable personal assistant using your calendar's alerts feature. Make this project all about your memorable occasions—birthdays, holidays, even marketing events like National Writers Day which I missed this year! (It will be Nov first in 2024.) As you find gifts, make a note, date it and don't remove it. You'll be surprised how it becomes handier with each year.

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2. If you're an author, make February 1 the date to begin a forever book. What's a forever book you might ask? It's a book—any genre—that celebrates the holiday of your choice. Why so early? Because you want to have it published and ready for marketing anywhere from "Christmas in July" celebrations to an online e-book promotion the week before the big date. Everything you do with new book becomes a template for 2025, 2026 and forever more. You make it a classic with promotions that become more effective, more creative, easier, and more frugal of time as the years go by. Speaking of Christmas in July, that's the month to start planning your holiday media blitz, too. July is the time to pitch holiday stories and promotions for your business, your book, your profession to magazines and some other print media. I know because I worked for Good Housekeeping magazine after honing by journalism at a daily newspaper and had a hard time accepting that it takes that long to get the job done! But every medium will be looking for new, fresh holiday ideas or current angles until the last gift is unwrapped...or after. Think both pre- and post-holiday needs. Think worldwide. Think national. Think local. As ideas come to you, add alerts to your calendar. Don't be chintzy with the details. Busy minds get forgetful. Note: Do you use HARO (Help A Reporter Out)? It’s a subscription service that lets you know when a reporter can benefit from whatever it is you are promoting. Use it year-round to build your exposure, nurture contacts and get ideas. Save your submissions to tailor them for different calls-for-help HARO puts out every season of the year. 3. Mending the world is (must be!) an ongoing project, of course. But you can begin weaving the charitable considerations and your awareness of the power of the word into everything from guestlists to donating profits from your books to suitable organizations. (Keep reading for more information and link on how my poetry coauthor and I work charities into the branding of each of our books.) 4. Here are a couple of other guidelines. For authors I'm thinking last-minute gifts by touting e-book gifts that are inexpensive and arrive very nearly instantly. For readers I'm suggesting you use more books as gifts— everything from classics to books you loved, maybe with a printout of the review you wrote for it tucked inside the cover. I bet Taylor would like the idea. I'm thinking donations to your local library and a special thank you to whoever tosses the daily news onto your front porch. The list can get really long. “Think worldwide. Think national. Think local. As ideas come to you, add alerts to your calendar. Don't be chintzy with the details. Busy minds get forgetful.” - Carolyn Howard-Johnson, multi-award winning writer of fiction, poetry, and the HowToDoItFrugally Series of books for writers

85 Carolyn Howard-Johnson brings her experience as a publicist, journalist, marketer, editor, and retailer to the advice she gives in her HowToDoItFrugally Series of books for writers and the many classes she taught for nearly a decade as instructor for UCLA Extension’s world-renown Writers’ Program. The books in her HowToDoItFrugally Series of books published by Modern History Press include the third editions of The Frugal Book Promoter and The Frugal Editor which won awards from USA Book News, Readers’ Views Literary Award, the marketing award from Next Generation Indie Books and the coveted Irwin award. That series includes books on other topics for writing as varied as writing book proposals and editing tricky homonyms.

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CAROLYN HOWARD-JOHNSON

Each month in this box, Carolyn lists a writing or promotion tidbit that will help authors and a tip to help readers find a treasure among long-neglected books or a sapphire among the newly-published.

85 For Readers: How about a last-minute book of Christmas poetry from Carolyn and Magdalena Ball's holiday entry in their Celebration Series of chapbooks, paper or e-book. Find it at How about a last-minute book of Christmas poetry from Carolyn and Magdalena Ball's holiday entry in their Celebration Series of chapbooks, paper or e-book. or see the whole series here. Tips and Tidbits Writers' Tidbit: Amazon offers a new service absolutely free. In addition to an author's regular buy page, it is a special page that lists all e-books in a series. Don't think of it as a page for genre fiction only. I just did one for the series of poetry chapbooks I wrote with Aussie Magdalena Ball. As a self-publisher of that series I was able to do this myself using my KDP Bookshelf. My publisher did this one for my series of books for writers at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BTXQL27T. Either way, it's absolutely free! Amazon also produces the triptych images for these pages free.

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FEATURING DAWN COLCLASURE

How Travel Books Can Bring the Rest of the World to You

BIf you’re lucky, you’ll get to enjoy some traveling during your lifetime. You may also have the opportunity to write about it. For the most part, though, we can’t travel to all the places we want to, and that’s where reading travel books comes in. These books are written in a way that help readers interested in visiting other parts of the world find out what they are really like through personal stories from people who have traveled there. These books can give us a glimpse into other parts of the world in a more detailed way. Travel books allow us to indulge our desire to travel the world, even when it must be done vicariously through the eyes and words of people who do the traveling for us.

For the armchair traveler who loves to read, certain travel books can satisfy their sense of wanderlust.

85 Sara Tyler, founder and owner of Nomad Publishing, loved traveling so much that she turned it into not only a business but a lifestyle for her family. Her company publishes travel books written by people who have traveled to various locations throughout the world and she does what is known as “worldschooling” for her children. “The really unique thing about my books is that they aren’t written by professional authors, but instead by normal people,” Sara explained. “And the travel is always off the beaten path and cultural immersive. It’s easier for the reader to see the value in travel when it’s presented this way, because they can relate to the ‘normal people’ writing, their obstacles, and lifestyles.” More Women Travel (Rough Guides, 1995) is a collection of stories from women around the globe who have traveled to countries such as Australia, Cambodia, Egypt and Greece. Whether their travels are for work or simply to answer their call to explore the world, the personal stories in this book bring these other parts of the world to life through their adventures.

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One of the titles Sara created and published through her company is Not All Who Wander Are Lost: Purposeful Travelers Share Their Stories of Healing (with 13 co-authors) (Nomad Publishing, 2023). While this book mainly shares how travel was healing and transformational for the contributors, it also shares stories of what other countries are like. One native of Trinidad writes “The Trinidad and Tobago Carnival is held mostly towards the end of February. Church camp consisted of beach limes (hangouts), church services, games, food, etc. I grew up in church so during carnival we went to camp and it was amazing. I can still remember the food smells, the loud music, and how I felt. ... On our beach limes my Mom or older siblings would cook a huge pot of pelau (a traditional rice dish of the West Indies) with a side of fresh salad (lettuce, cucumbers, and tomatoes) and ice-cold beverages. You didn’t want to take any food to the beach that would spoil under the hot Trinidad sun.” And there are contributors who took vacations closer to home, such as Hawaii. “Hawaii was truly a sight to behold, with its pristine beaches and stunning landscapes. The landscape of the various layers of aqua blue tones of water, and palm trees everywhere, but the sunsets in Hawaii were just truly breathtaking. I caught myself watching it from a different location every evening. It was everything that I had read about in magazines and seen on social media.” In another book by Nomad Publishing, BOOK THE FLIGHT ALREADY!: Travelers Share Their Life- Changing Stories from Off-the-Beaten-Track Bucket List Trips (Nomad Publishing, 2023) by Sara Tyler, et. al., a contributor writes: “I was looking down on Ireland, not a cloud in the sky! It is like the sun and moon aligned for this moment. I am pretty sure I shed a tear. I recognized the green patches that were many shades of green, divided by stone fences, just like the pictures in the books I read. The coastline was captivating, with the waves crashing against the cliffs.”

The great thing about travel books is their ability to bring faraway places to life on the pages, and right into the mind of the reader.

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STEP/01 NANOWRIMO HOW TO BENEFIT FROM JUST PARTICIPATING STEP/01 - USE IT AS A MOTIVATION SOURCE: NATIONAL NOVEL WRITING MONTH IS A PERSONAL AND OFTEN EXHILARATING JOURNEY FOR MANY WRITERS BUT ALSO OVERWHELMING FOR OTHERS. I PERSONALLY USED THE MOTIVATION THAT NANOWRIMO BRINGS TO FINISH MY REVISED EDITION OF MY BOOK “INNOCENT WAR.” IN 2011.

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SET A GENERALIZED MAIN GOAL FOR THE MONTH. DECIDE WHAT YOU WANT TO GET FROM THE CHALLENGE. THE 50K WORD COUNT. THE STORY OUTLINE OR PLAN. MABY COMPLETE AN UNFINISHED MANUSCRIPT. WHILE THE OFFICIAL NANOWRIMO GOAL IS TO WRITE 50,000 WORDS, YOU CAN ADJUST IT TO SUIT YOUR WRITING PACE AND OTHER COMMITMENTS. STEP/02 - SET GOALS THAT MAKE SENSE TO YOU: STEP/03 -PLAN YOUR STRATEGY: IF YOU'RE A PLANNER, CREATE AN OUTLINE OR SOME KEY PLOT POINTS TO GUIDE YOUR WRITING. IF YOU'RE A PANTSER (WRITING BY THE SEAT OF YOUR PANTS), EMBRACE THE FREEDOM TO DISCOVER YOUR STORY AS YOU GO. THE KEY IS TO DECIDE YOUR APPROACH AHEAD AND GET ON WITH IT. PERSONALIZE YOUR PARTICIPATING SCHEDULE TO FIT YOUR LIFE. SOME WRITERS PREFER EARLY MORNINGS, WHILE OTHERS ARE NIGHT OWLS. FIND A TIME THAT WORKS BEST FOR YOU AND STICK TO IT AS CONSISTENTLY AS POSSIBLE. STEP/04 - CREATE A NANOWRIMO SCHEDULE:

STEP/05- STAY ACCOUNTABLE:

SHARE YOUR NANOWRIMO GOALS WITH A WRITING BUDDY OR IN ONLINE WRITING COMMUNITIES. BEING ACCOUNTABLE TO SOMEONE OR A GROUP CAN HELP YOU STAY MOTIVATED.

NANOWRIMO IS ALL ABOUT GENERATING A FIRST DRAFT. SO MAKE IT ALL ABOUT FINISHING WHAT YOU SET UP YOURSELF TO DO. DON'T GET BOGGED DOWN BY EDITING OR PERFECTING YOUR PROSE. YOU CAN REVISE AND POLISH LATER. STEP/06 - DON'T EDIT, JUST KEEP WORKING ON YOUR GOAL STEP/01 STEP/09- REWARD YOURSELF: CELEBRATE YOUR MILESTONES AND ACHIEVEMENTS, NO MATTER HOW SMALL. TREAT YOURSELF TO SOMETHING YOU ENJOY WHEN YOU REACH A WORD COUNT GOAL OR COMPLETE A CHALLENGING CHAPTER. STEP/08 - TAKE BREAKS: IT'S IMPORTANT TO TAKE REGULAR BREAKS TO AVOID BURNOUT. STRETCH, REST YOUR EYES, AND STAY HYDRATED. MANY LOCAL AND ONLINE WRITING COMMUNITIES HOST WRITE-INS DURING NANOWRIMO. THESE EVENTS PROVIDE A SENSE OF CAMARADERIE AND CAN BOOST YOUR PRODUCTIVITY. STEP/07 - JOIN WRITE-INS:

STEP/10 - BE PROUD OF WHAT YOU ACCOMPLISH

STEP/01 NANOWRIMO IS NOT JUST ABOUT REACHING A WORD COUNT; IT'S ABOUT CULTIVATING A CONSISTENT WRITING HABIT AND BRINGING YOUR STORY TO LIFE. EMBRACE THE JOURNEY AND ENJOY THE PROCESS OF CREATING YOUR NOVEL. GOOD LUCK!

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